Jersey City elected leaders from the board of education, City Hall, and the New Jersey Legislature have formed a coalition with a collective goal of finally solving the payroll tax woes in the city.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Jersey City BOE trustees and administrators recently met with city council members, as well as member of the Jersey City Legislative Delegation, on strengthening the payroll tax law.
Two bills sponsored by state Senator Raj Mukherji and Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (both D-32) would assist Jersey City and Newark to enforce the collection of payroll taxes, giving both municipalities access to resources that are not currently available.
“This bill amends the local payroll tax law to allow the municipality collecting a local payroll tax to use up to five percent of the funds collected under the local payroll tax annually to cover administrative costs associated with the collection and administrations of the local payroll tax,” the bill statement says.
On June 17th, the Jersey City Payroll Tax Coalition met to discuss newer amendments that would assist the city in enforcing the payroll tax, five days after the city council approved a resolution asking the governor and legislature for to help enforce the payroll tax.
“Strengthening the payroll tax is vital, we call upon the governor and legislative leadership to support A-4376 and S-3151. Right now, Jersey City is limited on how they can enforce and collect the payroll tax,” BOE President Dejon Morris said in a statement.
“The children are the ones who are suffering; I’m asking our legislative partners in this coalition to withhold their votes when it comes to passing the budget, and on future state aid cuts. This is about our kids, not political agendas.”
This Payroll Tax Coalition will see their members from the BOE and council testifying in respective committees to get the aforementioned bills over the finish line.
Group members include Morris, Trustees Noemi Velazquez, Afaf Muhammad, and Natalia Ioffe; Council President Joyce Watterman, Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey, and Ward E Councilman James Solomon; Mukherji and state Senator Angela McKnight (D-31); Ramirez, Assemblywoman Barbara McCann Stamato (D-31), and Assemblyman John Allen (D-32); and Mayor Steven Fulop.
