Dear Mayor:

It has recently been reported that Governor Corzine will do all that he can to get the Legislature to move forward on property tax reform in a special session this Summer. And he refuses to believe that we have to wait until 2008 to have a Citizens' Convention for Property Tax Reform.

We salute the Governor. Likewise, we commend Assembly Speaker Roberts for all of his efforts to advance the cause of property tax reform. We're disappointed, however, that the Senate Leadership thinks the Legislature should not be asked to meet in special session this Summer, because it will "need a 'breather' for a month or two after passing the budget in June."

Our property taxpayers are the ones who really need a breather.

The property tax accounts for about 45 percent of New Jersey's state and local tax revenue. The national average is just slightly above 30 percent. New Jersey property taxes equal about 5.6 percent as a percentage of personal income, compared with the national average of 3.6 percent. New Jersey households with incomes in the lowest 20 percent pay 9.2 percent of their earnings in property taxes; while the wealthiest 20 percent pay 3.6 percent.

This week, we urge all Mayors and governing body members who are concerned about property taxes to contact their State Legislators, especially their Senators. They should welcome the chance to wrestle with this chronic and worsening crisis in a special session, as soon as possible. And they should join as cosponsors of S-756 & SCR-68. These bills would let the people of New Jersey, the people who pay the taxes, decide whether or not they want a special citizens' convention to recommend, for voter approval, constitutional and statutory changes to achieve and sustain meaningful property tax reform. Now, more than ever it's important that your municipality be represented at our Property Tax Summit, May 10th. See our website www.njslom.com.

Please call Jon Moran at 609-695-3481, ext. 21, and let us know if your State Senator is willing to meet this Summer and to sign on to S-756 and SCR-68.