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 ...

CARES ACT FUNDING Along with Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties, the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) is urging Governor Murphy to reimburse these 12 counties with federal monies from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the extraordinary expenses incurred in combating the COVID-19 public health crisis. During this once in a generation pandemic, county governments have led the way on the front lines and played a vital ro...

COVID-19 RELIEF BONDS Despite earlier reports that the measure was beginning to move, SENATE, NO. 2475 (Singleton D-7/Gopal D-11) has stalled for the time being in the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. In summary, this legislation 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, the legislation would authorize a local unit to incur indebtedness, borrow money, and issue “Coronavirus Relief Bo...

STATE BORROWING PLAN On June 4th, the General Assembly passed by a vote of 51-28 ASSEMBLY, NO. 4175 (Pintor Marin D-29), which would establish the “New Jersey COVID-19 Emergency Bond Act” to authorize the State to issue $5.0 billion in general obligation bonds and to apply for federal stimulus loans on behalf of certain local governing bodies. Although a companion version of the bill does not currently exist in the Senate, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on the Administration’s proposal on June 1st where the State Treasurer also outlined the projected $1...

PROPERTY TAX GRACE PERIOD AND OTHER DEADLINES Earlier today, both houses of the Legislature passed SENATE, NO. 2932/ASSEMBLY, NO. 3969 (Sarlo D-36)(Danielson D-17), which would allow for the extension of certain local government timeframes, to accept certain payments electronically, to conduct certain meetings remotely, and to adjust certain property tax distribution and notice requirements. Although its application would be very limited and its implementation would be much more be more palatable than similar legislation, NJAC remains opposed to the provision of this bill that would auth...