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January 4, 2019

I. State Issues
II. Federal Issue
III. League Conference
IV. Also of Interest

Municipal Clerks: Please forward to Mayor, Governing Body and Department Heads.

Happy New Year and Congratulations to all the newly elected local officials. Please do not hesitate to contact the League if you have any questions, need any assistance or would like to learn more about your role as a local elected official.

I. State Issues

Legislative Agenda for 2019

A number of high-profile issues carry over from 2018 and will dominate the early 2019 New Jersey legislative calendar. The League is actively engaged in some and keeping a close eye on others to make sure local governments are not adversely impacted.

a. Cannabis Legalization

Legislation to legalize adult, recreational use of marijuana was moved out of respective committees in late November but have not advanced for final floor votes. There remains at least two significant areas of disagreement between the Murphy Administration and the legislative sponsors and, at this point, it is unclear as to when this impasse will be resolved.

The League has worked closely with the Urban Mayors Association (NJUMA) and the Conference of Mayors (NJCM) on the issue. While there is no consensus on the legalization issue itself, there is consensus on related issue in the likely event that such legislation eventually passes, including the need to increase the local flexibility in assessing a local option tax and the provisions regarding expungement and restorative justice.

The League’s November 27 letter has additional details as does the PDF of the free webinar offered by the League on November 30.

b. Minimum Wage

The Governor, Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Coughlin emerged from a meeting in December with indications that they moved closer to an agreement on a minimum wage increase, which would eventually phase in to $15/hour. Legislation advancing this efforts seems likely to advance in the first quarter of 2019, though details still need to be resolved. There are additional details in our the League’s December 7 Friday Round up letter.

The League will continue to advocate on other significant issues in 2019, including the long-overdue need for legislative reform to the Fair Housing Act, adequate property tax relief funding, including the full restoration of the Energy Tax Receipts to municipalities and to provide adequate cap relief to municipalities and property tax payers, including the restoration of the 2% cap on interest arbitration awards.

Contact: Michael F. Cerra, Assistant Executive Director, mcerra@njslom.org, 609-695-3481 x120.

II. Federal Issue

a. One-Hundred Sixteenth Congress Convenes

As the partial shut-down of the Federal government grinds on, a new Congressional session begins. While Senators (and former Mayors) Bob Menendez and Cory Booker will continue to represent our State in the Upper House, a number of new Jersey voices will join several re-elected Members in the House of Representatives.

Here is the roster of our delegation, with contact information for their Washington Offices.

Hon. Robert Menendez Hon. Cory A. Booker
528 Hart Senate Office Building               359 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510                       Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4744 Phone: (202) 224-3224
Fax: (202) 228-2197 Fax: (202) 224-8378

Hon. Chris Smith (4^th D)    Hon Frank Pallone, Jr. (6^th D)
2373 Rayburn HOB                                   237 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515                           Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765    Phone: (202) 225-4671
Fax: (202) 225-7768 Fax: (202) 225-9665

Hon. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (9^th D) Hon. Albio Sires (8^th D)
2409 Rayburn HOB                                    2268 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515                              Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5751 Phone: (202) 225-7919
Fax: (202) 225-5782                              Fax: (202) 226-0792

Hon. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (10^th D)            Hon Donald Norcross (1^st D)
132 Cannon HOB    2437 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515   Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3436   Phone: (202) 225-6501
Fax: (202) 225-4160

Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman (12^th D)    Hon. Josh Gottheimer (5^th D)
2442 Rayburn HOB                                   213 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515                              Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5801 Phone: (202) 225-4465
Fax: (202) 225-6025 Fax: (202) 225-9048

Hon. Andy Kim (3^rd D) Hon. Tom Malinowski (7^th D)
1516 Longworth HOB   426 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4765 Phone: (202) 225-5361

Hon. Mikie Sherrill (11^th D)                  Hon. Jeff Van Drew (2^nd D)
1208 Longworth HOB 331 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5034 Phone: (202) 225-6572

We will provide links to their websites and a list of their Committee assignments next week.

We want to thank those who have represented our State for many years in the House, and who now return to New Jersey for lives as private citizens. We sincerely appreciate their attention to the concerns of New Jersey municipal officials and the citizens they serve. Thank you, former Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen, Frank LoBiondo, Leonard Lance and Tom MacArthur.

Contact: Jon Moran, Senior Legislative Analyst, jmoran@njslom.org, 609-695-3481 x121.

III. League Conference Follow Up

a. Do Not Forget to Claim Your CEU’s from the 2018 NJLM Annual
Conference!

Attention Municipal Officials! Do Not Forget to Claim Your CEU’s from the 2018 NJLM Annual Conference! Please go to our website to claim your credits.

b. The Conference App is Still Available!

Misplaced your printed Session or Exhibitor Program Guide? The app can still be downloaded in your app store to reference session details or view contact information for participating consultants and exhibitors. The app will be available for download through the end of this calendar year and remains available for accessing on your device as long as it is installed.

IV. Also of Interest

a. Recruitment Selection Advisory Service

The League offers a Recruitment Selection Advisory Service which offers guidance in best practice references for recruiting professional municipal management.

After reviewing those helpful references, post your available positions on the League’s Job Listing Page.

b. Annual Survey

We here at the League would like to know what you thought about our services provided throughout the last year. The survey should take less than 5 minutes.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we are doing.

c. Show Off Your City Contest Deadline Feb. 1

The Second Annual Show Off Your City Contest is accepting entries through February 1. Municipalities are invited to send us photos of their tourist attractions, downtown areas, economic development initiatives, parks, city halls, community groups and new projects. Entries will be posted on the League’s Facebook page, website and some featured in the April issue of NJ Municipalities, and possibly other issues. A winner will be chosen and receives a free League publication of their choice! Photos can be submitted to Email: aspiezio@njslom.org, or mailed on CD or flash drive to 222 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608.

For full details, visit the Show Off Your City Contest webpage.

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