Key Votes
S 2 - Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services - Key Vote
New Jersey Key Votes
Stages
Family
Issues
Stage Details
Legislation - Referred to Committee (House) - Dec. 3, 2012
Legislation - Bill Passed (Senate) (25-9) - Nov. 29, 2012 (Key vote)
Title: Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the state to recommend certain local municipalities share or consolidate services, effective immediately.
Highlights:
- Requires the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission to develop criteria for recommending the following (Sec. 6):
- The consolidation of municipalities;
- The merger of existing autonomous agencies into the parent municipal or county government; and
- The sharing of services between municipalities or between a municipality and another public entity.
- Authorizes the commission to recommend sharing services between municipalities which are situated within the same county and legislative district, including, but not limited to (Sec. 6):
- Counties;
- Fire districts; and
- School districts.
- Requires local municipalities that receive a recommendation to consolidate or share services to approve the recommendation within 14 months of the date of notice, either by approval of voters or adoption of a resolution by the local government (Sec. 9).
- Reduces state aid equal to the estimated net annual savings in the commission's proposal for a local municipality that rejects a recommendation for the sharing of services (Sec. 9).
- Specifies that the committee will consider the following criteria when recommending consolidation or sharing services (Sec. 6):
- Geographic factors;
- Analysis of economic costs and benefits, including potential tax savings and reductions in government costs; and
- Ensure that costs and benefits are distributed equitably across the entire community.
- Specifies that existing labor contracts are valid until an employee reconciliation plan can be established when local municipalities enter a shared service agreement or joint contract (Sec. 2).
- Authorizes a local municipality to request a relaxation of the provisions, rules and regulations of Civil Service statutes upon joining a proposed shared service agreement or joint contract (Sec. 2).
Legislation - Introduced (Senate) - Jan. 10, 2012
Title: Requires Certain Municipalities to Merge Public Services
Sponsors
- Joseph M. 'Joe' Kyrillos Jr. (NJ - R)
- Kevin John O'Toole (NJ - R)
- Stephen M. 'Steve' Sweeney (NJ - D)
