State shared-services panel plans to meet in Freehold

Assemblyman Michael J. Panter has announced that the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services will hold its final public hearing on the evening of Nov. 9 in Freehold Borough.

Panter said the committee would be taking testimony from the public on efforts to promote shared services and governmental consolidations at the state, county, municipal and school district levels.

"As our population, cost of living and property tax bills continue to skyrocket in Monmouth County and across the state, it is critical we hear from residents on key issues in the Legislature's special session on property tax reform," said Panter (D-Monmouth and Mercer). "Our residents certainly deserve this opportunity to provide input on the measures we hope to advance as we work on significantly and permanently reducing our highest-in-the-nation property tax burden."

Panter said the joint committee is scheduled to meet at Borough Hall, 51 W. Main Street, Freehold Borough.

He added, "Communities here in Monmouth County have worked together in a variety of ways to use their taxpayer funds most efficiently. However, given the urgency of our property tax problem, it is time for all of the Garden State's municipalities to start thinking in much bigger terms. Towns and school districts which are too small to financially justify their independent existence need to be combined with their neighbors. In the business world, we consolidate when expenses need to be cut. If our governmental units can not do the same, a large portion of New Jersey's middle class will be living in Pennsylvania zip codes."

Members of the public wishing to testify should register by calling (609) 292-1596 or e-mailing eroman@njleg.org. Persons presenting written testimony are asked to provide 20 copies on the day of the hearing. All submitted written testimony will be available to the public through the Internet.

According to a press release from Panter, the Joint Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services is one of four bicameral, bipartisan committees that were created to reform the state's property tax system during a special session of the Legislature, which began in August.

This is the first time in state history that the Legislature has created special bicameral committees charged with the mission of examining and addressing the property tax problem in a comprehensive fashion. The joint committees will conclude their work with a report to be released no later than Nov. 15.