AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN - LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUND  As public officials across the State of New Jersey anticipate receiving $10.2 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) monies and forthcoming guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury, the "Reader's Digest" version below provides a general overview on how and when the monies may be spent. HOW MUCH MONEY State of New Jersey: $6.4 billion Counties & Municipalities: $3.8 billion DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS Direct Payments: The State of New Jersey, all 21 counties, and municipalities with populations of 50,000 or more will receiv...

LOCAL PENSION SYSTEM PROTECTIONS On Monday, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee favorably reported by a vote 8-0 SENATE BILL NO. 3522 (Sweeney D-3), which would establish a new board of trustees for the Local Part of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). NJAC strongly supports this legislation and commends Senate President Sweeny for his leadership in introducing the measure as it would protect the long-term health and viability of the local pension system by establishing a new and balanced board of trustees for PERS with the ability to determine or modify benefits, d...

IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING On March 1st, both houses are expected to pass ASSEMBLY, NO 4830/SENATE, NO. 3203 (Zwicker D-16/Danielsen D-17)(Gill D-34/Greenstein D-14), which would require in- person early voting for certain elections. Although NJAC appreciates the fact that this legislation takes into consideration the State's constitutional prohibition against unfunded mandates and includes a reimbursement mechanism to address some of the in-person early voting expenses as required under the bill, the Association is concerned with the legislation's $2.0 million appropriation as the figure is ...

NJAC MISSION & LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVES Although the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) is committed to serving our elected officials and professionals as a resource and advocate for county government on COVID-19 related matters as the Garden State begins to navigate its way through the ongoing public health crisis, the Association also plans to refocus our efforts on achieving many long-term legislative goals and objectives. As a non-partisan organization that represents the State’s only true regional form of government with a unified and proactive voice, NJAC is dedicated to ad...

COVID-19 VACCINATION RECOMMENDATIONS As county governments will play a vital role in the implementation, administration, and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, NJAC shared with Governor Phil Murphy, the following recommendations in a December 21st letter as proposed by our elected officials, administrators, health officers, emergency management coordinators, purchasing agents, and other county stakeholders with the singular purpose of helping to deploy an effective and efficient vaccination plan. COMMUNICATION: As summarized in our December 8, 2020 letter, NJAC  again recommends...

COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL PENSION PAYMENT INCREASES Earlier this month, the Division of Pension and Benefits in the State Department of Treasury released the 2021 local government employer billing statements for  the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), which included double digit percentage increases in total contributions for 2021. Despite these substantial increases, the funded ratio of PERS unfortunately decreased according to the "Actuarial Valuation Report" prepared by Cheiron and submitted to the Division on April 23, 2020. Even more alarming for county and municipal employers tha...

911 FEE DIVERSION Although the Association will continue to serve our elected officials and professionals as a resource and advocate for county government on COVID-19 related matters as we begin to navigate our way through the ongoing public health crisis, we also plan to refocus our efforts on achieving many long term goals and objectives, some of which include: separating the local portion of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) from the State portion as was the case with the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) in 2018; promoting the regionalization of services at the...

ELECTRONIC BOND ORDINANCES On September 21st, the Senate Community  and Urban Affairs  Committee favorably reported SENATE, NO. 818 (Lagana D-38), which would permit the transmittal of certain proposed bond ordinances by electronic mail. Along the lines of similar NJAC legislative initiatives that were signed into law such as authorizing local governing bodies to pay employees by direct deposit and their bills by electronic fund transfer technologies, NJAC supports this important and timely legislation as it would streamline and modernize the antiquated bond notification process. Under c...

COUNTY REENTRY COORDINATOR On August 24th, NJAC testified before the Assembly Community Development  and Affairs Committee in opposition to ASSEMBLY, NO. 844 (Reynolds-Jackson D-15/Verrelli D- 15), which would require each county to appoint a county reentry coordinator to help navigate treatment services to inmates in a county jail who have been sentenced to a term of incarceration or are ordered detained pending trial following a pretrial detention hearing. Although NJAC certainly endorses the concept of A-844 at it reflects the recommendations and proposed legislation of NJAC, the NJ C...

COVID-19 RELIEF BONDS On July 30th, both houses passed and sent to the Governor ASSEMBLY, NO. 3971 (Benson D-14/Coughlin D-19)(Singleton D-7/Gopal D-11)( Benson D-14/Coughlin D-19), which would allow counties and municipalities to borrow moneys through the issuance of bonds and notes to cover unanticipated emergency expenses and revenue shortfalls directly attributable to the COVID-19 public health crisis. More specifically, this legislation would authorize a local unit to incur indebtedness, borrow money, and issue “Coronavirus Relief Bonds,” which would be payable from, and secured by ...