Senate Bill 2392 (Sarlo) and Assembly Bill 3969 (Danielsen) , now under consideration in the State Legislature, would authorize the Department of Community Affairs to permit municipalities to delay or alter the transmission of property tax revenue to school districts during gubernatorial-declared emergencies, such as the state’s current situation.
The legislation is an amended version of an earlier Assembly bill (A-3902), which provided for the delay in the transmission of property tax revenue to districts. NJPSA opposed this legislation and worked with our colleagues in the NJ School Boards Association, NJEA, NJ Association of School Administrators (NJASA), Garden State Coalition of Schools, (GSCS), NJ Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) and NJPTA to oppose the legislation which stopped in the State Senate. With the refiling of this legislation as S-2393 and A-3969, NJPSA is concerned that even if the bill is amended, the new legislation would place a severe fiscal strain on school district finances, staffing and educational programs.
Yesterday, the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee’s was scheduled to consider S-2393 and NJPSA submitted the following testimony. The bill was held pending action in the Assembly in order to make the two bills identical. The Assembly Appropriations Committee will hear A-3936 on Monday, May 11 and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will re-consider both bills on Tuesday, May 12.
On Thursday, May 14, voting sessions are scheduled for both the Senate and Assembly.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION
We urge you to contact your legislative representatives and express opposition to S-2392/A-3969 as soon as possible.
In addition, please contact the following members of the Budget and Appropriations committees of each house to express your concerns:
Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
Senator Paul Sarlo – SenSarlo@njleg.org , Chair
Senator Sandra Cunningham – SenCunningham@njleg.org
Senator Teresa Ruiz – SenRuiz@njleg.org
Senator Dawn Marie Addiego – SenAddiego@njleg.org
Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez – SenCruzPerez@njleg.org
Senator Patrick Diegnan – SenDiegnan@njleg.org
Senator Linda Greenstein – SenGreenstein@njleg.org
Senator Declan O’Scanlon – SenOscanlon@njleg.org
Senator Steven Oroho – SenOroho@njleg.org
Senator Troy Singleton – SenSingleton@njleg.org
Senator Michael Testa – SenTesta@njleg.org
Senator Thompson – SenThompson@njleg.org
Assembly Appropriations Committee
Assemblyman John Burzichelli – AsmBurzichelli@njleg.org , Chair
Assemblyman Gary Schaer – AsmSchaer@njleg.org
Assemblyman Brian Bergen – AsmBergen@njleg.org
Assemblyman Herb Conaway – AsmConaway@njleg.org
Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera – AswMosquera@njleg.org
Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo – AsmDeAngelo@njleg.org
Assemblyman Antwan McClellan – AsmMcClellan@njleg.org
Assemblywoman Pintor Marin – AswPintorMarin@njleg.org
Assemblyman Kevin Rooney – AsmRooney@njleg.org
Assemblyman Jay Webber – AsmWebber@njleg.org
Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker – AswTucker@njleg.org
Talking Points
- The delay of tax revenue payments or partial payments will have a devastating impact on our ability to provide educational programming and staffing for our schools during this crisis and in the fall.
- Please adopt amendments proposed by the education community, including NJPSA, to mandate that municipalities borrow needed funds to make school districts whole for any delay or reduction in payments as is currently required under law. If this is already the intent of the bill, please clarify this in bill language.
Thank you!