NJ SEED Legislative Update
NJ SEED Legislative Update
March 12, 2012
Assembly Appropriations Committee
The Assembly Appropriations Committee, chaired by Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli , met March 12, 2012 to hear testimony regarding the Permit Extension Act of 2008. A-1338 would extend the current provision of the law to December 31, 2014, rather than December 31, 2012, as it is currently defined. NJ SEED attended to monitor the proceedings.
Under the Permit Extension Act of 2008, government approvals, as defined and extended by the “Permit Extension Act of 2008,” would continue to be valid until December 31, 2014. A provision in the “Permit Extension Act of 2008,” is included that no approval would be extended beyond six months after the conclusion of the extension period, or until June 30, 2015. It is the purpose of A-1338 to prevent the wholesale abandonment of approved projects and activities due to the present unfavorable economic conditions, by tolling the term of these approvals for a period of time, thereby preventing a waste of public and private resources.
A-1338 was released from committee.
Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee
The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Albert Coutinho, met March 12, 2012 to hear testimony from interested parties regarding the status of New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zone program specifically about complications due to the lack of funding in municipalities. Chairman Countinho scheduled today’s hearing in advance of July’s budget discussions and welcomed all who testified today to come back then. NJ SEED was in attendance to monitor the proceedings.
The current budget proposed by the governor does not have any UEZ funding allocated to the districts. Previously, the UEZ program has been a tremendous tool for local businesses, and this committee is searching and proposing compromises that will restore partial UEZ funding. Mayor Jerramiah Healy of Jersey City testified that the UEZ program is used to clean up cities and creates jobs. The UEZ program is an investment within New Jersey cities and many municipalities across the state have noted that they are willing to take reduced UEZ aid and state oversight in the UEZ program in exchange for the program’s reinstatement.
Chairman Coutinho noted that there is currently a bill in the legislature, A-828, that calls for partial funding as well as oversight in the use of UEZ funds.
