New Jersey Assembly Bill A5787

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/16/25
• Refer: 6/16/25

Caption

Eliminates Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid and Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid; establishes Municipal Property Tax Relief Fund.

Impact

The bill establishes the 'Municipal Property Tax Relief Fund' which will collect revenue from various state taxes including the Sales and Use Tax Act and the Corporation Business Tax Act. Starting from July 1, 2025, the Fund will ensure that each municipality receives at least the amount they received in energy tax relief in 2024 or fiscal year 2025, effectively maintaining a stable base of municipal funding. In subsequent years, these allocations will adjust based on an index rate, ensuring that they increase in alignment with economic variables.

Summary

Assembly Bill A5787 aims to reorganize the structure of state aid for municipalities in New Jersey by eliminating the existing Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid and Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid programs, replacing them with a new Municipal Property Tax Relief Fund. This fund is intended to provide a more consistent and reliable stream of revenue for municipalities, ensuring that they have the necessary support to manage their financing and operational needs more effectively moving forward.

Contention

Discussions surrounding A5787 may center on the potential implications for how closely municipalities rely on state aid and whether this new structure provides sufficient fiscal support. Critics may raise concerns about whether this fund adequately compensates for the elimination of previous relief programs, and whether or not the indexing mechanism truly reflects the needs of municipalities facing economic fluctuations. Additionally, there are worries concerning the long-term sustainability of this new funding model, especially if state revenues fluctuate.