-For release: CHERRY HILL, SEPTEMBER 17th, 2006
School Property taxes in New Jersey have been a political hot potato for many years.  As of this writing, (September 17, 2006,) Governor Corzine and the state legislature are examining a number of short and long term solutions to the problem.  This proposal, to provide a lifetime school property tax for seniors living without school-age children in their homes, should provide a measure of long-term relief to seniors, while also allowing parents of children to occasionally lobby for increased school taxes for the general population when necessary.

While implementation of this exemption should eventually be adopted statewide, it may also be implemented first in specific localities.  Depending on advice from local council's legal advisor, implementation of this resolution may or may not require a supporting resolution from the state legislature.

Text for the proposed legislation can be found on the next page.

Support and suggestions for improvement to the text can be sent to me at any time.

Sincerely,

Leon J. Roomberg
www.RoombergInstitute.org
16 E. Cedar Ave.
Marlton, NJ  08053
609.238.4625
leon @ roomberg . com

Disclosure: As of the date of this writing (September 17, 2006,) we had no financial interest of any kind in any business in any way related to this issue.  Any donations or other funding received for this project from any person identifying themselves as having such an interest will be disclosed prominently on our website.  We will accept sponsorship from ethical people and businesses interested in advocating this position on a non-partisan basis.

Whereas senior citizens in our community deserve every opportunity to remain in their homes through their retirement; increases in property taxes are recognized to be an onerous burden on most of our seniors; and conflicts between parents of school-age children and our seniors over taxation are counterproductive for all involved;

Be it resolved that the portion of property taxes that are reserved for school taxes for any specific homeowner shall not be increased in any year where the homeowner files an affidavit or other acceptable local or state-wide form that affirms all the following to be true:

• That the filer is the owner of the residence in question.

• That the residence claimed is the primary domicile of the filer and was the primary domicile of the filer in the prior calendar year.

• That the residence is the only residence claimed for such an exemption by the filer.

• That no one under the age of 22 resided in the residence for more than four months in the prior calendar year.

• That no one attended public school in this locality in the prior calendar year for more than three months and used this home as their legal home address.

• That the filer is at least sixty years of age or will achieve their sixtieth birthday in the calendar year in which this document was filed.

• That the total adjusted household income filed in the prior year was less than $100,000.

• That the income threshold will be automatically adjusted annually based on the consumer price index as published by the federal government.

This shall be a lifetime freeze of the property tax portion of local real estate taxes for all seniors for so long as they meet the above requirements.

Violation of the terms of this agreement will cancel all benefits of this agreement until such time as the senior is once again in compliance and my start the process anew.

Fraudulent filing of exemption documents will be treated as any other fraudulent filing of tax documents.