TRENTON – Central Jersey residents will have an opportunity to give input on achieving property tax reform through changes in the state constitution when a special joint legislative committee examining the state’s property tax system comes to Piscataway on Thursday, Sept. 21.
The hearing will mark the first time the Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens’ Property Tax Constitutional Convention takes public comment as part of the Legislature’s special session aimed at reforming the state’s property tax system. Previous committee meetings have been held in Trenton and have been limited to testimony provided by invited guests and experts.
The committee is one of four panels that began work in August to examine the state’s property tax problem and identify potential remedies that would provide taxpayer relief.
“There is a wealth of ideas out there on how to achieve real property tax reform,” said Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Jr. (D-Hudson). “We look forward to every opportunity available to hear from the public and consider their suggestions.”
“Public input is a critical element of this process,” said Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), one of the co-chairs of the joint committee. “Whether by e-mail, letter, or live testimony at a committee meeting, we hope the public will get involved in this landmark reform effort.”
The Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens Property Tax Convention Committee will hold its public hearing noon, Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Livingston Student Center, Rutgers University, 84 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway.
Members of the public wishing to testify should register by calling (609) 984-6798 or sending an e-mail message to sbirch@njleg.org.
Persons presenting written testimony are urged to bring 20 copies on the day of the hearing. Written testimony will be made publicly available on the Internet.
Recordings and transcripts of oral testimony are government records and will be made available to the public upon request.
Directions to the Livingston Student Center may be found on the Web at http://maps.rutgers.edu/building.aspx?id=198.
More information on the Special Session on Property Tax Reform may be obtained by visiting the following Web address: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/PropertyTaxSession/specialsessionpt.asp.
To provide input via the Internet, members of the public are encouraged to go to the following address — http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/PropertyTaxSession/PropertyTaxForum.asp — where they may fill out a form by identifying themselves or anonymously.