Sweeney To Host Town Hall Meeting In Camden County To Discuss Middle Class Property Tax Relief Plan

TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney announced today that he will be introducing legislation that will help insulate property tax payers from efforts by local officials to make end runs around the state’s 2 percent cap by moving certain spending items, like trash collection, out of the property tax levy and into a “user fee.” On Tuesday, certain municipalities in New Jersey will consider referenda asking tax payers to approve raising taxes above the 2 percent levy cap.

Under the proposed legislation, services shifted from a property tax base to a “user fee” base would continue to be counted as part of the current 2 percent property tax cap for municipalities.

“A ‘user fee’ for a municipally provided service is just another way of saying ‘tax,’ and these attempts to get around the property tax cap are disingenuous and detrimental to homeowners,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem). “Municipal governments must do more to control property taxes. Paying lip service to their residents needs for cost containment, then turning around and hitting them with a separate bill, is still just taking more money out of the same pocket.”

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that would help insulate property taxpayers from efforts by local officials to make end runs around the state’s 2 percent cap cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

“’User fees’ are just a cleverly conceived way to hide from folks that their taxes are going up yet again. The property tax cap was put in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening. It is not there so that local officials can find new and creative ways to get around it,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem).

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that would help insulate property taxpayers from efforts by local officials to make end runs around the state’s 2 percent cap cleared the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee today.

“For some services, the term ‘user fee’ is just a clever way to avoid actually calling it what it is: property tax. Property taxes are high enough without local officials trying to come up with clever and new ways to raise them even more. The cap was put in place because New Jerseyans have had it with ever increasing property taxes. It shouldn’t be seen as simply something to get around,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem).

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that would help insulate property taxpayers from efforts by local officials to make end runs around the state’s 2 percent cap today passed the full Senate.

“’User fees’ are just a cleverly conceived way to hide from folks that their taxes are going up yet again. The property tax cap was put in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening. It is not there so that local officials can find new and creative ways to get around it,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem).

TRENTON – After hearing considerable testimony from consumer advocate groups last week, the Senate Commerce Committee approved bipartisan legislation today sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner, Byron Baer and Joseph Vitale that would require businesses to better maintain the confidentiality of their customers’ personal information and provide consumers with new tools to combat identity theft.

“It is becoming increasingly true that good credit is one of the most valuable things an individual can possess,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “With innumerable credit card and financial transactions conducted over the Internet each day, the potential for identity theft is greater than ever. Today we are equipping consumers with a valuable new set of tools and safeguards that will better help them protect their credit and reduce the threat of identity theft.”

TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg today announced that they will be holding a series of town hall meetings across New Jersey to discuss the Democrats’ plan to provide property tax relief to middle class New Jersey.

Earlier this month, Democrats unveiled a proposal that would reduce by 10 percent the property tax burden of New Jerseyans earning less than $250,000 a year. Renters would receive $200 a year after full phase in of the plan.

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would provide substantial protections for New Jersey’s consumers from identity theft, and give them the tools to prove their innocence after a theft takes place was signed into law today by Governor Codey.

“In today’s high-tech world, we’re learning more and more that a criminal with a stolen social security number can be a very dangerous thing,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “With the right information, a thief can run up thousands of dollars in illegal purchases, all the while leaving you holding the bag for their shopping spree. The damage done to an individual’s credit history from identity theft can be lasting and substantial, but with the right tools we can make identity theft cases less frequent and less devastating when they do happen.”

TRENTON – The Senate approved bipartisan legislation today sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner, Byron Baer and Joseph Vitale that would require businesses to better maintain the confidentiality of their customers’ personal information and provide consumers with new tools to combat identity theft.

“It is becoming increasingly true that good credit is one of the most valuable things an individual can possess,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “With innumerable credit card and financial transactions conducted over the Internet each day, the potential for identity theft is greater than ever. Today we are equipping consumers with a valuable new set of tools and safeguards that will better help them protect their credit and reduce the threat of identity theft.”

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner which would increase consumer protections from identity theft in New Jersey and allow victims greater ability to clear their names was signed into law today by Governor Codey.

“Identity theft is one of the most insidious crimes out there, because it turns a person’s good credit against them, racking up debt for someone else’s illegal purchases,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “In the Internet Era, information is oftentimes more valuable than material possessions, and anyone can become a victim at any time. However, with the proper precautions in place, New Jersey can help guard our residents from this particular type of victimization and ensure that consumers are not helpless to identity theft.”