On Monday, May 16, 2005, the Members of the General Assembly had a chance to prove that they appreciate the depth of the property tax crisis confronting the people of New Jersey. They had a chance to prove that they want to free the people of New Jersey from our over reliance on that regressive revenue source. They had a chance to prove that they have faith in the people of New Jersey to decide for themselves whether or not they want a special convention to recommend true and lasting revenue reforms for themselves, their children and their grandchildren.
And on Monday, May 16, 2005, enough of them did just that by voting "yes" on A-5269. That bill, which would allow our citizens to vote on the convention question, has passed the Assembly.
Now, A-5269 needs to pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Codey before the
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| On Thursday, May 12, 2005, William Dressel, League Executive Director (R to L), Jo-Anne B. Schubert, Mayor of South Bound Brook Borough and League Immediate Past President; George Spadoro, Mayor, Edison Township and Member League Property Tax Reform Task Force; David Humer, Committeeman, Maplewood Township and Member League Property Tax Reform Task Force. Testified in support of A-5269 and ACR-75 before the Assembly Budget Committee. |
Legislature breaks for Summer Recess (on or about June 30), in order for the people to be able to vote this November on whether or not they want a special convention for property tax reform.
ACR-25, a proposed Constitutional Amendment that would allow the people to enact statutory changes, proposed by the convention, still needs to pass with a three-fifths vote in each House (48 votes in the Assembly and 24 in the Senate) to appear on this November's ballot for citizen approval. And that too needs to happen before the Summer recess.
We've made great progress towards property tax reform. But we've still got a long way to go.
We need to remind our Senators that the property tax crisis is not a partisan problem. It is not a North, or a South, or a Central Jersey problem. It is not an urban, suburban or rural issue. From Cape May Point to High Point, from the Hudson River to the Delaware Bay, the property tax is a New Jersey problem that can, and will, be solved by the people whom it plagues - if only they are given the chance.
For too long, the people of New Jersey have suffered from our over-reliance on property taxes. For too long, they have seen the problem studied by special commissions denied the power to effect the changes they came to advocate. And for too long, has blame for the burden been heaped on the shoulders of municipal officials, struggling to fund essential services in a system that they did not create and that they cannot change.
With property tax pressures almost certain to intensify this year, the people of New Jersey must be given a hope for future relief. They expect the Senate and General Assembly, as well as Governor Codey, to act on a property tax convention bill, in time to get the question on this November's ballot. They need nothing more than that. They deserve nothing less.
NJLM - June 2005 From 407 West State Street
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE |
FROM
407 WEST
STATE STREET.....
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Will the Senate Allow the Taxpayers
to Vote on Tax Convention
William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director
New Jersey League of Municipalities
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On Monday, May 16, 2005, the Members of the General Assembly had a chance to prove that they appreciate the depth of the property tax crisis confronting the people of New Jersey. They had a chance to prove that they want to free the people of New Jersey from our over reliance on that regressive revenue source. They had a chance to prove that they have faith in the people of New Jersey to decide for themselves whether or not they want a special convention to recommend true and lasting revenue reforms for themselves, their children and their grandchildren.
And on Monday, May 16, 2005, enough of them did just that by voting "yes" on A-5269. That bill, which would allow our citizens to vote on the convention question, has passed the Assembly.
Now, A-5269 needs to pass the Senate and be signed by Governor Codey before the
|
| On Thursday, May 12, 2005, William Dressel, League Executive Director (R to L), Jo-Anne B. Schubert, Mayor of South Bound Brook Borough and League Immediate Past President; George Spadoro, Mayor, Edison Township and Member League Property Tax Reform Task Force; David Humer, Committeeman, Maplewood Township and Member League Property Tax Reform Task Force. Testified in support of A-5269 and ACR-75 before the Assembly Budget Committee. |
Legislature breaks for Summer Recess (on or about June 30), in order for the people to be able to vote this November on whether or not they want a special convention for property tax reform.
ACR-25, a proposed Constitutional Amendment that would allow the people to enact statutory changes, proposed by the convention, still needs to pass with a three-fifths vote in each House (48 votes in the Assembly and 24 in the Senate) to appear on this November's ballot for citizen approval. And that too needs to happen before the Summer recess.
We've made great progress towards property tax reform. But we've still got a long way to go.
We need to remind our Senators that the property tax crisis is not a partisan problem. It is not a North, or a South, or a Central Jersey problem. It is not an urban, suburban or rural issue. From Cape May Point to High Point, from the Hudson River to the Delaware Bay, the property tax is a New Jersey problem that can, and will, be solved by the people whom it plagues - if only they are given the chance.
For too long, the people of New Jersey have suffered from our over-reliance on property taxes. For too long, they have seen the problem studied by special commissions denied the power to effect the changes they came to advocate. And for too long, has blame for the burden been heaped on the shoulders of municipal officials, struggling to fund essential services in a system that they did not create and that they cannot change.
With property tax pressures almost certain to intensify this year, the people of New Jersey must be given a hope for future relief. They expect the Senate and General Assembly, as well as Governor Codey, to act on a property tax convention bill, in time to get the question on this November's ballot. They need nothing more than that. They deserve nothing less.
Editorial from New Jersey
Municipalities, Volume 82, Number 6, May
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