ASSEMBLY, No. 2797
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED MARCH 20, 1997
By Assemblyman ROBERTS, Assemblywoman WEINBERG, Assemblymen Zisa, Garcia, Greenwald, Impreveduto, Moran Arnone, Dalton, Gusciora and Assemblywoman Cruz-Perez
An Act establishing the New Jersey Property Tax Reliance Reduction Study Commission to examine this State's reliance on local property taxes to fund education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. The ratio of State to local funds supporting education has been declining in recent years;
b. For the 1996-1997 school year the State's share of school expenditures will be 38.5%, compared with a rate of over 50% nationally;
c. For the 1996-1997 school year the local share of educational costs amounted to $7.4 billion;
d. The State has experienced steadily increasing Statewide school property taxes;
e. Currently, New Jersey has the second highest per-capita property tax in the nation, ranking only behind New Hampshire, a state which has no sales tax or income tax; and
f. It is imperative that a means be found to reduce this State's reliance on the local property tax to fund education.
2. There is established the New Jersey Property Tax Reliance Reduction Study Commission which shall be composed of 15 members as follows: three members of the Senate appointed by the President and three members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker, with no more than three members of the Legislature from the same political party; three members of the New Jersey Association of the Public Schools appointed by the Governor from a list of six names submitted by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly; three members of the public appointed by the Governor; the Commissioners of the Department of Education and the Department of Community Affairs; and the State Treasurer.
3. All appointments shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for such traveling and other expenses as they may deem necessary for the proper execution of their duties and as may be within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to them for these purposes.
4. The commission shall organize within 45 days after the effective date of this act and shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its members and a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.
5. It shall be the duty of the commission to study New Jersey's reliance on the local property tax to fund education and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on ways to reduce this reliance.
6. Staff and related support services shall be provided to the commission by the Department of Education. The commission shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
7. The commission may meet and hold hearings at the place or places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature and shall issue a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after its organizational meeting.
8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire 30 days after the submission of the final report.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the New Jersey Property Tax Reliance Reduction Study Commission which shall be composed of 15 members: three members of the Senate appointed by the President and three members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker; three members of the New Jersey Association of the Public Schools appointed by the Governor; three members of the public appointed by the Governor; the Commissioners of the Department of Education and the Department of Community Affairs; and the State Treasurer.
The commission is directed to study New Jersey's reliance on the local property tax to fund education and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on ways to reduce this reliance.
The commission will issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after its organizational meeting and the commission will expire 30 days after the submission of that report.
Establishes New Jersey Property Tax Reliance Reduction Study Commission.