News & Events
Some NJ officials will no longer have to disclose their addresses. This is why
Legislation removing address disclosure requirements for New Jersey local elected officials cleared its second major hurdle Thursday. What the legislation says: The bill would no longer require local elected officials — and some non-elected public workers, including zoning officials, members of independent municipal authorities and certain high-ranking...
Can NJ Fix Its Messy School Funding Formula?
It’s a complicated situation. New Jersey’s school funding formula, which is supposed to equally provide all students with the chance to get a good education, is constantly being tweaked because some school districts wind up getting more or less than they need based on a variety of factors that change frequently. After the allocation of funding was modified...
Deep cuts to NJ school funding could be partially reduced
Lawmakers have fast-tracked a bill that would restore two-thirds of the state aid that school districts were set to lose in the upcoming year. Schools throughout the state were collectively preparing for a loss of about $157 million. The proposed legislation would restore $102.8 million and provide a one-time payment to districts that were losing funding...
Murphy’s New Jersey budget plan would beef up reserves, pay down debt
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled his executive budget proposal for fiscal year 2024, a record $53.1 billion plan that takes into account the state’s expectation for a shallow and short recession by holding off on large new initiatives while boosting reserves and addressing long-term obligations. “This budget will better prepare New Jersey for any...
These North Jersey taxpayers may not get their full SALT deduction this year
The average property tax bill in six North Jersey towns rose to over $10,000, making it impossible for residents with bills higher than that to deduct their entire tax bill from their federal taxes. That’s thanks to a $10,000 Trump-era cap on deducting state and local taxes from federal tax returns. Between 2021 and 2022, the average property tax bill...
How the ultra-rich, from Trump to Bruce, dodge their taxes and increase yours
Drive around an exclusive town like Mendham, in Morris County, and you’ll see homes that are palaces, with big swimming pools, tennis courts, and manicured lawns that seem to stretch on forever. These folks are doing all right. Many of them are also getting away with murder when it comes to property taxes by pretending they are farmers. If you own at least...
Some N.J. municipal council meetings are still virtual. Residents are asking why.
Piscataway is one of several New Jersey municipalities still holding public meetings remotely nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. While some Piscataway council members sit in the council chambers for the Zoom call, others sign in for the meeting from home. And the public can only watch or listen online or on the phone. Some residents in...
Ensuring Access to Nature and Outdoor Recreation: Advancing Health Equity for People with Disabilities
The following blog was published by the New Jersey State Policy Lab, February 23, 2023 By Jeanne Herb The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 21% of New Jersey adults have some type of disability. CDC reports that people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases and conditions which are contributed...
NJ Downtowns Are Breathing New Life Into Empty Old Banks
Downtown banks used to be where eager home buyers applied for mortgages, workers cashed hard-earned paychecks, and youngsters watched nickels and dimes grow in their first savings accounts. But in recent decades, ATM machines and online banking have made these once essential institutions obsolete. Fortunately, developers and businesses across New Jersey...
Referendum on Major Westfield Redevelopment Project? Experts, Advocates Weigh In
Some residents are pushing for a public referendum on an expansive redevelopment project slated for the site of the former Lord & Taylor building and the town’s train station parking lots even as town officials argue such would leave Westfield subject to potentially costly litigation. Marc Pfeiffer, assistant director of the Bloustein Local Government...
Recent Products
Annual Report on the Economic Impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credits for Fiscal Year 2020
The Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is a Federal income tax credit that promotes the rehabilitation of income-producing historic properties. This study examines the economic impacts of the HTC (a 20% credit since 1986) by analyzing the economic consequences of the...
Cost-Benefit Analysis of the NJCEP Energy Efficiency Programs: FY2018 Retrospective Summary Report & Avoided Costs
The Rutgers Center for Green Building (RCGB) of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is contracted by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) to conduct cost-benefit analysis of the FY2018 residential, commercial and industrial New...
Cost-Benefit Analysis of the NJCEP Energy Efficiency Programs: FY2017 Retrospective and FY2019 Summary Reports with Avoided Costs Commentary
The Rutgers Center for Green Building (RCGB) of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy was asked by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the FY2017 residential, commercial and industrial New...
Development of Local Government Resilient Microgrids
Also referred to as “community” or “town center” microgrids, local government microgrids are defined as “microgrids developed in downtown areas of communities that deliver power to a physically non-contiguous group of critical facilities, often involving multiple...