ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS: DEMOCRATS’ TOOL KIT SCORECARD – 42 TOTAL COMMITTEE HOURS, 90 MINUTES ON TOOL KIT BILLS

November 22, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — With only 39 days left until the state’s new hard property tax cap takes effect and with no meaningful property tax reform legislation again on today’s General Assembly Board list, Assembly Republicans said Assembly Democrats are inaccurately portraying to the public their legislative efforts in advancing Governor Christie’s property tax reform Tool Kit.

According to media reports, on November 8, 2010, the Democrat Speaker said, “We’ve passed 11 of the Tool Kit bills out of the Assembly…It’s a misnomer to say ‘Pass the Tool Kit…’”

“That simply isn’t accurate,” said Assembly Republican Whip Dave Rible, R-Monmouth, at a press conference today. “Since July, when Governor Christie signed the historic, bipartisan hard property tax cap into law, Assembly Democrats have virtually abandoned any efforts to openly discuss and post for vote substantive property tax reform Tool Kit legislation.”

Based on data compiled by the Assembly Republican Office, Assembly Committees met 20 times during the past five months with the opportunity to hear 17 Tool Kit bills. Members spent more than 42 hours discussing a wide range of legislation, but only 90 minutes were devoted to Tool Kit bills, which represents less than 4 percent of the members’ time. See attached chart.

“New Jersey’s taxpayers are much smarter than Democrats give them credit for,” explained Rible. “They know Democrats control the Legislature and legislative agendas. Our taxpayers understand Assembly Democrats are responsible for preventing the progression of Governor Christie’s reform agenda.”

Rible noted that of the 17 total Tool Kit bills, only four have been released by an Assembly committee. Of those four bills:

• Two are awaiting action by the governor (S-1998) and (S-2220)
• Two are on second reading in the Assembly (A-1646 and A-2499)

Rible added that the four bills, while important, will do little in and of themselves to help mayors comply with the impending property tax cap. Without arbitration, civil service and pension benefits reform, he explained local officials will be forced to cut services and jobs. Most importantly, property taxpayers will not see the relief they desperately need.

Noting a recent Quinnipiac University poll which shows only 28 percent of respondents say the Assembly is doing a satisfactory job, Rible said, “The public is justifiably angry at the obstinacy of the Democrats who refuse to even discuss the merits of the critical property tax reform legislation contained in the property tax reform Tool Kit.

“Again today, Democrats have squandered another opportunity to address the needs of property taxpayers who want government spending controlled.”

With only two committee hearing dates and one full General Assembly session scheduled before the new cap law takes effect January 1, 2011, Rible said it seems likely Democrats will try to ram through last minute diluted Tool Kit bills which will do little to equip mayors with the stringent tools they will need.

Joining Rible at today’s press conference were Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, Assembly Conference Leader Jon Bramnick, Assemblywomen Amy Handlin and Charlotte Vandervalk, and Assemblymen Gary Chiusano and John Amodeo.