Allen Tax Saving Measure Clears Committee

Would Help Organizations Fight Unfunded State Mandates

Legislation sponsored by Senator Diane Allen (R-7), that would expand the list of organizations that can appeal unfunded state mandates, was unanimously passed by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee today.

"With taxes as high as they are and the economy slumping, individuals, as well as municipalities and organizations are all struggling to make ends meet, " Allen stated. "Unfunded mandates issued from Trenton only add to this financial burden."

Senator Allen has been at the forefront of helping municipalities and organizations deal with unfunded state mandates. The first bill Senator Allen introduced in her legislative career was the "state mandate-state pay law, " which requires the state to provide financing for any programs it makes obligatory.

"State-imposed, unfunded mandates drive up the cost of county and local government and therefore have played a significant role in contributing to the rise in local property taxes, " Allen continued. "This legislation makes it easier for various organizations to fight unfunded mandates and win."

Under current law, only the governing body of a county or a municipality or a local board of education may file complaints with the Council on Local mandates. S-1716 would expand that list to include the New Jersey Conference of Mayors, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, the New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Association of Counties, or the Garden State Coalition of Schools or any other similar organization that represents the interests of member counties, municipalities, or local boards of education.