II. Federal
a. Washington Gridlocks on COVID Response
As July ends with 14 million Americans unemployed, Congress and the White House have failed to reach agreement on legislation that would extend enhanced benefits, ending today, for those who, because of COVID-19, find themselves out of work.
With a 9.5 percent Second Quarter GDP loss putting the economy on track to shrink by 32.9 percent in twelve-months' time, Congress and the White House have failed to reach agreement on legislation that would provide enhanced support to small businesses and consumers.
And with fears of how the virus and the resulting economic decline will impact August property tax collection rates, coupled with already increased expenditures and declining revenues, Congress and the White House have failed to reach agreement on legislation that would provide a lifeline to municipalities in New Jersey, and across the Nation.
As a reminder, in the middle of May, the House of Representatives passed the $3 trillion HEROES Act. That bill includes a $375 billion 'Coronavirus Local Fiscal Relief Fund.' Two-thirds of the funding would be appropriated within 30 days of the bill's enactment. The final third would need to be delivered during the Federal government's next Fiscal Year, between April 15 and May 3, 2021. The Tax Foundation – an independent national research organization – estimates that, over two years, New Jersey municipalities and counties could receive about $8.6 billion.
Since then, more than two million Americans have been infected by the virus. Close to 60,000 have died. And, as of the end of June, 34,800 New Jersey public employees have joined the ranks of the unemployed.
On Monday, U.S. Senate Majority Leadership introduced the HEALS Act - an eight bill package that would spend about $1 trillion in total. The package, which would provide no direct support to municipalities, looks to relieve the pressure on local budgets in two ways.
First, it includes $105 billion in education aid, $70 billion of which would be dedicated to K-12 schools. Two-thirds of that $70 billion would be directed to schools meeting 'minimum opening requirements' for in-person instruction.
Second, the bill would make changes to the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), which was established in the $2.2 trillion March CARES Act, allowing indirect local recipients of CRF resources to use their 'sub-allocations' to cover revenue losses. States and other direct CRF recipients would be able to use the funds to close revenue gaps only if, and after, they reallocate at least 25 percent of their total awards to other local governments, within their jurisdictions.
One of the HEALS Act bills would also provide strong protections for local governments, businesses, hospitals, schools, and universities from coronavirus related liability claims.
In addition to disagreements over the total level of deficit spending needed to support the economy, and the levels to be dedicated to individual programs, major sticking points include the need for any level of help for states and municipalities, and the liability lawsuit protection issue.
Negotiations continue as do the public health and economic impacts of the virus. We will do our best to keep you posted. In the meantime, it would be helpful for you to contact Senators Menendez and Booker and your Representative in the House, as pressures will mount to reach a compromise.
Contact: Jon Moran, Senior Legislative Analyst, jmoran@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x121.
b. Census Bureau Expands NJ Door-to-Door Contacts
Yesterday, census takers from the Trenton Field Office began personal contacts with non-responding households in their areas. On August 6, they will be joined by representatives from the Newark, Parsippany, and South Plainfield Offices. And soon, census takers from the Egg Harbor, Jersey City, and Toms River Offices will begin to cover the rest of our State.
A complete count is critical in every municipality, and for every citizen you serve. Please encourage your constituents to cooperate in this effort, which, like much of what governments do, has been complicated this year, by the Coronavirus. But what is complicated, need not be compromised.
Please let your citizens know, that if they haven’t yet responded by mail or on-line, they can expect a knock on the door or a ring on the bell. They can learn how the face-to-face census process will work, and, importantly, how to recognize a legitimate census bureau employee, as well as how to avoid scammers at the United States Census 2020 webpage.
The League is constantly updating our own 2020 Census Information page.
Contact: Jon Moran, Senior Legislative Analyst, jmoran@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x121.
c. Portal Bridge Replacement Project Progress
On Monday, NJ Transit’s Board of Directors approved a project development agreement with Amtrak, moving the Portal Bridge replacement project one step closer to a start. The project, which is expected to cost $1.8 billion, is now scheduled to begin in 2021 either in the late Spring or early Summer.
As previously reported, in May, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded NJ Transit and Amtrak $91.5 million for the project. And in June, the Federal Transit Administration qualified the project for an additional $766.5 million. In addition, the State of New Jersey has committed to spend $600 million for the local share, which will be funded through the Transportation Trust Fund.
Contact: Jon Moran, Senior Legislative Analyst, jmoran@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x121.
III. 2020 Annual League Conference
a. Delegate Registration
Delegate registration will open on August 1. We encourage everyone to preregister online and have their conference credentials mailed to them in advance. This avoids delays and lines onsite in Atlantic City.
b. League Code of Conduct
The League intends to maintain a welcoming professional atmosphere in all aspects of the Annual League Conference. To that end, conduct that violates the
League Code of Conduct is not tolerated by the League, anyone who witnesses it, or is subjected to it. Everyone who participates in the Annual League Conference is required to adhere to this code.
c. Conference Center Preparations
We are busy making arrangements for this live event including education and exhibits with the full expectation that by November the State will permit important gatherings of government officials like the Annual League Conference. The League is taking measures along with our partners at the Atlantic City Convention Center and all related service providers to follow CDC and NJDOH guidelines to create a safe and healthy conference.
A healthy conference environment is our top priority for 2020 and with that, we are dedicated to providing an educational, informative, productive, and collaborative conference. Sanitization protocols that comply with CDC guidance are ready for public spaces, meeting areas, food service, and transportation. Venue layout will take into account social distancing, and preregistration will eliminate waiting lines.
d. Unauthorized Hotel Reservation Services
Every year there are unauthorized firms soliciting housing and hotel reservations from attendees at the Annual League Conference. We assure you that the only firm authorized to handle our conference housing reservations is AC Central Reservations. This information is on the top of the official conference housing form sent to all municipal clerks and posted on
our website.
Using unauthorized reservation services creates real problems for you and the conference as a whole. You cannot be assured your credit card information is secure and your room reservation may not actually be made. Using unauthorized services means your room will not be part of the official conference housing block so you won’t get emergency housing information (which happened in both 2011and 2012), nor will there be adequate shuttle bus services to your hotel.
As always, the League is available to answer your questions on any aspect of the annual conference and we strive to make your participation both enjoyable and highly productive.
Contact: Michael F. Cerra, Executive Director,
mcerra@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x120.
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