Dear Mayor:

Yesterday, the Property Tax Convention Task Force held its organizational meeting in New Brunswick. Governor McGreevey opened the meeting with a clarion call for steady progress toward the Task Force’s December 31 deadline for its final report.

The Task Force announced that it will hold three public hearings. Locations, dates and times for those crucial sessions are:

Bergen County Community College - Monday, Oct. 4 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Mercer County Community College - Wednesday, Oct. 6 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Camden County Community College - Tuesday, Oct. 19 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Anyone wishing to testify at these hearings will be welcomed. The Task Force’s focus will be on the mechanics of the proposed convention, not on the issue of whether or not a convention is needed. That has been decided.

Mechanics include: the scope of the convention, including definition of issues and possible restrictions on remedies; delegate qualifications; delegate election process; timing of elections and convention; delegate compensation; operation and rules of the convention; and form of recommendations.

Please visit our website at www.njslom.com for information on these and other issues. There, you will find the Task Force’s “Background Paper on Subjects for Consideration.” Please let us know if you intend to testify and, if so, please provide us with a copy of your prepared remarks. And, if you have any questions or comments, please contact Jon Moran at jmoran@njslom.com or at 609-695-3481, ext. 21.