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:
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
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,
A New Jersey Court recently refused to dismiss a suit against the City of Orange Board of Education alleging violations of the Open Public Meeting Act (OPMA). It found that a teacher could sustain a claim alleging that board had engaged in private discussions regarding her employment outside of the
The U.S. Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in Murr v. Wisconsin. This case will address how to define the term “parcel as a whole” in a regulatory taking case, a question that has divided the federal and state courts. The Facts of the Case The Murr family owns two contiguous
New Jersey municipalities that are considering holding a public referendum to exceed either the two percent levy cap or the zero percent appropriation cap should be mindful of approaching deadlines. In a recent notice, the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) provided guidance for scheduling elections and managing the New
New Jersey lawmakers in both houses are currently considering hospital tax exemption legislation that would alter the property tax liabilities of non-profit hospitals. In the Assembly, the bill is pending before the State and Local Government Committee. The measure could go before the full Senate in the next few weeks.
As the year winds down, we will be taking a look back at the public law issues that impacted New Jersey municipalities. With regard to the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA), there were a number of legal developments, several of which involved the increased use of technology. In case
