With the first-quarter 2026 property tax deadline approaching on Feb. 1, Lakewood’s recently appointed tax collector is highlighting what township officials describe as an unusually broad range of secure and convenient payment options for residents.
Danielle Peacock, a Certified Tax Collector (CTC) with decades of experience serving New Jersey municipalities as both an employee and consultant, assumed the full-time role of tax collector for Lakewood Township after previously providing consulting services to the township.
“I was amazed at what I saw in Lakewood; it was a whole new world,” Peacock said. “Lakewood is not afraid to try new things and the public truly benefits from that.”
According to township officials, nearly half of Lakewood property owners pay their taxes directly to the municipality rather than through a mortgage lender. To accommodate that volume, Lakewood offers several payment methods, including in-person, automated, online, and kiosk-based options.
Among the most distinctive is a set of EUNA/CityBase payment kiosks located both inside and outside the lobby of the Lakewood Municipal Building at 231 Third Street. The kiosks are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accept cash, checks, and credit or debit cards. There are no fees for cash or check payments. Each transaction generates a printed receipt immediately, and the payments are automatically integrated into the tax collector’s official records system.
Peacock said the kiosks function similarly to an ATM deposit and allow taxpayers to follow up with office staff just as they would if they had made payment at the counter.
Lakewood also offers an Auto Pay/ACH Bank Draft program that automatically deducts quarterly tax payments from a taxpayer’s checking or savings account. Township officials say the program helps residents avoid missed payments and potential penalties.
Residents can enroll in Auto Pay, make one-time ACH payments, or pay by credit or debit card online at the township’s tax collector webpage. For those who prefer in-person assistance, staff are available at the tax collector’s office on the second floor of the municipal building during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Deputy Mayor Menashe Miller credited township leadership and staff with modernizing the system.
“I commend COO Trish Komsa and other Township officials who were instrumental in making Lakewood’s property tax system a model of convenience,” Miller said. “Lakewood is committed to remaining at the cutting edge of technological advancements so government services are as constituent-friendly and cost-efficient as possible.”