View a Featured Exhibitor at the end of this email.

October 27, 2020

II. Assembly and Senate to Vote on Hospital Property Tax Subsidy Bill
 
Municipal Clerks: Please forward to your Mayor, Governing Body and Department Heads.
 
To assist in providing guidance and information we have created a COVID-19 resource page. We will continue to update the page as we get pertinent information and include announcements in our Daily Updates.
 
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I. Speakers Bring National Perspective to NJLM’s Virtual Conference

 
We’re bringing a national perspective to hot municipal topics next month! Clarence Anthony, Executive Director of our federal partner the National League of Cities, and Data Dissemination Specialist for the US Census David Kraiker will be two of the informative speakers joining us at the League Conference this year.

Federal Legislative Update: CARES, 5G, and More, Wednesday, November 18, 11:00 a.m

 
Clarence Anthony will highlight the critical federal policies impacting municipalities at the session Federal Legislative Update: CARES, 5G, and More. What lies ahead for the issues of interest in Washington relating to New Jersey’s municipalities? What will happen with the next waves of CARES funding? Where is the FCC going with 5G? Clarence and his fellow panelists will address those questions and more.

His is joined by Mayor Brian Wahler of Piscataway, NJLM Past President, and Alanna Suda, Vice President at MWWPR.

New Jersey Census, Monday, November 16, 1:30 p.m.

 
Data Dissemination Specialist for the US Census David Kraiker will discuss the impacts of the Census on our state in the session New Jersey Census. He joins a panel of experts to explore how to use the 2020 census data to appropriately benefit municipalities. 
 
He will be joined by Mayor Andre Sayegh of Patterson and Peter Chen, Policy Counsel, Advocates for Children of New Jersey.
 
Both courses will offer an opportunity to ask these experts questions as well as CEU credits for participants.
 
Visit the conference online to review the schedule and register today!

II. Assembly and Senate to Vote on Hospital Property Tax Subsidy Bill

 
After making their way through committee last week, A-1135 and the Senate Committee Substitute for S-357 and S-624 are scheduled for a vote before the full Assembly and Senate, respectively, on Thursday, November 29.  
 
This legislation stems from a tax court decision which brought to light how the business model for modern hospitals does not comport with the original public policy reasons for exempting non-profit hospitals from property taxes.
 
While the League is supportive of a legislative solution to this issue we do not believe that these bills provide a proper solution. As a threshold matter, the legislation sets up an unconstitutional tax exemption. Notwithstanding the constitutional issues, this legislation poses other concerns as it attempts to create a Community Service Contribution (CSC) fee which would be paid by hospitals organized as non-profits in lieu of any property tax. The contemplated CSC fee would be far smaller than any property tax bill which these hospitals would otherwise be subject to –effectively serving as a subsidy to an otherwise profitable industry, paid for by all other property tax payers of host communities. 
 
We urge our members, especially those hosting non-profit hospitals, to review this legislation, and to reach out to your legislators and to the Governor’s office, expressing how it will impact your community’s taxpayers. 
 
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq, Associate General Counsel, FMarshall@njlm.org or 609-695-3481 x 137.

Exhibitor Spotlight

Visit our Exhibit Booth at the NJLM Virtual Conference!

 
Ricoh USA, Inc.
2 Gatehall Drive
Parsippany, NJ 07054
 
Ricoh USA is a state contract vendor focused on information management that connects technology, processes, and people.
www.ricoh-usa.com
 
Contact: Dominic Mirabelli
Phone:   973-808-3673
Contact email:  Dominick.mirabelli@ricoh-usa.com 

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