N.J. Assembly leader says she won't block property tax deal
STATE HOUSE BUREAU
STATE HOUSE BUREAU
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, the wild card in a compromise between the governor and state Senate to lower the property tax cap from 4 percent to 2 percent, said Tuesday she does not plan to “stand in the way” of the agreement.
Oliver (D-Essex), who left the State House Saturday without signing on to the deal reached between Republican Governor Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney, was conspicuously absent from a press conference touting the compromise that afternoon.
“I think that the political reality in New Jersey is that taxpayers want to see some effort made by the Legislature to control property taxes,” Oliver said. “So I don’t think that the General Assembly would stand in the way of that.”
Still, Oliver said Assembly Democrats have concerns they want to address with Christie before he takes any further action, and she is hoping to speak with him today.
“He had his schedule already established for today as did I, but we’re seeking to maybe get together as the day closes out,” she said.
Under Christie’s compromise with Sweeney, the governor plans to conditionally veto a bill the Legislature passed last week that would have lowered the property tax cap but include a number of exceptions.
The conditional veto would lower the cap further and only allow municipalities to exceed it for costs from health insurance, pensions, debt service payments and
FILE PHOTO/ CHRIS PEDOTA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Still, Speaker Oliver said Assembly Democrats have concerns they want to address with Christie before he takes any further action.
“I think that the political reality in New Jersey is that taxpayers want to see some effort made by the Legislature to control property taxes,” Oliver said. “So I don’t think that the General Assembly would stand in the way of that.”
Still, Oliver said Assembly Democrats have concerns they want to address with Christie before he takes any further action, and she is hoping to speak with him today.
“He had his schedule already established for today as did I, but we’re seeking to maybe get together as the day closes out,” she said.
Under Christie’s compromise with Sweeney, the governor plans to conditionally veto a bill the Legislature passed last week that would have lowered the property tax cap but include a number of exceptions.
The conditional veto would lower the cap further and only allow municipalities to exceed it for costs from health insurance, pensions, debt service payments and