Dear Mayor:

The Joint Legislative Committee on Public Employee Benefits Reform will hold the first public meeting in Clifton, N.J. on Tuesday, September 19 at 5:00 P.M. The meeting location is Clifton High School Auditorium, 333 Colfax Avenue. Directions to Clifton High School available at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/PropertyTaxSession/jcpe.asp.

Here is our opportunity to inform this fact finding Committee of the impact of high costs of pension and health benefits on property taxes. Important to emphasize cost drivers on local budgets are contracts resulting from arbitration awards, mandated enhancements granted over objections by the League, the roll in of non salary items into the pension base, to name a few. This open hearing also presents the opportunity to offer suggestions on how to reform the system.

Please refer to our COPE report for further pointers and see Dear Mayor letters of July 27, August 23 and August 31 on employee benefits.

I encourage you to attend this important meeting. You should have prepared written comments to submit to the Committee. Please note, there are no guarantees that you will be allowed to testify as registration is limited. You can sign up by calling the Office of Legislative Services at (609) 292-9106. Further hearings will be scheduled for the southern region of the State at a later date.

Please also contact Helen Yeldell at League office at (609) 695-3481 ext. 12 to let us know of your intent.

Thank you.