Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services

GORDON APPLAUDS POLICE CHIEFS FOR EXAMINING CONSOLIDATION ISSUE

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Bob Gordon commended the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) and its president, Chief Robert Kugler of Saddle Brook, for undertaking a critical examination of potential issues that municipal police departments are likely to encounter if they were to merge, consolidate or share services.

SMITH - IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TAKEN ON CONSOLIDATION PROPOSALS

TRENTON - Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today on the panel's public hearing on specific legislation crafted from the Committee's recommendations:

"Today's hearing demonstrated that, while we received some pushback on different consolidation and shared services proposals from special interests, the major players are willing to come to the table and recognize the need to stabilize property taxes by cutting the costs of government in New Jersey.

BRAC STYLE COMMISSION NEEDS CHANGES

Senator Joe Kyrillos, (R-Monmouth/Middlesex), a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services issued the following statement regarding changes to a bill that would mandate municipal consolidation.

"Somewhere along the way, the recommendations of this Committee went from ground-breaking to watered down, particularly in the case of my proposed Municipal Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission.

My original proposal was that this authority would be styled after the successful military base-closing commissions created by the federal government and would present their consolidation plan to the Legislature for an up-or-down vote to compel and enforce mergers. Now, the bill no longer resembles that initial plan.

In order to enact the changes needed to deliver sustainable reform, this legislation should be changed so that it broadens the criteria for member selection; allows the Governor to nominate all members; eliminates the secondary review by the Legislature; puts the recommendations out to a regional vote, rather than giving each affected town a veto; reevaluates the amount of money appropriated for staff resources; and addresses school consolidation.

Additionally, this bill now provides carrots for municipalities that enact shared service agreements. If this bill is going to allow for carrots, it should also allow for sticks for those who reject a positive shared services attitude.

No one should confuse activity with accomplishment. "

###

CHATZIDAKIS SAYS ADDING TO PROPERTY TAX BURDEN IS NO WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

OPPOSES FEE IN BILL SHIFTING ASSESSMENT FUNCTIONS TO STATE

Assemblyman Larry Chatzidakis today said that while modernizing and streamlining the state's property tax assessment procedures is a good idea, he is concerned about a provision in Assembly Bill A-14 that might actually add to the property tax burden for many homeowners.

SMITH - 'TOUGH WORK CAN NOW BEGIN ON SHARED SERVICES'

TRENTON - Senator Bob Smith, co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today on the unanimous approval of the Committee's final report of recommendations at a meeting of the panel today:

"Today, after 13 meetings, exhaustive research and hours of public and expert testimony, the Consolidation and Shared Services Joint Committee has unanimously approved our final report.

MALONE: TIME TO END THE SELF-CONGRATULATIONS
AND BEGIN CRAFTING REAL REFORM BILLS

'The Public is Understandably Skeptical. We Must Deliver'

Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joseph Malone today called on fellow members of the joint legislative committees studying ways to reduce property taxes to move beyond "self-congratulations" and prove to a skeptical public that real reform can be achieved.

"I applaud my colleagues on the various committees for the effort that went into the formulation of recommendations for change," said Malone, R-Burlington, Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer. "But it's time to stop acting like Inspector Gadget, patting themselves on the back with flexible, extendable arms, and move forward." Malone is a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services

"Reports won't lower property taxes," Malone said. "That will require the passage of real reform bills that produce positive results. It's not enough to talk about 'long-term relief.' Taxpayers need a lifeline now."

MALONE: SOME DEMOCRATS SEEM TO BE COMING AROUND TO HIS GOALS ON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

HAD CALLED FOR SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAX BILLS AT START OF PROCESS

SPEAKER ROBERTS, SCI OFFICIALS TO TESTIFY BEFORE SHARED SERVICES JOINT COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY
CORE Reform Plan, SCI Calls for Government Transparency To Be Focus of Panel's Hearing

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., and representatives from the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) will provide testimony Wednesday as the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services tomorrow examines portions of the sweeping CORE Reform Plan the Speaker announced this spring to cut waste and duplication in government.

KARCHER - FIRE DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION, THOUGH DIFFICULT, KEY TO SAVINGS

TRENTON - Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today regarding the panel's hearing on shared municipal services:

"Today's discussion on fire district consolidation illustrated the benefits of shared municipal services, and the roadblocks keeping fire districts from consolidating under the current system.

"It seems from the testimony presented today that the key to success for many of these consolidation agreements seems to be that it was the right people pushing it at the right time. Without the right confluence of events, including the retirement of high-paid fire officials, taxpayer unrest and the courageous leadership of local officials, consolidation in those municipalities would never have had a leg to stand on.

SMITH - NEXT WEEK'S HEARINGS TO FOCUS ON SHARED SERVICE PROPOSALS

Committee Will Begin Hearing Responses to Property Tax Solutions

TRENTON - Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the co-chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today regarding next week's committee hearing, in which the panel will ask for input on specific shared service proposals:

"Next week's committee meeting will signal a change of focus, as we shift gears from looking at shared services and government consolidation with an academic eye to a pragmatic one. We will begin discussing specific shared services proposals, and we will look for input from the local officials who will have to live with what we do to promote efficient government.