The Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) recently published guidance regarding the filing of the 2016 financial disclosure statements. The deadline to file is on or before April 30, 2016. Under New Jersey law, local government officers have a statutory obligation to file an annual financial disclosure statement (FDS). N.J.S.A. 40A:
The New Jersey Assembly recently advanced legislation that would increase distributions from the Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund to local municipalities over a period of five years. The goal of the bill (AB 302) is to restore $331 million in municipal aid reductions that took place in Fiscal
In Evenwel v. Abbott, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that a state or locality may draw its legislative districts based on total population. The landmark redistricting case is the first to define the Constitutional principle of “one person, one vote,” which requires jurisdictions to design legislative districts with equal
Drones are increasingly common in the skies over New Jersey. Technically called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones are being used by hobbyists, businesses, and law enforcement, among others. More than 2.5 million drones will be in U.S. airspace by the end of this year, and the number will increase to
An Ocean County Superior Court Judge recently considered whether the court has the authority to impose an obligation upon municipalities to satisfy the affordable housing need which arose from the end of the second round housing cycle in 1999 to the present. In his opinion, Judge Mark Troncone held that
The Borough of Raritan recently settled a lawsuit involving the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) for $650,000, according to media reports. The settlement is believed to be the largest involving violations of the state’s public records law. As previously discussed on the Scarinci Hollenbeck Government & Law Blog,
The New Jersey Assembly is currently considering legislation that would impose new obligations on municipalities that grant long-term tax exemptions. Under the proposed bill, cities and towns would be required to share funds collected under payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreements with school districts. As we have previously discussed on the Scarinci Hollenbeck
In N.J. Turnpike Auth. v. Twp. of Monroe, the Tax Court addressed the New Jersey Turnpike’s ability to obtain a tax exemption for property acquired pursuant to a mitigation obligation to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Facts of the Case In connection with its project to
