Gordon Supports Legislation that Helps Shared Service

Legislation S2465, co-sponsored by Senator Bob Gordon, which will now make the process of municipalities that wish to seek studies for the purpose of merging and/or consolidating with other municipalities was recently signed into law.

This will now permit municipalities seeking to petition the Local Finance Board for the Formation of a Municipal Consolidation Study Commission to obtain board approval either through voter petition or application by a municipal governing body. Previously the board would only accept an application if the municipalities used the same procedure.  Previously two municipalities in Camden County were denied the study due to the use of different procedure methods.  

“Sharing services and consolidation have become necessary in the current economic climate. They can offer significant savings to taxpayers and still ensure efficient services. That is why we need to make the process of implementing shared service agreements and consolidations easier, not harder. This legislation will do just that,” said Gordon in a statement.

In other news from Bob Gordon’s desk, he released a statement last week in regards to the Governor’s response to the Supreme Court decision on school funding:

"Governor Christie failed to lead when he refused to accurately fund education last year.  It was a move he knew full well would result in devastating cuts to our schools and our children.  Now that the court has made its decision, he is again failing to lead by refusing to come up with a solution to the problem.

"The answer is clear.  Our underfunded schools need to be funded at adequate levels.  We in the 38th know full well the consequences of the Governor's action.  Nine school districts found themselves $20.6 million short of where they needed to be because of his cuts.  The lack of these much needed funds has played havoc on our schools.

"This should not be a matter of funding one particular area of the state.  It should be about adequate funding for all, including our suburban and rural areas.  The Governor's failure to lead has brought us here, but we in the Legislature will be taking up the slack."

Assemblywoman Connie Wagner said she is sponsoring legislation A-3781 which will cap tuition increases for state colleges and universities at no more than 4 percent.

She disagrees with the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education which recently recommended that tuition caps be lifted and left up to the schools to decide. Wagner said this is not the time to lift caps as middle-class families are still struggling with tuition and many students have to make many sacrifices to attend college.