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TOWNSHIP |
Pride in Plumsted, the State's
Center
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Town Talk
By Mayor Ron Dancer
September 15, 2008
Plumsted
Opposes Non-Residential Development Fee Act
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Business and Farm owners in
the State of New
Jersey,
who construct new buildings or additions, are being hit with another
new tax,
as Governor Corzine signed into law A-500, known as the “Statewide
Non-Residential
Development Fee Act,” effective July 17, 2008. All Non-Residential
Development
in the State is now being required to pay a new 2½ % fee on the total
equalized
assessed value of the structure in order to obtain a Certificate of
Occupancy
for use of the structure. The funds collected from the 2½ % fee are
dedicated
to Affordable Housing Programs and are in addition to the customary
charge for
a Certificate of Occupancy.
Voting in the Legislature to
approve the new Statewide Non-Residential Development Fee Act was along
political party lines with the Democrat majorities in the Assembly and
Senate
voting “yes” to approve and, the Republicans voting “no” to oppose. The
30th
Legislative District delegation of Senator Robert Singer, Assemblymen
Joe Malone
and Ron Dancer (representing parts of Ocean, Monmouth, Burlington and
Mercer
Counties) all voted “no” in opposition to the 2½ % Fee Act.
Prior to the passage of the
Non-Residential Development Fee Act, farmers were not subject to paying
fees
for Affordable Housing Programs. However, State officials are now
pointing out
that the new Non-Residential Development Fee Act does not specifically
exempt
structures on farms and, therefore, must pay the 2½ % Fee on new farm
building
construction or additions.
Assemblyman Dancer contacted
and spoke with the Department of Community Affairs Commissioner, Joe
Doria, and
the Secretary of Agriculture, Charles Kuperus, to request their
assistance in
providing an exemption to farmers. As a result, Municipal Construction
Officials
may, on an interim basis, issue farmers “Temporary Certificates of
Occupancy”
without collecting the 2½ % fee, pending further clarification or
amending
legislation. Assemblyman Dancer introduced legislation on September 15th
to exempt all farm buildings from the additional 2½ % Fee.
Farmers are
already paying property taxes on the
assessed value of their buildings and, feel that the charging of an
additional
2½ % fee on the assessed value in order to obtain a Certificate of
Occupancy is
a “property tax surcharge.” The Plumsted Township Committee became the
first
Governing Body in the State to pass a Resolution on September 3rd
to
authorize the Construction Official not to collect the new 2½ % fee on
farm
buildings by issuing a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.
The third annual Senior
Citizen FREE “Early Bird Dinner,” hosted by Plumsted’s Municipal
Alliance
Against Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the New Egypt Elks, will be held
on
Friday, September 19, from 2 to 4 pm at the Elks Lodge, 105 Lakewood
Rd., New Egypt. Guest
speakers include, the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Community Health
Educator
and the State Department of Aging and Community Services
representative. Please
call 609-758-8050 or 732-367-5515 for reservations.
The Township Committee and
Main Street Organization have arranged for Plumsted residents, through
Guardian
Document Destruction Co., a “free” document shredding opportunity on
Saturday,
September 20th, from 9am to 12 noon in the
parking lot of the New Egypt Market Place,
Main
Street,
New Egypt. The free shredding does have a limit of no more than 10
“banker
boxes” per household (no commercial businesses).
Mackenzie
VanDenBogart, a 4th Grade
Student in Plumsted Township, has advanced in the National American
Miss Jr.
Pre-Teen Competition and has been named a N.J. State Ambassador with an
opportunity to compete in the National Pageant this November in
Anaheim,
California. Mackenzie is fundraising to help pay the expenses. For more
information on donating, please contact Mackenzie at 609-758-6299.
The next regularly scheduled public meetings with
the new administration of Township Committee members Dave Leutwyler,
Steve Reed, Eric Sorchik, Deputy Mayor Mike McCue and Mayor Ron Dancer
is Wednesday, October 1st
at
8:00 P.M.
Public comments and participation are encouraged at all Township
Committee meetings. . Browse the Township website: www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
for more information and current events.
Meet The Mayor 2008
Schedule
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As a result of the new Township Committee meeting
schedule, the dates for the monthly one-on-one personal meeting
sessions with Mayor Ron Dancer at the Library every month have also
been revised. In 2007, meet personally with the Mayor at the Library on
the second (2nd) Wednesday of each month (October 8th)
from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss local concerns or State
issues. Residents
may call the
Library (758-7888) in advance to schedule a specific time for your
convenience. The Mayor encourages residents to
contact him
anytime at 758-2241x102 Township / 758-3497 Home / r.s.dancer@att.net
Can't get to the meetings or the hours scheduled
at the library. To discuss your concerns and issues personally with the
mayor, click for more information.
Contact the State
Legislative Office
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For Federal issues, contact
our Congressman Chris
Smith at 609-585-7878 and for County matters,
contact
Freeholder
Director, Joe Vicari at 1-800-722-0291. Browse the
Township
website:
www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
or www.downtownnewegyptnpp.org for more information and
current events.
For more
information on our Township, residents are also encouraged to
visit website:
www.mainstreetsusa.com
and the official web site of Ocean County Government:
www.oceancountygov.com.
The New Egypt Press, our official weekly newspaper, is now on line at:
www.newegyptpress.com.
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