I. State Issues
a. Act Today on to Advance Energy Tax Receipts Restoration
With less than a week to the deadline for adoption of the State’s FY 2023, time is of the essence to see the restoration of Energy Tax Receipts. To date, the Assembly has not taken action on A-3804/S-330, which will restore the $331 million distributed to municipalities from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years that has been diverted for a decade.
Immediate action is needed to get this critical legislation to advance. Please contact your Assembly representatives urging them to support passage of the restoration before the passage of the FY 2023. Further, ask your Legislators to sign on as a co-sponsor of these bills.
Please contact Governor Murphy ask for support for these bills. Join your fellow Mayors from across the State and sign onto our open letter to the
For more information, please see the ETR Resource Center on the League’s website.
Contacts:
- Mike Cerra, Executive Director, mcerra@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x120.
- Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Government Affairs, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.
b. Assembly Committee Advances Firefighter Cancer Screening Mandate
On Thursday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee favorably reported A-4127, which mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for firefighters who are not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP). This provides for the approximately 2,000 firefighters who were excluded from a law signed in January (P.L. 2021, c. 478) that covers the vast majority of firefighters. This legislation had been second referenced to this committee after being favorably reported from Assembly State and Local Government Committee earlier this month.
Under current law, a firefighter enrolled in SHBP is entitled to a cancer screening examination every three years. This bill expands the access to the same examinations for firefighters who have a different health care plan through their employers or receive health insurance coverage in any other manner.
The League supports this measure because it provides parity for all firefighters while providing funding and it creates a risk management benchmark.
The bill awaits full consideration in the Assembly. S-2743, the Senate companion, has been referenced to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and awaits consideration.
Contact: Paul Penna, Senior Legislative Analyst, ppenna@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x110.
c. FY2023 Budget Update
With the FY2023 budget deadline of June 30 fast approaching, Governor Murphy and the State Legislature continue to consider how to use the $6.9 in surplus revenue. Governor Murphy and majority leadership continue to follow their affordability agenda for New Jersey including exploring new state programs to help residents with broad property tax relief and increasing funding for schools and the state’s healthcare system.
The budget includes Governor Murphy’s $2 billion property tax relief ANCHOR Program. The ANCHOR Program would provide 870,000 homeowners with a household income of under $150,000 a $1,500 property tax credit on their property tax bill each year; 290,000-plus homeowners with a household income between $150,000 and $250,000 would receive a $1,000 property tax credit on their property tax bill each year; and 900,000-plus renters with incomes up to $150,000 would receive $450 each year to help offset the rent increases caused by increasing property taxes.
Minority leadership proposed a detailed budget plan to use $4.5 billion for a pair of tax rebates, $2 billion for halting planned tax and toll hikes, $1 billion for property tax relief by increasing state aid to schools, and $790 million for structural tax reductions. The proposal would grow the budget surplus to more than $5 billion in preparation for the next recession and increased oversight of certain monies that would be spent.
We anticipate the FY2023 budget will be passed by the deadline of June 30. We will continue to provide updates as the process moves forward.
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.
d. Reminder: New Lead-Based Paint Inspection Requirements Become Effective July 22
Please remember, the new lead-based paint inspection requirements pursuant to P.L.2021, c.182, are becoming effective July 22, 2022. The law, signed by Governor Murphy last year, imposes an obligation on municipalities to perform or hire a certified lead evaluation contractor to perform inspections of certain single-family, two-family, and multiple rental dwellings for lead-based paint hazards every three years or upon tenant turnover where there is no valid lead-safe certification. Municipalities must permit dwelling owners/landlords to directly hire a certified lead evaluation contractor for this purpose.
Municipalities that fail to comply with the new inspection requirements may be subject to a penalty of up to $1,000 per week.
Municipal officials are encouraged to review the guidance issued by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), along with the recent Lunch and Learn program hosted by the League, and presented by the DCA, on these new requirements.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x137.
e. Division Announces Extension of Audit Deadlines
The Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) issued Local Finance Notice 2022-12 announcing a calendar year 2021 audit deadline extension and GASB 68 and 75 for municipal and county audits. All local units with a calendar year budget must complete and file their 2021 audits by the extended deadline of August 31, 2022. To ensure timely filing of county and municipal audits, the DLGS has authorized counties and calendar year municipalities to include in their annual audits the most recent available audited GASB 68 and GASB 75 financial information published by the Division of Pensions and Benefits.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Government Affairs, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x112.
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share via Email
