Aberdeen Mayor Supports O’Scanlon’s Efforts To Limit Property Tax Hikes

Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini

We haven’t heard from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop since Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon challenged him to pressure Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to put the extension of the 2% limit on arbitration awards for police and firefighter salary contracts up for a vote. But Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, a Democrat, called to say that he supports O’Scanlon’s effort.

“The 2% arbitration cap is a very powerful tool in stabilizing property taxes,” Tagliarini said in a phone interview with MMM. “I don’t know any mayor, Democrat or Republican, who wants it to expire.  The cap should be extended before it expires in December.” Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon challenges Jersey City Mayor Fulop to pressure Speaker Prieto to extend Arbitration Cap

Jersey City Police Officers were awarded a 2% pay increase by a state appointed arbitrator this week.

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, not the Democrat nominee for Governor, declared that the best interests of his city’s residents and taxpayers prevailed, according to Hudson County View. 

The arbitrator’s decision will enable Mayor Fulop and the city council to keep their budget within the two-percent levy cap and hold the line on property taxes from substantially increasing.

“This is not a day where we say that we won, but rather that the best interest of the city, its residents and the taxpayers prevailed,” Fulop said in a statement reported by HCV.

“We have negotiated successfully with six of the city’s other unions to adopt measures that correct many of the outdated contract provisions and worked productively with the unions for the benefit of their members and the public. Unfortunately, the POBA chose a different route and an independent arbitrator was required.”

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) today called on Fulop to join him in challenging Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to put legislation making the cap permanent up for vote in the Assembly. Read the rest of this entry »

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Former Dem Assemblyman takes Gopal to task for false and misleading campaign mail

By Michael J. Panter

Like Kevin Asadi and other residents, I recently received the letter from Senate candidate Vin Gopal which denounces the Assessment Demonstration Program (the “ADP”), implemented in 2013, as the source of high property taxes.

Since I have run in four state elections in Monmouth County, I have been in Mr. Gopal’s shoes.  Political operatives refer to the weeks before an election as the “silly season”, since candidates will say almost anything about their opponents to generate a headline.

However, there is a line which should never be crossed – candidates should not issue false or misleading information, since it not only subjects them to legal liability, but most importantly, it does a disservice to taxpayers. Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon releases Arbitration Task Force report recommending permanent award cap

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon released today the report of the Arbitration Award Task Force as recommended by four of the eight members. The report outlines the success of the arbitration award cap in enabling municipal officials to maintain budgets within the 2 percent property-tax cap and curb property-tax increases to historically low levels, and recommends making the cap on arbitration awards permanent before the policy is scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31.

“The data contained in this report is beyond clear and convincing; it is overwhelming,” said O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “It would be irresponsible for the Legislature not to take action. In fact, any legislator that fails to advocate for continuation of the arbitration award cap will be, by extension, advocating for the obliteration of the property tax cap and higher property taxes. There is no middle ground here. Mark my words; if the cap isn’t permanently extended taxpayers will unquestionably face much more dramatic property tax increases and cuts to municipal services.”

During a vote Monday to release the report, the task force was deadlocked 4-4. Union representatives blocked the report’s endorsement. O’Scanlon, who voted to release the report, is the only legislator appointed by the governor to sit on the task force. Read the rest of this entry »

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Local leaders warn: Your property taxes will rise unless this happens

TRENTON — New Jersey’s 2 percent cap on police and firefighter arbitration awards must be renewed, or else taxpayers will see their services cut and property taxes rise, local government leaders said Friday. The cap on awards police and fire unions can win through interest arbitration sunsets at the end of the year. New Jersey mayors… Read the rest of this entry »

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Watch Christie’s Announcement at 1PM

Governor Chris Christie will be making an announcement this afternoon at 1pm, according to a statement from his office.

Insiders expect that the governor will announce a school funding deal for the next fiscal year negotiated between himself, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.

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Sweeney again says state government could shut down without a deal on school funding

TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Monday said he plans to meet with Gov. Chris Christie this week on the state budget — a negotiating session that could deliver a small dose of school reform or a messy government shutdown. If Christie won’t play ball on a school funding deal Democratic leaders reached last week,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Interactive Map: Charting the Ups and Downs of Dems’ School-Aid Plan

You can toggle between districts by type — elementary, regional HS and K-12 — by clicking in the Visible layers box (K-12 are shown by default). To find a district, zoom in and move the map, or use the search box (with the magnifying glass). Hover over or click on a district for information. A day… Read the rest of this entry »

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Guadagno: My plan would cut property taxes immediately

By Kim Guadagno Right on cue, hours after proposing a robust and bold plan to cut property taxes for the middle class in New Jersey, Phil Murphy and some in the media attacked my proposal. My plan is not only the most substantive and detailed plan that has been released by any candidate to date, it… Read the rest of this entry »

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Property tax relief bill passes N.J. Assembly committee

Assemblyman Jay Webber sponsored property tax relief legislation

TRENTON — A bill to restore hundreds of millions of dollars paid by utilities to local governments for property tax relief advanced through a state committee on Monday. The legislation, ( A302), would restore $331 million in cuts to energy tax receipts and Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid over five years. But there’s a catch:… Read the rest of this entry »

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