Assembly Speaker Roberts: Passage of Public Question #1 Must Be Priority #1

ROBERTS: PASSAGE OF PUBLIC QUESTION #1
MUST BE PRIORITY #1

Speaker Says Dedication of Full Penny Share of 7-Percent Sales Tax
Will Protect Property Tax Relief Efforts from Politicized Cuts

(TRENTON) - Teaming with representatives of the League of Municipalities and AARP-NJ, Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., today said "passage of Public Question #1 must be priority #1" this November so the final one-half cent of last year's penny sales tax increase can be permanently dedicated for property tax reform.

Roberts commended League President David DelVecchio and AARP-NJ President Sy Larson for banding together to push for passage of the referendum.

"This is a coalition with a critical purpose," said Roberts, who sponsored the referendum.  "It's imperative that voters know about this ballot referendum and that they approve it."

If approved by New Jersey voters, the proposed constitutional amendment would provide at least $1.35 billion annually to sustain property relief programs, such as the new 20 percent property tax cuts for a majority of homeowners, enhanced rebate checks for renter families, and state aid to municipalities and schools.

"Public Question #1 is the keystone for property tax relief permanency," said Roberts (D-Camden).  "A constitutional dedication of sales tax revenue for property tax relief ensures that property tax relief programs like this year's rebates are not politically waylaid in the future."

A ballot referendum constitutionally dedicating the first half-penny of the 2006 sales tax increase was overwhelmingly approved by voters last November - 1,121,130 yes to 552,380 no.

While that was a comfortable margin, Roberts said no one should take passage of second half-penny referendum for granted this year.  He noted that this will be a low-turnout election and some groups are urging rejection of the pro-property taxpayer measure.
 
Roberts said New Jersey residents deserve the opportunity to safeguard property tax relief efforts, notably the record-setting rebate checks that were distributed to middle-income working homeowners this month.  He said the constitutional dedication would help prevent politicians from seizing on property tax relief funds as a means to finance more state government spending.

"There is an alarming precedent of a new Legislature taking office and cutting property tax relief and that was 1992," said Roberts.  "We can't let that happen again."

Roberts said polls clearly show that New Jersey residents understand the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the maximum 20 percent property tax cut enacted this year.

In a poll released in July by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, respondents supported by a 66 percent to 25 percent margin the proposed amendment to dedicate the remaining one-half cent of last year's penny increase in the sales tax to property tax relief efforts.

"The final word on the long-term sustainability of property tax cuts now rests with the people, where it belongs," said Roberts, who sponsored the referendum.  "Last November, New Jerseyans overwhelmingly sent Trenton the message that property tax relief should be constitutionally guaranteed.  Now voters have a new opportunity to reaffirm that sentiment."

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