S3765

An Act establishing an office to promote local government efficiency in the Department of Community Affairs, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares:

a. New Jersey residents pay the highest property taxes in the nation, and reducing this tax burden has long been, and continues to be, a top priority of the Legislature, and is essential to making New Jersey an even more competitive and appealing place in which to live and do business.

b. While some progress has been made to relieve the property tax burden through the regionalization of local government services, there are still plenty of opportunities to deliver local government services more efficiently, while maintaining a high level of quality, through shared service agreements and joint contracts.

c. The regionalization of local government services is but one way to lower the cost of delivering these services, and alternative service delivery methods, such as using contractors or volunteers, should be examined and considered because they may provide local governments with additional opportunities to run more efficiently.

d. As part of the effort to lower property taxes, there should be State-level staff and resources dedicated to promoting, encouraging, and facilitating both regionalized local government services and innovative service delivery methods to help ensure that all sensible opportunities for cost savings are identified, pursued, and realized.

2. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

“Alternative service delivery method” means contracting with a private for-profit or nonprofit entity, or utilizing volunteers, to deliver a service traditionally provided by a local unit.

“Department” means the Department of Community Affairs.

“Director” means the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the department.

"Joint contract” means a contract between two or more local units to form a joint meeting pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-14).

“Joint meeting” means the joint operation of any public services, public improvements, works, facilities, or other undertaking by contracting local units pursuant to a joint contract.

“Local unit” means a "contracting unit" pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-2), a "district" pursuant to N.J.S.18A:18A-2, a "county college" pursuant to N.J.S.18A:64A-1, a joint meeting, or any authority or special district that is subject to the "Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law," P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-1 et seq.).

“Office” means the Office of Local Government Efficiency established by section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

“Shared service” means any service provided on a regional, joint, interlocal, shared, or similar basis between local units, the provisions of which are memorialized by agreement between the participating local units.

“Shared service agreement” means a contract authorized under section 4 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-4).

3. There is established an Office of Local Government Efficiency in the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.

4. The director shall appoint an administrator to oversee and manage the office, and may appoint professional and administrative staff to support the work of the administrator. The director may designate employees of the department to act as the administrator or supporting staff of the office.

5. The duties of the office shall include, but not be limited to:

a. Providing technical advice to local units pursuing, or already implementing, shared service agreements, joint contracts, or alternative service delivery methods;

b. Preparing and updating a guidance handbook outlining and explaining the procedures and requirements for the formation and implementation of shared service agreements and joint contracts;

c. Preparing and updating a guidance handbook outlining and explaining the various options and evaluation of alternative service delivery methods;

d. Preparing and updating promotional materials on shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods;

e. Identifying best practices in shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods, and compiling information on these practices;

f. Approving and overseeing the training program created pursuant to section 6 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

g. Establishing, maintaining, and updating a user-friendly shared services, joint meeting, and alternative service delivery method resources webpage on the Internet website of the department, which webpage shall contain the materials set forth in subsections b., c., d., and e. of this subsection, and shall contain information about the training program created pursuant to section 6 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

h. Serving as a liaison between local unit officials and State officials who can provide specialized technical advice, which State officials shall cooperate with any requests for assistance made through the administrator, including but not limited to officials of the Civil Service Commission and the Public Employment Relations Commission;

i. Compiling, and providing upon request of local unit officials, contact information of current and former local unit officials with relevant experience who volunteer to be a resource to other local units pursuing or implementing shared service agreements, joint contracts, or alternative service delivery methods;

j. Promoting shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods through events hosting local unit officials; and

k. Consult with the “Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission” established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2007, c.54 (C.52:27D-503) and any other State or local unit entity engaged in the delivery of local government services through shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods.

6. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey shall develop and offer training courses on delivering local government services through shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods, and shall issue certificates upon the satisfactory completion of these courses.

7. There is appropriated from the Property Tax Relief Fund to the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs $250,000 to fund the expenses of the office.

8. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would establish the Office of Local Government Efficiency in the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs. This new office would be charged with working to promote and facilitate the regionalization and innovative delivery of local government services with the aim of lowering the notoriously high property tax burden in this State.

The office would be responsible for:

· Providing technical advice to local units pursuing, or already implementing, shared service agreements, joint contracts, or alternative service delivery methods;

· Preparing and updating a guidance handbook outlining and explaining the procedures and requirements for the formation and implementation of shared service agreements and joint contracts;

· Preparing and updating a guidance handbook outlining and explaining the various options and evaluation of alternative service delivery methods;

· Preparing and updating promotional materials on shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods;

· Identifying best practices in shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods, and compiling information on these practices;

· Approving and overseeing a training program on delivering local government services through shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods;

· Establishing, maintaining, and updating a user-friendly shared services, joint meeting, and alternative service delivery method resources webpage on the Internet website of the department;

· Serving as a liaison between local unit officials and State officials who can provide specialized technical advice;

· Compiling, and providing upon request of local unit officials, contact information of current and former local unit officials with relevant experience who volunteer to be a resource to other local units pursuing or implementing shared service agreements, joint contracts, or alternative service delivery methods; and

· Promoting shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods through events hosting local unit officials.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, which already provides for the professional education of many local government officials through its Center for Government Services, would be charged with developing and offering training courses on delivering local government services through shared service agreements, joint contracts, and alternative service delivery methods. Certificates would be issued upon the satisfactory completion of these courses.

The bill appropriates $250,000 to fund the expenses of the office.