Pag* 34

Hm Herald and Tire Lantern

ly, December 17. itaa

State Legislature Eyes Greater Role

TRENTON- The New Jeney Leflalanire remataa iteedfeetin IU efforte U> Increete iu involvement In reeular operatinm ot elate government. The action is not unique in New Jersey It is pert ot a nationwide campaign In upgrade the legislative branch ot state governments in order to equable their role with that of executive and Judicial branches ot government Thtwnrd which describes the movement Is oversight Legislative oversight is carried out In a variety ot waysIrom the customary committee review of legislation prior to enactment, to review and analysis of programs, organisation,operations, regulations*nd spending taudit) and special reports to the legislature or Its committees by executive branch agencies New -Jersey legislation providing routine review of veto has been opposed by the governor who has twice vetoed such measures A third effort In the present session has passed both houses and Is awaiting the governor's

decision

Most recent legislative oversight effort relate* to the proposed creation of a state building authority which would be an independent state agency enpowered to issue revenue bonds to finance construction of office bulKhngs and other facilities for lease or rental to state agendes. Funds for lease or rental payments would come from annual appropiatlono The Assembly Revenue. Finance and Appropiations Committee, following a public hearing on the bill (Senate 1247) as amended and passed by the Senate, added further amendmenU and released the

measure for future Assembly consideration

AMONfi AMENDMENTS reflecting the legislature's oversight Interest Is one Increasing "the site of the

Now’s the Time To Check Assessments

The period between Christmas and New Year's is not usually a time when property taxpayers are thinking much about their Us assessments However, it is a busy time for local assessors and it's the lime when any Uxpayer can learn the value which the local assessor has

placed on his property for ux purposes in 1««1.

The N J Taxpayers Assn notes that state law requires municipal assessors to file a complete ux assessment list and duplicate with the Board of Taxation in their county by Jan 10 Another sututory must for assessors, Is an advertisement in a local paper at least 10 days prior to filing the completed assessment list of the time and pUce

the list will be available for public inspection.

Purpose of the notice is to provide an opportunity for any Uxpayer to determine the forthcoming assessment on his property and to discuss IU accuracy informally In order to identify or correct potential errors In advance of the recorda beltg filed with the County Tax Board. After the Ux rolls are filed, the valuation may only be changed by appeal to the County Tax Board before the Aug. 15

filing deadline.

It is particularly important for uxpayers in a municipality which has had a comprehensive revaluation by an approved appraisal firm scheduled to go into effect in the current Ux year, to avail themselves of the op-

portunity to ascertain their assessment.

Even though a property owner may have already consulted with the representative of the revaluation firm. It Is the local assessor who has final decUion on the

valuation amount entered on the Ux roll.

Of the three basic faclort In the local Ux rate formula, determination of Uxable property valuation U first Decisions on school, county and municipal budgeU and the amount of property Uxea needed to balance those budgeU will not be made until several months into the year, while the final cakuUUon of the Ux rate does not ordinarily occur until April 1 - or even later when the legislature delays the budget adoption tlmeuble as it has

frequently In recent years

Equiuble assessment of property is extremely Important in a Ux system which relies to extensively on local property taxation. Comparative study of assessments is one method for evaluating and main-

Uining equity, suggests NJTA.

authority from nine to twelve, four of whom would be legislators, two from each house and repreaentattve of both political parties. The Increw in director* would make the Builfing Authority the largest of several New Jersey Intra-aUte authorities and the first to have membership from the legislative branch. The govspor a designee as chairman would be subject to Senate »vice and consent. Mi The entire legWature would be Injected Into the decision-making procedure on building construction projects over 5100,000 by giving final approval by concurrent resolution and majority vote of the authorixed

membership of both houses to each such project.

IN ADDITION THE presiding officer* of each houae of the Legislature, or such other officers as may be provided by law, mint approve every lease agreement for space in

any project undertaken by the authority

Authority rule* and regulation* governing the required affirmative action program would also have to be submitted to the chairman of the standing committee on state government of bodl legislative houses for their review. Creation of the new authority may be contingent on the willingness of the chief executive to accept the unprecedented efforts of the Legislature to become involved to an executive agency's operations - or the willingness of the legislature to accept a compromise position. N. J.T.A la the non-porttaon New Jersey Taxpayer* Aeon.

It SEEMS UK TtSNOS AST RUNNING MUCH BETTES WITH TWO MAtf PSTSrtXNTS THAN IT WD WITH ONE WHOIE ONE . '

My forrfaihrn Mn't com* ov*r on th* Mayftowtr. but tlioy mot tfwboal — WIIJ Ro(«rf

BUSMAN’S BREAK proves a real treat for some hungry has made It a habit to cast hia bread upon the waUrway gulls on the Cape May promenade. Apparently this driver prior to the start of hls run. The gulls? They're all for it. The Legacy of Lennon

Hcralii

Jetm N. Am4nn II WllllwnJ.4

Mwn* Hf-SII* tor »ta«w

Advrtblnq '

Director Publlthf

He was more than a singer. More than a rock star. He went beyond being a celebrity. John Lennon was an individual with a message whose medium was song. He was, like the poet Walt Whitman before him, a communicator whose earthy message transcended the moment and the time. He was an entity whose sum total was much greater than its parts. He was more than a Beattie and bigger than life. His influence upon a generation and more of human beings was phenomenal, his mark on the soul of society unique not because he ever pretended to be a deity but because he was a man that millions

could — and did — relate to.

THE MESSAGE OF John Lennon is ironic for it lives beyond the botiy stilled b^violence

in a turbulent age craving for love. His tragic death on top of those famous men before him will bring about much needed reforms In gun control. Even when the melody no longer lingers on, the reality of his passing will monument the song. Give peace a chance will become a trying thing, a thing to try. He wrote, he spoke, he sang. He did not go gentle into that good night. He left us like it is, with a bequeath to make it as it should be —

yeah, yean, yeah.

KIRK. HASTINGS