ASSEMBLY, No. 2277

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 16, 1996

 

 

By Assemblymen DiGAETANO and KELLY

 

 

An Act concerning the requirements for certification as a municipal tax collector and amending P.L.1979, c.384.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. Section 2 of P.L.1979, c.384 (C.40A:9-145.2) is amended to read as follows:

    2. Commencing on the effective date of this act, the director shall hold examinations semi-annually, and at such other times as he may determine appropriate, for certification as tax collector. An applicant for examination shall furnish proof to the director, not less than 30 days before an examination, that the applicant is not less than 21 years of age, is a citizen of the United States, is of good moral character, has obtained a certificate or diploma issued after at least four years of study in an approved secondary school or has received an academic education considered and accepted by the Commissioner of Education as fully equivalent; has graduated from a four year course at an institution of higher education of recognized standing, or has not less than two years' full-time experience in tax collection, or has at least one year's full-time experience in tax collection and 30 credit hours at an institution of higher education of recognized standing; and possesses certificates of completion of Municipal Tax Collection I, II, and III courses offered by Rutgers, The State University or the Division of Local Government Services.

    For the purpose of this section, experience in tax collection must include experience in the following areas: lien enforcement, tax collecting, tax billing, and reporting, and, shall be attested to by the tax collector of the employing municipality.

    The proofs required pursuant to this section shall be provided on such application forms and in such manner as shall be prescribed by the director. Each completed application form shall be accompanied by a fee in the amount of $50 payable to the order of the State Treasurer and shall be filed with the director at least 30 days prior to the date of the examination. Examinations shall be written, or both written and oral, and shall be of such character as fairly to test and determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of the person tested to actually perform the duties of tax collector. [An individual who fails the examination three consecutive times shall retake the three required courses, prior to taking the examination again.]

(cf: P.L.1993, c.25, s.1)

 

    2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to June 1, 1995.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill removes the requirement, enacted by P.L.1993, c.25, that any person who fails the examination for certification as a tax collector three consecutive times must retake the three required courses prior to taking the examination again. No other certification program for municipal officials run by the Department of Community Affairs has this requirement, and therefore, it is equitable that this requirement be repealed. This repeal will also provide greater flexibility to the department with respect to the administration of the testing. The repeal of this requirement would be retroactive to June 1, 1995.

 

 

                             

 

Removes requirement that course work for certification as tax collector must be repeated if candidate for certification fails test three consecutive times.