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Herald & Lantern 21 October 81

Casino Tax Fund Shifting Opposed

Addition of programs which could bo financod from casino taxes is one of three state constitutional amendments to be decided at the Nov 3 General Elec hon. reports the New Jersey Taxpayer* Associa tiori. a private non profit governmental research organisation now m its 51st _ygar When New Jersey voters were asked in 1976 to-ap-prove a constitutional amendment to permit .casino gambling in Atlantic f'lly, an important part of the amendment designed Id gain voter support was a provision that the tax on casinos paid to the State be expended for certain pur poses, specifically "reduc lions in property taxes, rentals, telephone.- gas, electric,' .and municipal utilities charges of eligible senior citizens and disabled residents of the state, in accordance with such formulae as the. legislature . shall by law provide” This technique, / of 'allocating revenue iftr stated purposes, is kjnown as dedication or earmarking The amendment question on the ballot would expand the original cfajicattdn to include "additional or expanded health services or benefits or transportation services dr benefMs to eligible senfor citizens and disabled residents ” ’ THE' KIHST PROGRAM to be paid for from casino ■ taxes was part of the 1976 tax reform program 1 650 added homestead exetnp- 1

tion to authorized senior citizens and disabled per sons Financing of this pro^ gram. $n million including administration cost, was transferred in Fiscal Year 1979 from the Property Tax Relief. Fund where it had been financed in 1977 and 1978 in order to make General Funds available for the senior citizens' prescription drug program By Fiscal Year 1980 the Legislature had enacted a lifeline credit program which paid part of utility bills for eligible senior citfeens an<j disabled persons First year expen ditures for this program turned out to be less than •half of. the 646 million np proprtation. Casino revenue for 1980 climbed 658 1 million ffom 418.3 million in 1979 with the operation of three casinos The fund balance at the end of that year was 628 9 milliqp FISCAL YEAR 1981 no new programs were added while revenues rdse 27 percent with seven casinos in operation Slightly over 650 million in final balances are projected to carry over to Fiscal Year 1982 in addi : tion to estimated casino tax revenue of 6104 million from nine casinos, a 634 million increase over 1981 taxes. Three new programs were added to be financed from the Casino Revenue Fund this year, each requiring a separate enabling law: expansion pf the utili-

ty rebate credit, lifeline, to tenants; and funds to reimburse njuniclpalities Ip implement the 1980 constitutional amendments .which ‘ increased • the residential property tax exemption for eligible senior citizens and disabled persons from 6160‘ to 6200, and expanded the exemption to homes of senior citizens and disabled on land not owned by them. ESTIMATED FIRST YEAR cost of the three programs is 64L2 milllj&n. The largest 1982jcokrmci;ea se to the Casino Fund is for the regular homestead rebates for senior citizens and disabled, 663 million This program was shifted from- the Property Tax Relief Fund, whore it had been- since its first fiscal year in 1977 For several yeafs there has been discussion about providing free bus service for senior citizens -and disabled persons during off peak hours to augment tht* present existing reduced bus fare program. Although the governor recommended such a program in the Fiscal Year 1982 Budget, the Legislature eliminated that free service program so additional funds could be provided for bus-rail services. If the 6153.7 million appropriated for 1982 is totally expended, assuming casino taxes produce the estimated tl04 million, the carry ov£r surplus will be nearly depleted. To finance «the same appropriations for the same programs in

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Fiscal Year 1983 will re quibe an increase in casino revenue of nearly 650 million. SENIOR CITIZENS groups are divided on-the question, others suggest the amendment will be beneficial to disabled citizens, while opponents of the dedication principle ad-, vocate opposition and subsequent legislative action to repeal the original provision. Dedication of revenue can work satisfactorily as long as Jhe revenue is Adequate to finance programs assigned to the fund, suggests NJTA. Transfer of } spending programs bet- ^ ween dedicated funds when \ a revenue-spending imbalance occurs, causes confusion, suspicion and doubt about the soundness of current state policy.

NEW COMPUTER to be used for the first time this year by the County Election Board for absentee balloLs was unveiled Wednesday in Court House. Voters using absentee ballots will mark their choices on computer punch card rather than the traditional paper ballot. As Phyllis Catanoso examines the machine, looking on 4fe Carlton Clough, left, representing Computer Election ^ystemft of Princeton: Election Board member Ruby Hall, and Sea Isle City Mayor Dominic Rnffa, V'

Chamber Says ‘No ’ To Bar Vote

OlPBN Moo. thru Fri., 9 am lo 5 pm 263-87S8 137J.F. Kennedy Blvd, next to Pott Office

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The Lower Township Chamber of Commerce is asking citizens to Vote "NO" oh the bar closing issue which will appear as rf local question on the Nov 3,ballQt In a resolution adopted this week, the - Chamber states that 26 taverns and restaurants 1 * pay 64^0,000 in taxes and sewer rentals to the Township and that places serving alcoholic beverages provide some 1,200 jotjfe which are dependent upon late hours durjpg the tourist season According to the Chamber proprietors MU A Gets Offer < fVom Page \ facility design as “innovative technology." FUNDING RATES FOR the four grants are: 85 percent for construction of the composting facility; 77.7 percent for construction of Cape May's plant; 76.2 percent for the design of the Seven Mile Beach/Middle Region plant; and 77.8 percent for the design of the Wildwood/Lower treatment plant facilities. "It is especially gratifying to finally receive funding for the Cape May facility, which has been delayed by the EPA and a mass of bureaucratic snags for years," Vinci said. \ "We were fortunate to receive this level of funding because our projects were approved just prior to the federal budget cuts." the chairman added. According to MUA Executive Director George Marinakis, receipt of the four grants marks the achievement of a majority of theauthority's goals for 1981. "AS THESE PROJECTS MOVE toward completion, we approach realization of the authority’s wastewater treatment objectives foT the community," Marinakis said. "We look forward to intiating construction in Cape May and-tfi the composting facility and expect ou&two design products to run smoothly tjypermit the next ) step—construction finding—to be pursued," Marinakis added. Chamber Says ‘Yes’ (From Page 1) not been tidal-flowed within the past 40 years. Monies derived by thi state from the\ granting of riparian lands to individuals goellnto the Public School Fund and, in effect, underwrites local school bond issues to the degree that such bonds have quite a favorable rating on the market. Opponents of the Riparian Qifestion say approval of the referendum will mean a loss of millions of dollars to public education and jeopardize school bond issues. Those favoring the referendum’s passage maintain a limit must be placed on the state's heretofore discretionary time frame for staking its riparian claim and, moreover, that the property owner must be afforded the peace of mind of sound title to his or her real estate. AS FOR THE OTHER referendum, according to the Chamber, "members and friends are urged tc give this constitutional question their consideration and support and vote YMu> repeal this pocked veto power, which ni other United State governor presently has." The County Chamber has previously come out against the 6350 million Water Supply Bond Issue, another of the eight statewide questions on the ballot.

and employees of licensed establishments contribute to Civic affairs, charities, fundraising drives and community organizations. * »' “Tht future of the licensed establishments would be jeopardized by proposed changes in closing hours, thereby threatening our tax base," the Chamber resolution stated. "The attempt to cut back hours ^om 5 to 3 a.m. in the heart of the vacation season is a threat not dnly to the tax base of Lower Township but also poses the possibility that if taVems cannot meet their tax obligatiori^the burden would be shifted to home ownl?r9\and persons on fixed incomes,” a news release from the Chamber states.

News— Digest

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the accident. Neither of the two were injured. According to Coast Guard officials the ship was returning to port to dump a full load of clams when it "was caught in a sea trough and a tight series of waves washed over the deck." The clammcr went down in about 35 ft. of water.

Rejects Vo-Tech

COURT HOUSE — Although appointed only two weeks ago as the new sufferintendent of the County Vocational School, William Wenzel — currently assistant cbmmissioner of education and state director of vocational education — decided last week not to take the position and has opted instead to pursue a federal job offer with more money and benefits. The most likely candidate now to fill the position of retiring superintendent, Robert Toft, is Wilbur Kistler. A federal education consultant, Mr. Kistler is expected to meet with.the school board to discuss a possible contract on Nov. 2. He is a graduate of Millersville State College, and holds a masters degree in industrial education from Trenton State College, and has worked as a concrete cdnU'actor, machine operator and draftsman, in addition to holding assistant superintendencies of Vo-Tech schools in Newark, Del. and Burlington County.

Fire Aid Asked TRENTON - Acting Gov. Joseph Merlino asked the U.S. Small Business Administration last week to declare the boardwalk section of Wildwood damaged by the Aug. 20 fire as a disaster area. The SBA has already turned down the same request by Gdv. Byrne, stating the damage didn't meet tile Administration's criteria for disaster declaration. ACCORDING TO NEW Reagan Administration regulations, at least 25 businesses must be damaged to meet disaster criteria. Under the previous system only five had to be damaged. The SBA has cited only 17 businesses in Wildwood as being damaged. The state claims substantial losses were incurred by some 27 businesses.