Thursday, September 14, 2006
Trenton, NJ

JOINT COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND A CITIZENS CONVENTION TO SEE LOCAL, COUNTY AND STATE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS COMPARED

Association of Municipal Assessors of New Jersey (AMANJ) President Bernie Haney and John Lloyd, Esq. will present testimony today before the Joint Committee on Constitutional Reform and a Citizens Property Tax Convention. Mr. Lloyd serves as General Counsel for AMANJ and as Associate Counsel for the League of Municipalities.

These experts in local property taxation have been asked to evaluate assessment systems utilized by different states to determine if a change from New Jersey's local assessment system could provide property tax relief or reform.

In the presentation, Mr. Haney will describe the State run system used in Maryland counties, the county run system used in Pennsylvania and the local system employed in Connecticut. He will also comment on how these systems compare with current New Jersey practice and how our system will operate with the soon-to-be-implemented PAMS (Property Assessment Management System). Mr. Haney will ask the Committee to respect the uniformity and predictability that New Jersey's current process yields.

With an eye to the Committee's afternoon meeting, Mr. Lloyd, speaking for the League of Municipalities, will ask that the League be included in any discussion of further changes to the property tax system. The Committee is scheduled to hear from speakers who will describe systems that purportedly "share" property tax bases across areas much broader then currently exists in New Jersey. The League has long opposed this option. The solution to our over-dependence on regressive property taxes is not another form of property taxation - especially one that would, for example, increase the property tax burden on a fixed or low income household in a relatively 'low property tax' jurisdiction; while decreasing the property taxes of a two strong income couple who have chosen to reside in a relatively 'high property tax' town.

While such 'sharing' may appear to spread the current burden more evenly around the State, it would, instead, actually hurt many of those most in need of relief. And, it would do nothing to reduce the total amount of property taxes collected, Statewide.

The Committee will meet:

TODAY
11:00 a.m.
Committee Room 11 (Fourth Floor)
State House Annex
Trenton, NJ

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For more information, please contact Mr. Bill Dressel, Executive Director at 609-695-3481, ext. 22 or by cell at 609-915-9072 or at bdressel@njslom.com