Bill Text: NJ S1198 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates "Real Property Revaluation Review Commission."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-04 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S1198 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1198-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Creates "Real Property Revaluation Review Commission."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating a commission to review the real property tax revaluation, reassessment and appeal process every 10 years and supplementing Chapter 1 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes..
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is hereby established a commission to be known as the "Real Property Revaluation Review Commission." The commission shall consist of 12 members as follows: four members of the Legislature, or their designees, one to be appointed by the President of the Senate, one by the Senate Minority Leader, one by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one by the Assembly Minority Leader; the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, ex officio, or a designee; and seven public members to be appointed by the Governor, no more than four of whom shall be of the same political party, and who shall represent different regions of the State and have expertise in areas such as real estate sales and tax assessment practices. At least one of the seven public members to be appointed by the Governor shall be a holder of a tax assessor certificate who is a member of the Association of Municipal Assessors. At least one of the seven public members to be appointed by the Governor shall be a State certified real estate appraiser pursuant to P.L.1991, c.68 (C.45:14F-1 et seq.).
b. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of its full membership, and shall select a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. Vacancies in the membership shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made.
c. The legislative members of the commission shall serve during the two-year legislative session in which the appointments are made. All commission members shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement of necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.
2. a. The duty of the commission shall be to review the real property tax revaluation, reassessment and appeal process every 10 years to evaluate whether this process ensures taxpayer fairness. The commission shall also submit a report of its findings to the Governor and the Legislature with proposed recommendations, if any, regarding the fairness of the property tax revaluation, reassessment and appeal process.
b. In preparation of each decennial report, the commission shall have at least three public hearings, one each in the northern, central and southern geographic areas of the State, and shall elicit the participation of the general public as well as public officials and experts on matters concerning property tax assessment.
c. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be made available to it for its purposes. The commission shall also be entitled to employ such technical, stenographic and secretarial assistance as it may require.
3. The commission shall submit its first report to the Governor and the Legislature upon completion of its work, but no later than 18 months after the date of its first organizational meeting pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Subsequent appointments to the commission shall be made by February 1 of each decennial census year, and subsequent reports shall be submitted no later than 18 months after that date. The appointments shall expire upon the submission of a report to the Governor and the Legislature.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "Real Property Revaluation Review Commission" to review the property tax revaluation, reassessment and appeal process every 10 years and provide recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature as to how the process can be improved to ensure fairness to the State's taxpayers.
The bill provides that the commission would be comprised of 12 members: four members of the Legislature, or their designees, one to be appointed by the President of the Senate, one by the Senate Minority Leader, one by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one by the Assembly Minority Leader; the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, ex officio, or a designee; and seven public members, to be appointed by the Governor, who represent different parts of the State and have expertise in areas such as real estate sales and tax assessment practices. At least one public member would be a holder of a tax assessor certificate and who is a member of the Association of Municipal Assessors. At least one public member would be a State certified real estate appraiser.
The bill requires the commission to hold at least three public hearings in preparation of each decennial report, one each in the northern, central and southern geographic areas of the State, and to elicit the participation of the general public as well as public officials and experts on matters concerning property tax assessment.
The commission is required to submit its first report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 18 months after its first organizational meeting. Subsequent appointments are to be made by February 1 of each decennial census year, and subsequent reports submitted 18 months after this date. Appointments would expire upon submission of each report.
