Dear Mayor:

This is the second of three letters dealing with the latest developments in the Legislature’s Special Session for Property Tax Reform.

Several of the bills, which were introduced following the 98 recommendations made by the four Special Legislative Committees, are slated for consideration by the General Assembly and State Senate this coming Monday, December 11.   (Both houses are scheduled for voting sessions both on Monday and Thursday next.)

Included among the property tax reform bills are:

A-4/S-42: Implements CORE proposals, including "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act"; user-friendly budgets; November fire and school district elections; revision of county superintendent of schools title and duties.

The League presented testimony and a written statement http://www.njslom.org/JCGC_memo_120706.html supporting the majority of the provisions of this bill, particularly the CORE reform package.   We recommend you to contact your State representatives and ask for their support for A-4 and S-42.

A-14/S-39: "Property Assessment Reform Act"; appropriates $4,000,000.

The League submitted a statement on this bill http://www.njslom.org/property_tax_A-14.html.  However, during yesterday’s deliberations of the Joint Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, the Committee Chairman acknowledged the concerns raised by the Municipal Assessors Association as well as the League, and agreed that the bill needs to be reworked. This bill will likely not be considered for a vote next week.

A-15/S-38: Establishes "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission"; establishes measures for local government efficiency; appropriates $95,000.

In our testimony and statement http://www.njslom.org/JCGC_memo_120706.html we acknowledge improvements in this proposal (such as a voter referendum on voter consolidation that must be approved in each of the municipalities.)     We provided additional suggestions for changes.  We advised the Committee, however, that the creation of another government agency to advise other governments how to conduct business was counter-productive.   The Commission to be created is not property tax reform and we expressed the League’s opposition.   While this bill now enjoys significant support, we would ask that you contact your State representatives and ask them to vote no on A-15 and S-38.