TRENTON – Senator Fred H. Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens’ Property Tax Constitutional Convention today released the following statement regarding the Committee’s approval of a list of recommendations aimed at helping to relieve the property tax burden on State residents:
“The Committee’s report of recommendations is the largest, most significant movement toward tax reform that I’ve seen in my adult life. Today’s meeting marks the next step in a months-long process, during which the Committee heard from experts and members of the public on ways to try to help solve New Jersey’s property tax problem.
“In my view, the most important recommendation made by the Committee is the need to reduce the amount of money people pay out of pocket for property taxes. In addition to the recommended financial reduction of taxes I also support the implementation of a Tax Policy Study Commission and of an Office of the State Comptroller. The main purpose of the Commission and of the Comptroller would be to make sure that we are spending State dollars in the most responsible manner possible and to make recommended fiscal control policies.
“The Committee’s report is a great starting point, but now we must continue the work of bringing meaningful and sustainable property tax relief to the people of this State. If we don’t, the work and mission of this Joint Committee will have been carried out in vain.
“Now that we’ve voted on the final report, it is time to get down to the business of crafting bills to provide necessary relief to taxpayers and reform of a property tax system that’s lost its way.”