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Division of Taxation

Biography of Marita R. Sciarrotta, Acting Director

Marita R. Sciarrotta

Marita R. Sciarrotta, a 40-year career public servant, was sworn in as Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Taxation on September 25, 2023.

Marita’s working history with the Division of Taxation started during high school, and continued throughout college and after graduation from what is now The College of New Jersey. Her deep fascination with tax law and administration transformed a part-time job into a decades-long career in public service with practical experience in Local Property Tax Administration, Audit Activity, Conference and Appeals, Investigations, Collection, and training and mentoring new employees.

As a Deputy Director - her most recent role – she was tasked with oversight of the Collection & Enforcement, Data Systems and Taxpayer Services Activities.

Marita spent 20 years as an Investigator and manager in the Collection & Enforcement Activity, Compliance and Field Branches, before being promoted to State Executive Service as an Assistant Director of Taxpayer Services. She is a Subject Matter Expert in multiple tax types, has served as a spokesperson for the agency and participated in five tax amnesty programs. She also provided leadership for or contributed to dozens of programs and initiatives, such as:

  • Creating a nationally recognized internal training and public outreach team – Taxation University;
  • Revising billing and collection processes to generate millions of dollars in additional revenue;
  • Redesigning Taxation’s website to make it easier for taxpayers to file and pay their obligations;
  • Developing the Division’s first social media strategy;
  • Training the first private collection vendor contracted by the Division;
  • Spearheading New Jersey’s partnership with the IRS to off-set federal refunds to State tax debt;
  • Creating the administrative infrastructure to execute the NJ Health Care Insurance Mandate.

Marita’s most recent achievement was the successful implementation of the inaugural ANCHOR property tax benefit program, its marketing campaign, outreach events, and filing clinics, which resulted in the submission of approximately 1.7 million applications by eligible homeowners and tenants.

Marita serves on several national tax-focused committees, designing workshops and agendas with the Multi-State Tax Commission (MTC) and the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) and is a frequent guest speaker at regional and national conferences. She also maintains a robust and proactive communication channel with the tax practitioner community, including the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. The trade group acknowledged her contributions in 2021 by awarding Marita with an NJCPA Ovation Award in the Impact Category.

Marita holds an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration.


Last Updated: Friday, 11/17/23