On Monday, April 27, New York Governor David Paterson issued an Executive Order aimed at reducing the costs of government and providing meaningful and sustainable property tax relief.

  The Order directs the state bureaucracy to actively solicit the input of local officials during the development of new rules and laws. It requires state agencies to document the fiscal impacts of any such proposals, to conduct an honest cost-benefit analysis, to demonstrate the participation of local governments in the process and to propose sources of revenue to fund the new mandate.

The Order, further, directs all state agencies to review their existing regulations and to report back to the Governor’s Senior Staff with proposals detailing changes “...which could reduce the impact of existing mandates on local governments and generate property tax relief for New York State property taxpayers.”

This year, we have asked Governor Corzine and the Legislature to provide meaningful and sustainable relief to our property taxpayers by reviewing and eliminating or relaxing existing state mandates. These mandates drive up the costs of local government and force local budget makers to address a laundry list of state priorities, before they can even begin to plan on how best to meet local needs for vital municipal programs and services.

Our President, Hope Mayor Tim McDonough, has asked Hamilton Township (Mercer) Mayor John Bencivengo and Mayor Anthouny Persichilli, Pennington Borough to co-chair the new League Special Committee for Immediate Mandates Relief. We are confident that their leadership and commitment to this matter will make a difference.

Editorial from New Jersey Municipalities, Volume 86, Number 6, June 2009