(TRENTON) — Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) released the following statement Monday as the Assembly Budget Committee heard from the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA):
“I find it hard to believe that the administration is continuing to harp on a so-called tool kit amid a net 20 percent property tax increase under Gov. Christie.
“New Jerseyans are struggling under the burden of property taxes and this administration needs to finally make property tax relief a priority.
“The time for silly sound bites is over. We’ve been there. It didn’t work. Let’s prioritize property tax relief.”
For those wondering, here’s a look back at the lack of substance in the governor’s plan:
- Of the 33 proposals in the toolkit, 22 bills were introduced;
- Of the 22 bills introduced, 15 were certified by the Office of Legislative Services (OLS) as needing fiscal notes;
- Thus, only two-thirds of the bills even have a fiscal impact for the state or its localities. That means that fully one-third of the bills would have absolutely no impact on property taxes;
- Of the 15 bills requiring fiscal notes, fiscal information from the Administration was received by OLS on only 3;
- Of these 3 for which information was received:
- One showed state savings of $140,000 annually and indeterminate potential local savings;
- One showed additional state revenue of $440,000; and
- One showed additional state costs of $292,000 to $331,000;
In summary, the fiscal information provided by the Christie administration on toolkit measures showed a net state savings/revenue increase of $249,000 to $288,000 and some indeterminate local savings;
- OLS did fiscal estimates on 3 additional bills, absent administration information as the bills were moving. Of these:
- One was cost neutral;
- One showed indeterminate potential local revenue gains; and
- One showed indeterminate potential state and local costs as well as indeterminate potential restraint of growth rate in property tax levies — not a reduction.