(38th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT) – Assemblyman Joseph Lagana has introduced legislation to help senior residents cut their property tax bills though volunteerism.
Under the bill (A-4067), any municipality could create a Municipal Volunteer Property Tax Reduction Program to permit residents age 60 years or older who have owned and lived in a home in the municipality for at least 15 years total to volunteer their services to the municipality.
In return, the resident would be rewarded with property tax credits not to exceed $1,000 per tax year.
Lagana said the bill is part of his broader tax reform effort, which also includes bills to revise New Jersey’s tax structure, provide property tax reform, cut government spending and improve efficiency, consolidate local government and promote shared services and provide middle-class property tax relief.
“This would be another piece of the effort to reform New Jersey’s tax system to ease the burden on middle-class families and senior citizens,” said Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “This needs to be a multi-pronged creative effort, and this is something different we can try. Residents who volunteer will also be helping fill a local need, so in the end this would be a true win-win for everyone in the shared goal of tax relief.”
Under this program, a municipality would determine the type of volunteer services that these residents may perform, and the amount of property tax credits, up to $1,000 per tax year, that a volunteer shall be awarded for his or her service. Property tax credits earned under this program shall not carry over from year to year, and credits earned in a tax year shall be applied to the municipal purposes property taxes due and owing only for that tax year.
A municipality that creates a volunteer program cannot utilize volunteers for any position for which a salary is budgeted in the municipal budget. Volunteers can only be utilized by a municipality for non-professional, non-salaried positions or uses.
“Volunteers make for a better community, so anything we can do encourage volunteering is a good thing,” Lagana said. “Meanwhile, tax relief is good for everyone, and anything we can do to provide it is also a good thing. Tax relief must be approached from every angle, and this is a creative way to provide some much-needed help.”
