NJ Arbitration Cap MUST Be Extended Now!

Can’t Stop Now!

NJ Assembly Democrats Have Worked With Governor Christie To Rein In Property Taxes, So Why Have They Now Blocked Renewal Of A Key Property Tax Reform Bill For 14 Days?

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WORKING TOGETHER TO REIN IN PROPERTY TAXES

Two Percent Property Tax Cap: In July 2010, Governor Christie signed a two percent hard cap on property taxes, cutting out loopholes and putting control back in the hands of property taxpayers.

·         ASSEMBLY SUPPORT: The Assembly Voted 73-4 To Concur With Governor Christie’s Recommendations And Pass The Property Tax Cap. (S29, Assembly, Concur With The Governor’s Recommendations: 73-4, 7/12/10)

·         THE RESULT: Property Taxes Are Rising At Their Slowest Pace “In More Than Two Decades” In A “Hard-Fought Milestone For One Of The Highest-Taxed States In America.” In 2013, “the average property tax increase in New Jersey last year was a relatively modest 1.7 percent … In 2011, the average bill went up 2.4 percent, and in 2012, the increase was 1.6 percent — a contrast with a 2004 through 2006, when the bills went up at least 7 percent each year.” (Salvador Rizzo and Eric Sagara , “N.J. property taxes rise slightly in 2012; Christie pushing for lower bills,” The Star-Ledger, 1/13/13; “NJ property taxes climbed an average of 1.7 percent last year,” The Associated Press, 3/13/14)

First Passage Of The Interest Arbitration Cap: Working together with Senate and Assembly Leadership, Governor Christie signed into law transformational, long-overdue interest arbitration reform that provides municipalities with the help they need to keep property taxes down for New Jerseyans.

·         ASSEMBLY SUPPORT: The Assembly Overwhelmingly Supported The Arbitration Cap, Passing It 74-1. (A3393, Passed Assembly: 74-1, 12/13/10)

·         THE RESULT: “It Has Worked Exactly As Planned.” “Enter Gov. Chris Christie. In collaboration with Democratic leaders, he changed those rules to give taxpayers a fighting chance. A key provision imposed a 2 percent cap on salary increases, intended to match the 2 percent cap on property tax increases. It has worked exactly as planned.” (Editorial, “NJ Assembly Speaker Prieto Should Back Salary Cap On Police, Firefighters,” The Star-Ledger, 3/17/14)

o    “In the roughly three years after the reform took effect, the average increase in police salaries was just 1.86 percent, the smallest bump in two decades.”

Sweeping, Bipartisan Pension And Benefits Reform: Governor Chris Christie signed into law landmark pension and health benefit reform in June 2011, marking months of hard work, negotiation, compromise and ultimately bipartisan support.

·         ASSEMBLY SUPPORT: The Assembly Passed The Historic Pension And Benefits Reform 46-32.(S2937, Passed Assembly: 46-32; 6/23/11)

·         THE RESULT: Governor Christie’s sweeping bipartisan pension and benefits reform will save New Jersey taxpayers $120 billion over the next 30 years. (Governor Chris Christie, “Governor Christie Signs Into Law Bold, Bipartisan Pension and Health Benefits Reform,” Press Release, 6/28/11)

o    For fiscal year 2014 alone, taxpayers and local governments are projected to save $540 million. (New Jersey Department of the Treasury, “Christie Administration Announces New Jersey Property Taxpayers See Projected Savings of $540 Million,” Press Release, 4/15/13)

IT IS UP TO THE ASSEMBLY TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS BY EXTENDING THE ARBITRATION CAP

Nearly 120 Mayors and Officials from across New Jersey are joining Governor Christie today to call for renewal.

The New Jersey Senate already passed Governor Christie’s renewal bill 33-1. (S1869, Senate, Concur With The Governor’s Recommendations: 33-1, 3/27/14)

The New Jersey Assembly Republicans Have Called The Lack Of A Vote “Extremely Unfortunate.” (NJ Assembly Republicans, “Bramnick: Arbitration Cap Law Must Be Made Permanent,” Press Release, 3/19/14; NJ Assembly Republicans, “O’Scanlon Stunned By Assembly’s Failure To Act On Arbitration Law,” Press Release, 3/28/14)

The New Jersey League Of Municipalities Is Urging All Mayors To Push The Assembly To Renew The Bill. “Dear Mayor: Today marks two weeks since the Governor and the State Senate acted to extend the 2% cap on interest arbitration awards. (See our April 3 Dear Mayor Letter). The League supports the Governor’s recommendations to the Interest Arbitration bill, S-1869. Please contact your Assembly representatives as soon as possible to urge them to concur with the Governor’s amendments as time is of the essence.” (New Jersey League Of Municipalities, “Status Quo on Interest Arbitration Cap Extension,” Letter To Mayors, 4/10/14)

Every Major Newspaper In The State Has Called For The Cap’s Renewal:

·         The Star-Ledger: The Arbitration Cap “Has Worked Exactly As Planned.” (Editorial, “NJ Assembly Speaker Prieto Should Back Salary Cap On Police, Firefighters,” The Star-Ledger, 3/17/14)

·         The Record: “The state Senate endorsed the current 2 percent cap on Thursday after Governor Christie vetoed a measure that would have weakened the cap. But as of the end of this week, the Assembly hadn’t acted. It should do so promptly next week.” (Editorial, “Keeping The Cap,” The Record, 3/29/14)

·         Press of Atlantic City: “But there is no doubt that it works, and lawmakers must not go wobbly - the cap must be renewed.” (Editorial, “Police, Fire Salaries / Keep Arbitration Cap,” Press of Atlantic City, 3/24/14)

·         Times of Trenton: “[U]nless lawmakers act to renew it. Not to do so will upset the balance of an effective approach to reining New Jersey’s property taxes.” (Editorial, “N.J. Should Extend Interest Arbitration Cap For Police, Fire Contracts,” Times of Trenton, 3/24/14)

·         Asbury Park Press: “This is a major test of the sincerity of any public official who talks about the need to keep property taxes under control.” (Editorial, “Don't Relax Cap On Police, Fire Arbitration Awards,” Asbury Park Press, 3/26/14)