Bill Text: NJ S1343 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns payment of homestead property tax reimbursement as credit on property tax bill.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-01 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S1343 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1343-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns payment of homestead property tax reimbursement as credit on property tax bill.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the homestead property tax reimbursement and amending P.L.1997, c.348.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.71) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. The director shall administer the homestead property tax reimbursement program. [A] Except as provided in subsection b of this section, a payment for the homestead property tax reimbursement amount, as calculated by the director, shall be mailed to each person determined by the director to be an eligible claimant under this act on or before July 15, 1999 and July 15 annually thereafter, except that the payment of any homestead property tax reimbursement amount for an eligible claimant whose application is filed during the period May 1 through June 1 shall be mailed on or before September 1 annually. Provided further, however, that the payment of any homestead property tax reimbursement amount for an eligible claimant whose application is filed during a period after June 1 pursuant to an extended application deadline as may be designated by the director shall be mailed on or before such latter mailing date as the director may determine. All payments made pursuant to this section shall be appropriated from receipts in the Casino Revenue Fund.
b. Notwithstanding the requirement of subsection a. of this section that a homestead property tax reimbursement payment shall be mailed to an eligible claimant, at the direction of the director, a payment for the homestead property tax reimbursement amount shall be credited against the property taxes due and payable by an eligible claimant on a homestead for the third and fourth quarters of the tax year following the tax year for which the homestead property tax reimbursement payment is claimed.
(cf: P.L.2003, c.30, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would authorize the payment of a homestead property tax reimbursement amount to an eligible claimant as a credit against the property taxes due and payable by that eligible claimant on his or her homestead for the third and fourth quarters of the tax year following the tax year for which the homestead property tax reimbursement payment is claimed, rather than as a payment in the form of a check mailed to an eligible claimant, as currently required under section 4 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.71).
This amendment to current law furthers the intent of the Legislature in 2007. Section 32 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.54:4-8.73) inserted the word "credit" into the statute authorizing the Director of the Division of Taxation to adopt rules and regulations to implement an appeals process for aggrieved persons to use if eligibility for a homestead property tax reimbursement rebate or credit is denied. However, P.L.2007, c.62 did not amend section 4 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.71) to actually authorize the payment of a homestead property tax reimbursement payment via a credit against an eligible claimant's property tax bill, rather than a payment by mail.
This bill clarifies that the director has the authority to determine that an eligible claimant's homestead property tax reimbursement payment may be made as a credit against the third and fourth quarter property taxes due and payable on his or her homestead in the next tax year, rather than as a check mailed to that person.
