Seniors
call for tax convention, Senate prefers special
session
Friday, June 17, 2005 • BY TOM
HESTER • Star-Ledger Staff
As more than 200 senior citizens rallied
outside the Statehouse in favor of a constitutional
convention on property tax relief, lawmakers inside the
building yesterday were laying the 3-year-old proposal to
rest and turning to the idea of a special legislative
session instead.
Democratic leaders of the Legislature and
top aides to acting Gov. Richard Codey held a meeting on
their agenda for the rest of this month, and the topic of a
convention never came up.
"I have been watching for the white smoke
to come out of the chimney, and it has not come yet," Sen.
Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), a co-sponsor of the convention
proposal, said after leaving the meeting. "Realistically,
whatever is going to happen probably will not be until after
November," after the elections for governor and Assembly,
she said.
Yesterday was the last day before the
June 30 summer recess for any Senate committee action on
legislation to put a convention proposal on the Nov. 8
ballot.
The Assembly approved legislation in May
to seek voter approval for a convention to consider
alternatives to the property tax to finance schools and
local governments. But the idea has won little support in
the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny
(D-Hudson) said the convention did not come up in
yesterday's leadership meeting, which focused on settling
the proposed $27 billion state budget and restoring property
tax rebates.
"A lot of (Senate Democrats) support the
consensus for a special session," Kenny said. "I think in
our caucus, that is more or less the feeling that that is
where we have to go but we have not determined when,
yet."
Sen. Joseph Doria (D-Hudson) said a
convention would not result in possible property tax relief
until 2007 at the earliest. "A special session would get
things done quicker," he said.
A spokesman for Codey, who is also the
Senate president, maintained yesterday the convention
legislation is not dead. Codey wants any convention to
consider government spending as well as alternatives to the
property tax, something Assembly Democrats did not
approve.
"There are ongoing discussions, and if a
consensus is reached on an acceptable convention proposal,
then there is still time to have the bill heard and get it
on the ballot," said the spokesman, Sean Darcy.
Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Roberts
(D-Camden), the proposal's main proponent in the Assembly,
said the issue has not been discussed since the lower house
acted in May.
Robert said legislators have failed for
years to call a special session to examine property taxes.
"Any veteran legislator who calls for that is creating a
false hope," he said.
Addressing the crowd of convention
supporters outside the Statehouse, Roberts said: "The people
of New Jersey deserve tax reform and they desperately need
tax reform now."
William G. Dressel, director of the New
Jersey State League of Municipalities and a strong proponent
of a convention, blamed its apparent demise on
Codey.
"After three years of hard work and the
hopes of many of the people gathered in front of the
Statehouse, all is for naught because one man will not
exercise some leadership here," Dressel said. He said he
believed Codey could get it done if he wanted to: "Governor
Codey is a master politician. ... I have seen him bring
bills back from the dead."
Marilyn Askin, New Jersey AARP president,
said she is open to a special session.
"More power to them if they can come up
with a special session," she said. "That is what we
originally hoped for. But they have had 30 years and have
not come up with anything. If this is the impetus for them
to act," she said of the rally, "then we have accomplished
something."
© 2005 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with
permission.
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