SARLO & SINGLETON UNVEIL LEGISLATION TO RETURN ENERGY REVENUES TO TOWNS FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

Bill Would Provide $440M in Additional Property Tax Relief Over Next Five Years,Make Up for Years of State Diversions

TRENTON – Senator Paul Sarlo and Assemblyman Troy Singleton today unveiled new legislation to provide nearly $440 million in additional property tax relief to residents by restoring hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cuts to the amount municipalities received in their share of state energy tax revenues.

The bill would restore $385 million cut from the program in fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011, while providing an additional $54 million to support aid increases required under existing law. The funds would be provided over a five-year span, with the first $87.8 million payment coming in the upcoming 2013 fiscal year. After the 5-year run-up, the state would be mandated to distribute the full amount of energy tax revenues to municipalities.

“The days of Trenton taking property tax relief from municipalities to pad the state budget need to end, plain and simple,” said Sarlo (D-Bergen), chairman of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee. “It’s no coincidence that the state’s raids of energy tax revenues meant for municipalities have corresponded with a growing property tax crisis. Returning this money to municipalities, where it belongs, is not just good for towns struggling to meet the needs of residents, but for property taxpayers struggling to make ends meet.”

“This is right thing to do for our communities and our taxpayers,” said Singleton (D-Burlington), a member of the Assembly Budget Committee. “In the past, every dollar taken from our towns was an additional dollar taken from property taxpayers, and now every dollar taken from our towns means decreased services and less value to taxpayers. With this innovative approach, we can not only provide municipalities with the revenues they deserve, but also further insulate taxpayers by requiring it to go for property tax relief.”
Politickernj.com, May 3, 2012

State to take unused affordable housing money from towns in July, official says

Published: Monday, April 02, 2012. nj.com

There was bad news and more bad news for towns at a budget hearing this morning.

Acting Community Affairs Commissioner Richard Constable testified for three hours before the Assembly Budget Committee, saying the Christie administration is keeping costs down for towns and working toward slowing growth of property taxes.

But under questioning from legislators, he spoke about unused affordable housing money the state will take from towns in July, and rejected the idea that municipalities should get more state aid in the form of energy tax receipts the state collects.

“To say the least, we’re very disappointed,” said Bill Dressel, executive director of the state League of Municipalities.

“If this in fact was the message on housing issues, on the energy tax receipts, on UEZ funding, to basically close the door to all discussions, that the definitive response is an absolute no, that would in fact be a very bad day for municipal governments,” Dressel said.

Christie’s Economic Policies: A Disaster for New Jersey

Republican Gov. Chris Christie is basking in the national spotlight while actively campaigning for the job of VP on Romney’s ticket. In his absence from New Jersey our state is in dire economic decline and our governor does not appear to notice or care.

Christie is busy trying to paint the state’s black economic picture white by spinning a tapestry of fiscal fantasy. But there is a point where realty becomes unavoidable and no amount of bombastic rhetoric will hide the dismal truth that New Jersey is in trouble as the result of Christie’s failed economic policies.

As Christie campaign’s across the nation, property taxes are eating up a larger share of family income in New Jersey. In fact, net property taxes are 20 percent higher under Christie than they were 2 years ago when he became governor. With property tax credits and rebates included the average New Jersey homeowner paid $7,519 in net property taxes last year, up from $6,244 in 2009 according to statistics released by the State Department of Community Affairs. A significant part of the problem is that New Jersey is the only state other than New Hampshire where local property taxes are higher than state income, sales and corporate taxes combined.

New Jersey homeowners need to remove their blinders and see the economic crisis that has been the true result of Christie’s failed economic policies, as Truman said, “The buck stops here.” And here for New Jersey is on Governor Christie’s lap.

Christie needs to worry less about his personal political future and more about the economic future of New Jersey families.

(MOORESTOWN) – Shelley Adler, candidate for Congress (NJ-03), criticized Rep. Runyan for the harmful consequences of his misplaced priorities by voting for a budget that would double interest rates for student loans on July 1.  Rep. Runyan voted for a budget that provided millionaires on average a $394,000 tax cut and continued billions in tax breaks for Big Oil while more than seven million students and their families would face an average annual cost hike of $1,000. 

Township taxpayers won’t see an increase in their municipal taxes this year.

The budget also funds a police unit known as the Selective Enforcement, or SET, team, which focuses police resources toward certain areas of crime such as gang activity. The unit had previously been disbanded due to budget cuts.

“The Brick Township council recognizes the current economic situation is hurting many people and the township budget will reflect that financially,” Ducey said.

“That’s a great job, $150,000 out of $87 million,” said Acropolis, taking a jab at the amount council members cut from the previous year’s budget.

Council members, however, said the budget represents a spending plan that keeps the township on sound financial footing without raising taxes or reducing services.

“I believe we really did a pretty good job on this,” said Councilman Jim Fozman, who noted that the budget includes funding for the township’s snow emergency account.

Council Vice President Bob Moore painted a picture of a sound financial future.

“Looking forward, things look real good,” he said.
excerpted from:
http://brick.patch.com/articles/86m-township-budget-won-t-hike-taxes-will-fund-public-works

Shelley Adler,criticized Rep. Runyan for sending a clear message that protecting millionaires and Big Oil is his priority at the expense of middle class families. Rep. Runyan voted  in Congress for a budget that provided millionaires on average a $394,000 tax cut, continued billions in tax breaks for Big Oil and eliminated the Medicare guarantee by raising the future costs on seniors by more than $6,000 annuall

“By creating a premium support system for future Medicare beneficiaries, the proposal is likely to simply increase costs for beneficiaries while removing Medicare’s promise of secure health coverage – a guarantee that future seniors have contributed to through a lifetime of hard work,” stated AARP CEO Addison Barry Rand in a letter to Members of Congress.

“This is about values and priorities. We must have a budget that is fair and protects Medicare, while creating jobs, strengthening small businesses, providing middle class families a tax cut and reducing the deficit. Instead, we have a Congress insulting Americans who have worked their entire lives earning Medicare benefits, to be forced to sacrifice necessities, while Big Oil companies raking in record profits get tax breaks and millionaires on average will have a $394,000 windfall,” continued Adler.  Politickernj.com April 5, 2012