May 3, 2019

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

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

I. State Issue

a. Governor Takes Action on Bills to Address ‘Zombie Foreclosures’

On Monday, Governor Murphy signed a package of bills intended to help address the zombie foreclosure issue that plagues the Garden State. For those unfamiliar with the term, zombie foreclosure is a situation where a home is left vacant by the homeowner prior to the mortgager actually foreclosing and taking responsibility for the property. This leads to properties being left unused and falling into disrepair, impacting property values around them and creating public safety hazards.

The League was supportive of these bills as the impact of foreclosures can most directly be felt at the municipal level. Often times additional municipal resources are needed to ensure public safety around abandoned properties and when these properties fall into disrepair it drags down the local quality of life and economy. We would like to thank the sponsors of the various bills and the Governor for the action on this important issue.

For more information on this package of bills, including a list of all bills signed into law, please see the Governor’s press release.

Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., League Staff Attorney, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x 137.

II. Federal Issues

a. HUD and White House release Opportunity Zone Plan

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC) have released an implementation plan outlining how local leaders can maximize benefits when participating in the Opportunity Zone program.

The Implementation Plan explains the various subcommittees of the Council, as well as describes the strategy to implement administrative reforms and initiatives that will target, streamline, coordinate, and optimize Federal resources in economically distressed communities, including Opportunity Zones. Read the Implementation Plan here.

More than 160 programs have already been identified by the Council in order to increase targeting to Opportunity Zones through grant preference points, loan qualifications, reduced fees, and eligibility criteria modifications. The Council member agencies have already taken action to better target over 50 programs to Opportunity Zones.

In addition to developing an “OpportunityZones.gov” website, the Council and its Executive Director Scott Turner will be scheduling ‘listening tour’ sessions in rural, urban, and suburban Opportunity Zones and other distressed communities throughout the remainder of 2019.

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

b. High-Level Bipartisan Meeting Yields Some Hope for Infrastructure

On Tuesday, at the White House, the President met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to discuss the need for action on a comprehensive infrastructure bill. The lawmakers emerged with a conceptual agreement on a $2 Trillion policy. No agreement was reached, however on a source, or sources, of funding.

The same parties are scheduled to continue these discussions in three weeks. However, there seems to be some disagreement concerning the focus of that meeting. White House officials indicated that it is their expectation that both sides will come to the meeting with their own funding ideas. But aides to Senator Schumer expect the Administration to present a plan that the Administration and the Senate Majority would support. Such a plan would, then, serve as the basis for discussion.

Options mentioned to date include an increase in the federal motor fuels tax and/or a rollback of certain corporate tax breaks that were included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

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

III. League Conference Follow Up

a. Do Not Forget to Claim Your CEUs from the 2018 NJLM Annual
Conference!

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

IV. Also of Interest

a. Register Now for the One Day Mini Conference

Friday, June 14, 2019
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Conference Center at Mercer
1200 Old Trenton Road
West Windsor, NJ 08550

For more information on the Mini Conference including Registration and Credit Details please visit the Mini Conference Website.

b. League Publications: Read All About It

The League offers a wide variety of publications to provide extra insights on the hot topics in local government, from Newly Elected guidebooks to the latest editions on OPMA, License Fees, Salaries, and Local Public Contracts. For more information on the full publication list or to order volumes for your reference, see the Publication Order Form.

c. The New Jersey Attorney Generals Advocacy Institute Is Pleased to
Present

PROCUREMENT FRAUD SYMPOSIUM June 7, 2019
8:30 a.m. * – 3:00 p.m.
N.J. Forensic Science & Technology Center
1200 Negron Drive
Hamilton, New Jersey

*Registration is from 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Program Summary: Government procurement deals with the purchase of goods and services by government entities, whether local, county or state. A myriad of statutes and regulations cover how governmental entities may purchase the goods and services they need to serve the public. The often-large amounts of money spent on such goods and services also make the procurement area a target for abuse and fraud. This symposium will focus on government procurement and avoiding fraud in the procurement process. The issues addressed will include compliance and ways that purchasing entities sometimes deviate from compliance, criminal antitrust violations, and procurement/government contract fraud. The program will also include a panel discussion on fraud and fraud prevention.

Who Should Attend? This symposium is intended for public employees such as purchasing agents, accountants and auditors, attorneys and counsel, detectives and prosecutors who regularly deal with procurement issues, oversee those that do or investigate and prosecute this type of fraud.

CLE Credit:

NJ CLE Credit: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 5.1 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 0.0 qualify as hours of credit for ethics/professionalism.
NY CLE Credit: 5.0 Substantive Credits (pursuant to the approved jurisdiction policy).
PA CLE Credit: 4.0 Substantive Credits ($6.00 mandatory registration fee required)

To register for the program please view program announcement

For questions or additional information contact, Rich O'Brien, Assistant Director-Special Investigator in Charge, State of New Jersey, Office of the State Comptroller (609) 292-4782 office or Richard.O’Brien@osc.nj.gov