June 18, 2007

                                                                                    RE: FY ’07-’08 State Budget
Proposed PARIS Funding Cut

IMPORTANT: A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON THIS AND ALL OTHER STATE BUDGET MATTERS THIS WEEK.

Dear Mayor:
In order to fund other priorities, the Legislature has been asked to approve the diversion of $10 million from the New Jersey Public Records Preservation Account (NJPRPA). This essential funding is dedicated, by statute to the Public Archives and Records Infrastructure Support (PARIS) Grants Program. In response to this proposal, Barbara Hawk, President of the Municipal Clerks Association, has written to Budget Committee Chairman Lou Greenwald. (CLICK HERE TO ACCESS MS. HAWK’S LETTER.) We have done the same and presented testimony to the Committee, as well.

Anyone involved in local government knows how important the work of our municipal clerks is to efficient and effective municipal administration. You know that our clerks strive to meet the many demands placed upon them by local elected officials, by their fellow citizens, by the press and by State statute.

Of the many duties of our municipal clerks, those relating to public records are among the most significant. Local elected officials, the press and, most importantly, concerned citizens count on the accuracy and easy availability of such records. Recognizing this, NJPRPA was enacted by the Legislature in 2003 expressly to provide “grants to counties and municipalities for the management, storage and preservation of public records” (P.L. 2003, c. 117, §39). Moreover, the 2003 establishing legislation expressly forbade diverting NJPRPA funding for other purposes.

To date, the 21 Counties have received their funds. But, if the diversion is approved, the 566 municipalities will face the prospect of either a shortage of needed funding or an otherwise unnecessary increase in property taxes. We believe it to be inappropriate to reallocate funds previously dedicated for an important purpose such as this, to the State General Fund.

Accordingly, please urge your State Legislators to reject the proposal embodied in Budget Resolutions 2340 and 3084.

For more information, contact Jon Moran at 609-695-3481, ext. 121.

                                                                                    Very truly yours,

                                                                                    William G. Dressel, Jr.
                                                                                     Executive Director