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NJAC Golf Outing
2008 NJAC Golf Outing set for Metedeconck National Golf Club
The New Jersey Association of Counties announced today that its 2008 Golf Outing will return to Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson, New Jersey, on Monday, September 29th.
“Metedeconck is one of the most challenging and most exclusive clubs in the country and we are very excited to be returning,” said Celeste Carpiano, executive director of the Association.
The Annual NJAC Golf Outing attracts county and state officials and business leaders from across the region. And while the tournament features championship-level golf, the luncheon and dinner reception make the event worthwhile even for non-golfers.
“It’s really about networking,” said Carpiano. “Our goal is to bring together our members and supporters in a setting where they can have fun, build relationships and enjoy the day.”
For more information call the NJAC staff at 609-394-3467.
Click here for details
2008 Conference Wrap-up
   
Message from the NJAC Executive Director
On behalf of the New Jersey Association of Counties, it is my pleasure to report that the recent NJAC Annual Conference was once again a major success. For that I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of our members, sponsors, vendors, presenters and guests who joined us in Atlantic City for three days of educational seminars, business exhibitions and insightful presentations by our state’s most influential public leaders and members of the business community.
The Association is especially proud to have hosted once again Governor Jon Corzine, DCA Commissioner Joseph Doria, State Comptroller Matt Boxer, Agriculture Secretary Charles Kuperus, State Senators Stephen Sweeney, Jeff Van Drew, Robert Singer and Leonard Lance, and Assembly members Alex DeCroce and Elease Evans.
The New Jersey Association of Counties is one of the oldest and noblest organizations in Trenton. Its mission is to serve as an advocate for the state’s 21 county governments; to educate policy makers and the general public on their importance to New Jersey’s eight million residents; and to work with state leaders in the interest of property taxpayers.
Our Annual Conference is one of the principal means by which the Association accomplishes its mission. Its success is critical to NJAC, and to the county officials who rely on us to defend and promote the most efficient form of government in New Jersey – county government.
Everyone who participated in this year’s event performed an important service for the benefit of every resident and taxpayer in New Jersey. On behalf of the New Jersey Association of Counties, I would like them to know that we are all deeply appreciative.
Sincerely yours,
Celeste Carpiano
NJAC Executive Director
NEWS ALERT -- Prosecutor Bill Introduced in Senate
TRENTON, May 20, 2008 – County prosecutors may soon have to live under the same four-percent budget cap that restrains county and municipal government spending, under legislation introduced yesterday in the State Senate.
“Most people don’t realize that county prosecutors are appointed by the Governor but their offices are funded entirely by county taxpayers,” said Celeste Carpiano, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, which developed the proposal.
The problem with that relationship, according to Carpiano, is that under state law county governments may increase their tax levy by no more than four percent annually. Some increases are exempted, under the law, but the prosecutor’s budget isn’t one of them.
“So if a prosecutor wants to increase his office budget by 7 percent, for example, county officials are essentially required to give him the increase and make up the difference by taking money out of other parts of the budget,” Carpiano explained.
If county officials refuse the increase, then under a peculiar wrinkle in the law the prosecutor can initiate what is called a Bigley action, a court procedure named after a decades-old case in which prosecutors can petition a judge to order the county to give him the funding that he wants.
“No one in New Jersey can remember when, if ever, a prosecutor’s request was denied by the court,” said Carpiano.
Bigley gives prosecutors such a lopsided advantage that many counties concede the funding without putting up a fight because they are not likely to win and the legal expenses only make a bad situation worse.
The Association of Counties argued recently before the New Jersey State Supreme Court to roll back the most recent expansion of Bigley. The Court is expected to rule on that case soon.
In the meantime, NJAC hopes that the Legislature will restore balance to the relationship between prosecutors and county budget makers by passing the cap legislation.
The bill, S-1836, was introduced today by State Senator Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester. Several members of the Assembly have also expressed an interest in the measure.
“Right now we have two sets of budget rules for county government -- one for the prosecutors and one for the rest of county government,” said Carpiano. “It strips county officials of the ability control their own budgets in response to the voters’ wishes.
“It also puts a strain on property taxes because county officials are powerless to control spending for prosecutors,” she continued. “Right now they have a free hand and it undermines our efforts to control property taxes.”
The bill permits counties to cap their annual appropriation for prosecutors’ offices at four percent above the previous year’s budget. Counties may elect to provide more than four percent, but they would not longer be forced into doing so.
“This bill would bring prosecutors back to the bargaining table,” said Carpiano. “They would have to make a case to the governing body for why they need more money.”
Prosecutors would still be able to petition the court for more money in cases in which they are given increase of less than four percent.
“If the county gives the prosecutor a two-percent increase and he believes that he needs four percent in order to do his job, he can then petition the court,” explained Carpiano. “Otherwise, prosecutors are going to have to live under the same fiscal restraints under which counties and towns must operate.”
www.njac.org
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July 2008
Somerset County and Small Business Administration Plan Business Seminars
The U.S.Small Business Administration (SBA) and the New Jersey Association of County Purchasing Officials are teaming up to provide a series of seminars on Doing Business with Local Governments. Somerset County will host the first event, August 5th, from 9:00am to noon at the Somerset County Fire Academy. For more information contact Mary Lou Stanton at 908-231-7045 or send your request to stanton@co.somerset.nj.us. Walks-in are welcome.
Subsequent seminars include:
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Cumberland County -- David A. Mulford, County Purchasing Agent at Cumberland Community College on August 20th. Phone and E-mail TBA.
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Passaic County -- Gerald F. Volpe, County Purchasing Agent at Passaic Police Academy, Date TBA. Contact: 973-247-3301 or jvolpe@passaiccounty.nj.org.
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Monmouth County -- Geri Popkin, Purchasing Agent at Monmouth County Police Academy on August 29th. Contact: 732-431-7370.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Universal Health Care, pension reform, Affordable housing and more.
NJAC SAVES MILLIONS FOR COUNTIES
Click here to see how your county benefits from NJAC membership
LEAD PROGRAM GRADUATES SIX
GOING GREEN
Find out what Counties are doing to save money and the environment
BUSINESS
NJAC welcomes Sunrise Systems, Inc., a New Jersey-based company offering IT consulting and software development, to its growing family of business associate members.
Townsware introduces electronic faxes.
French & Parrello, regional engineering firm and NJAC member named Business Associate of the Year.
Johnson Controls,
a major environmental company, joins NJAC as Business Associate Member
GovDeals Makes News, catching on fast as on-line auctioneer for county, local governments
NJ Redevelopment Authority Joins NJAC. Sign up here for its course on real estate development
NEWS FROM COUNTIES
Read About What NJAC Members are Doing
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