If arrogance is the father of folly, humility is the mother of wisdom.

Over the last three months, with all due humility, we have witnessed the hearings of the four Special Joint Legislative Committees for Property Tax Reform. We sincerely respect the 24 Legislators who accepted the challenge, spelled out in ACR-3, to “formulate proposals concerning school funding, government consolidation and shared services, public employee benefits and constitutional reform and (a) property tax constitutional convention,” in order “to bring about property tax reform based upon a fairer distribution of tax burdens and the adoption of efficiencies.”

We sincerely respect the long hours and hard effort that they have dedicated to reform. And we sincerely respect their obvious sincerity in, for the most part, keeping open minds and putting aside any simplistic preconceptions of the cause of, and the cure for, the crisis we confront. They have listened to all the experts. They have evaluated all the evidence. And they have fearlessly formulated a set of proposals designed to deliver some immediate relief and, as Governor Corzine said in his address at the beginning of this process, to make the property tax, in the years to come, “less and less a portion of the total funding pie.”

In short, we have been privileged to witness the Joint Legislative Committee process at its best.
This month, those proposals will be scrutinized by some of the standing Legislative Committees, by all members of both Houses, by the Governor and, ultimately, by the people who pay the bills. With all due humility, we wish them well.

That same humility, which produces wisdom, was on display at our Conference last month in Atlantic City. We came together to listen to, and to learn from, our colleagues in the public’s service. We came not to grind axes, but rather to sharpen the tools we need to better serve our fellow citizens. We sincerely thank and respect all who participated. We were privileged to witness our association at its best.

Editorial from New Jersey Municipalities, Vo

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE FROM 407 WEST STATE STREET   Setting Aside Preconceptions and Embracing Solutions If arrogance is the father of folly, humility is the mother of wisdom. Over the last three months, with all due humility, we have witnessed the hearings of the four Special Joint Legislative Committees for Property Tax Reform. We sincerely respect the 24 Legislators who accepted the challenge, spelled out in ACR-3, to “formulate proposals concerning school funding, government consolidation and shared services, public employee benefits and constitutional reform and (a) property tax constitutional convention,” in order “to bring about property tax reform based upon a fairer distribution of tax burdens and the adoption of efficiencies.” We sincerely respect the long hours and hard effort that they have dedicated to reform. And we sincerely respect their obvious sincerity in, for the most part, keeping open minds and putting aside any simplistic preconceptions of the cause of, and the cure for, the crisis we confront. They have listened to all the experts. They have evaluated all the evidence. And they have fearlessly formulated a set of proposals designed to deliver some immediate relief and, as Governor Corzine said in his address at the beginning of this process, to make the property tax, in the years to come, “less and less a portion of the total funding pie.” In short, we have been privileged to witness the Joint Legislative Committee process at its best. This month, those proposals will be scrutinized by some of the standing Legislative Committees, by all members of both Houses, by the Governor and, ultimately, by the people who pay the bills. With all due humility, we wish them well. That same humility, which produces wisdom, was on display at our Conference last month in Atlantic City. We came together to listen to, and to learn from, our colleagues in the public’s service. We came not to grind axes, but rather to sharpen the tools we need to better serve our fellow citizens. We sincerely thank and respect all who participated. We were privileged to witness our association at its best. And with all due humility, we look forward to continuing, in some small way, to help you to meet the needs, and exceed the expectations, of all the people of our Garden State.         Editorial from New Jersey Municipalities, Volume 83, Number 9, December 2006