FROM TIME TO TIME – A Quarterly Report on the Activities
Of the New Jersey League of Municipalities

April – June, 2006     

We have advocated for municipalities in Trenton by …

We have advocated for municipalities in Washington by …

• Advocating in favor of legislation to ensure that solid waste haulers who operate through or near railroads are still subject to local environmental and zoning regulation.
• Continuing to work with our State Delegation to protect the Community Development Block Grant program, the Section 8 Housing Voucher program and other programs vital to our constituents and to community and economic development.
• Cooperating with the National League of Cities (NLC) and other New Jersey and National Associations to educate Members of Congress on the importance of local governments’ authority to manage and collect revenue for the use of their local rights-of-way and the problems that would be created by Federal preemption of those rights in the Telecommunications Act under consideration.  
• Working with NLC and our Delegation to protect our authority to exercise eminent domain for economic development and to minimize new federal restrictions on the use of eminent domain.
• Educating local officials on the activities of the President's FY 2007 Budget Proposal.

We have strengthened local leadership capacity by …

• Hosting two seminars for Newly and Reelected Officials on January 28 and March 11.
• Conducting a seminar on Pay-to-Play and other ethics issues on March 14.
• Publishing and distributing the second edition of “Local Property Taxes and State Government: What Residents and Businesses Should Know.”
• Cosponsoring and participating in the “2nd Transit Village Symposium,” at Rutgers University, to promote and encourage the fostering of Smart Growth principles.
• Initiating, with the State’s Department of Health and Senior Services, the “Mayors’ Wellness Campaign,” to combat obesity and promote local opportunities for a more active and healthier lifestyle.

We have provided municipal officials with resources for problem solving by …

• Implementing a new online Interlocal Services Center.  This new center provides our municipal officials with various web links pertaining to interlocal legislation, informative articles, resources and grant information.  The center also includes sample interlocal agreements, which municipal officials may use as references or guides in formulating language for their own interlocal agreements.
• Updating our Interlocal Advisory Consultation service so that municipal officials with general questions regarding interlocal services may submit their questions via an online query and have a response emailed back to them.  More complex issues will be directed towards Gregory Fehrenbach as has been the practice.
• Implementing online forums with discussion topics including but not limited to property taxes, interlocal services, gangs and youth violence, and the environment.  These forums are meant to provide municipal officials with a medium for discussing ideas and gaining insight on current topics which arise in their municipalities.
• Disseminating, through the Bureau of Municipal Information, sample ordinances on request, offering informational legal consultations, making bid specifications available, and providing interlocal services consultations upon request.  Sample copies of ordinances are also available online as PDF documents.
• Publishing the second edition of the Arbitration Reporter, in June.
• Hosting and administering year-round education seminars to help local officials deal with and solve issues and problems at the municipal level.
• Establishing the Gang Prevention and Youth Violence Task Force, chaired by Mayor Bob Bowser of East Orange, to develop and promote a comprehensive and compassionate approach to the large and growing gang epidemic infecting New Jersey. Mayor Bowser has represented the League at a Press Conference and at a seminar at Princeton University on the problem; and he has led the Task Force in discussions with the Administration that led to Governor Corzine’s new anti-gang initiatives.

We have promoted municipal government by …

• Recording 14 new nominations for the Mayors Hall of Fame, and 11 new nominations for the Elected Officials Hall of Fame.
• Awarding $3000 in scholarships and helped mayors recognize hundreds of students through the twelfth annual Louis Bay II Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition.  Through this competition the League works with mayors to advance the virtues of elected and volunteer positions in municipal government while raising awareness of municipal government in general

FROM TIME TO TIME – A Quarterly Report on the Activities Of the New Jersey League of Municipalities April – June, 2006      We have advocated for municipalities in Trenton by … Working with the Department of Transportation on 1) Heavy Truck Access regulations that will protect local residents and withstand constitutional scrutiny and 2) Municipal Aid regulations to tighten time lines for municipal projects while maintaining flexibility for those situations where delay is truly unavoidable Working with the Department of Health and Senior Services on regulations implementing the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act. Working with legislative leaders in both Houses on compromise legislation amending the redevelopment law, preserving but reforming eminent domain. Securing an extension through September of the deadline for DOT’s responsibility for disposing of deer carcasses on local roadways, after which municipalities and counties must take over this function. Opposing Treasurer’s proposal to impose new costs on municipalities served by the State Police. Working to block Senate Bill 477, termed the “Responsible Employer Act,” which requires municipalities, school districts, authorities, the business community, etc. to provide health benefits or pay a healthcare tax for any employee who works in excess of 15 hours per week. . Pushing for reasonable amendments to and final passage of ACS-804 –System wide Cable Franchise, which would enhance competition, promote better customer service and protect municipal interests in cable telecommunications. Seeking an acceptable compromise on A-1667 - a bill that would usurp municipal authority to vest police powers as it sees fit, in the absence of a Chief of Police, and promote contention and, possibly, costly litigation. Energetically promoting a package of bills that are the first significant step at curbing gang and gun violence that plagues communities across the State. The 17 bill legislative package will give municipalities, schools and law enforcement new tools to help mitigate gang violence. We have advocated for municipalities in Washington by … Advocating in favor of legislation to ensure that solid waste haulers who operate through or near railroads are still subject to local environmental and zoning regulation. Continuing to work with our State Delegation to protect the Community Development Block Grant program, the Section 8 Housing Voucher program and other programs vital to our constituents and to community and economic development. Cooperating with the National League of Cities (NLC) and other New Jersey and National Associations to educate Members of Congress on the importance of local governments’ authority to manage and collect revenue for the use of their local rights-of-way and the problems that would be created by Federal preemption of those rights in the Telecommunications Act under consideration.   Working with NLC and our Delegation to protect our authority to exercise eminent domain for economic development and to minimize new federal restrictions on the use of eminent domain. Educating local officials on the activities of the President's FY 2007 Budget Proposal. We have strengthened local leadership capacity by … Hosting two seminars for Newly and Reelected Officials on January 28 and March 11. Conducting a seminar on Pay-to-Play and other ethics issues on March 14. Publishing and distributing the second edition of “Local Property Taxes and State Government: What Residents and Businesses Should Know.” Cosponsoring and participating in the “2nd Transit Village Symposium,” at Rutgers University, to promote and encourage the fostering of Smart Growth principles. Initiating, with the State’s Department of Health and Senior Services, the “Mayors’ Wellness Campaign,” to combat obesity and promote local opportunities for a more active and healthier lifestyle. We have provided municipal officials with resources for problem solving by … Implementing a new online Interlocal Services Center.  This new center provides our municipal officials with various web links pertaining to interlocal legislation, informative articles, resources and grant information.  The center also includes sample interlocal agreements, which municipal officials may use as references or guides in formulating language for their own interlocal agreements. Updating our Interlocal Advisory Consultation service so that municipal officials with general questions regarding interlocal services may submit their questions via an online query and have a response emailed back to them.  More complex issues will be directed towards Gregory Fehrenbach as has been the practice. Implementing online forums with discussion topics including but not limited to property taxes, interlocal services, gangs and youth violence, and the environment.  These forums are meant to provide municipal officials with a medium for discussing ideas and gaining insight on current topics which arise in their municipalities. Disseminating, through the Bureau of Municipal Information, sample ordinances on request, offering informational legal consultations, making bid specifications available, and providing interlocal services consultations upon request.  Sample copies of ordinances are also available online as PDF documents. Publishing the second edition of the Arbitration Reporter, in June. Hosting and administering year-round education seminars to help local officials deal with and solve issues and problems at the municipal level. Establishing the Gang Prevention and Youth Violence Task Force, chaired by Mayor Bob Bowser of East Orange, to develop and promote a comprehensive and compassionate approach to the large and growing gang epidemic infecting New Jersey. Mayor Bowser has represented the League at a Press Conference and at a seminar at Princeton University on the problem; and he has led the Task Force in discussions with the Administration that led to Governor Corzine’s new anti-gang initiatives. We have promoted municipal government by … Recording 14 new nominations for the Mayors Hall of Fame, and 11 new nominations for the Elected Officials Hall of Fame. Awarding $3000 in scholarships and helped mayors recognize hundreds of students through the twelfth annual Louis Bay II Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition.  Through this competition the League works with mayors to advance the virtues of elected and volunteer positions in municipal government while raising awareness of municipal government in general