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March 24, 2015
Trenton, NJ

Glassboro Mayor Leo McCabe to Speak on State Budget Issues

Tomorrow in Sewell, at Rowan College at Gloucester County, Glassboro Mayor and League of Municipalities Executive Board Member Leo McCabe will appear before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to discuss Governor Christie’s proposed State Budget. His observations will focus on the Transportation Trust Fund, the Pension and Benefit Commission’s Roadmap to Resolution and the status of municipal property tax relief funding.

Mayor McCabe is scheduled to speak:

12:30 P.M.
Rowan College at Gloucester County
Physical Education Center
Sewell, New Jersey 08080

Speaking on behalf of all New Jersey Mayors, concerning transportation infrastructure funding, Mayor McCabe will note,

The State Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that New Jersey's municipalities are responsible for 64% (28,539 center line road miles) of our roads. County governments are responsible for another 22% (6,649 center line road miles). Together, local governments are responsible for 39% of our bridges. Local roadways and bridges carry about 55% of all traffic. …

We thank Senate President Sweeney and Speaker Prieto for their commitment to doubling Local Aid. … We ask this Committee to address the need for investments this year. And, with local budgets due for adoption on April 24, we ask that you do so as soon as possible.

On the Pension and Benefit “Roadmap to Resolution” recommendation to divert local health benefit savings to address State pension funding shortfalls, he will state, “It is frustrating to see a State Commission suggest that the local property taxpayer be asked to absorb a State liability and that projected municipal ‘savings’ be applied to reduce a state obligation.”

On general property tax relief funding, Mayor McCabe will say, “Municipalities lost $331 million in combined Energy Tax and Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) funding in Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011. In each succeeding year, ‘level’ funding has been held at that lower level. …We urge you, again, to acknowledge that the time has come to begin to restore to local budgets the millions in property tax relief that continue to be annually diverted to meet State needs.”

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For further information contact: William G. Dressel, Jr., Executive Director at 609-695-3481, extension 122.