Tomorrow, the Assembly will be considering A-3902, which permits extension of certain deadlines applicable to local government units under emergency circumstances. Specifically, A-3902 would authorize the Director of the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) at their discretion to extend, in times of a public emergency, deadlines under the Local Budget Law, the Local Fiscal Affairs Law, the Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law, the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) as well as the deadline for the issuance of any tax bill and municipal tax sale.
The bill also gives the Director the power to permit municipalities to institute extended grace periods for property tax payments within a date specified by the Director. In addition, the Director is authorized to extend the date in which payment of taxes are due to the county, school district, or special district. If the Director determines that an extension is necessary to minimize and mitigate additional hardships, loss or suffering, the Director, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Taxation, will have the authority to extend any other deadline established in Title 54 chapters 1, 3, 4 or 5, which generally address property taxation and assessing issues.
The legislation does not grant an automatic extension but defers to the DLGS Director as to what is appropriate, given the nature of the public emergency.
Please contact your Assembly representative and urge them to support this legislation as a common-sense, necessary response to the current state of emergency.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Senior Legislative Analyst, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x112.