N.J. Admin. Code § 5:30-3.8

Current through Register Vol. 57, No. 1, January 6, 2025

Section 5:30-3.8 - Municipal budgets, user-friendly budget section

(a) The annual budget for every municipality shall include a section called the "User-Friendly Budget." The user-friendly budget section shall be part of and incorporated into both the introduced and adopted budgets, and be made available to the public.

(b) The user-friendly budget shall be in a format set forth by the Director, who shall provide standard forms for required use by each municipality, and be submitted electronically and in such other manner as may be set forth by the Director. The municipality need only submit to the Director the user-friendly budget section of the adopted budget; however, the Director may request from the municipality the user-friendly budget section corresponding with the introduced budget.

(c) All user-friendly budget data and information shall be for the current budget year unless otherwise stated; however, the Director shall have the discretion to require any current year data and information to be compared versus the prior year.

(d) The user-friendly budget section shall include the following:

1. For the prior and current year as appropriate, information pertaining to the tax levy and tax rate for each local government taxing entity;

2. Information pertaining to the prior year's tax collection rate, as well as the calculation for the current budget year of the reserve for uncollected taxes;

3. A summary of anticipated revenue for all operating funds for the current budget year, with a comparison versus the prior budget year. This item shall also include surplus;

4. A summary of appropriations by service type, with a comparison versus the prior budget year. This item shall also include information on how personnel are budgeted amongst various departments;

5. An individual listing of all structural imbalances, including any offsets, with the amount and a description for each;

6. Aggregate values of assessed and exempt properties, divided by category, as of the prior year;

7. The average ratio of assessed to true value and the equalized valuation of all taxable properties as of the prior year;

8. Information pertaining to the budgetary impact of property tax appeals as of the prior year;

9. As of the close of the prior budget year, the number and value of outstanding five-year tax exemptions/abatements awarded pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:21-1 et seq., divided by category;

10. As of the close of the prior budget year, the number and value of outstanding long-term tax exemptions awarded pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:20-1 et seq. For long-term tax exemptions, the Director may require that each project be broken down individually by project name and type;

11. Budgeted personnel costs, which shall also include costs relating to elected officials;

12. A statement as to whether the municipality is subject to the provisions of the New Jersey Civil Service Law, Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes;

13. The net employer cost of medical and prescription health benefits provided to employees, retirees, and elected officials;

14. As of the final day of the prior budget year:

i. The gross number of days of accumulated absences and the dollar value of the same as of the final day of the prior budget year, broken down by bargaining unit in the case of unionized employees, and by individual position in the case of non-unionized employees with those non-union employees holding more than one position reported based on the accumulated absence liability for all positions held;

ii. For each collective bargaining unit or individual position, the legal basis for the benefit; and

iii. The number of individuals, regardless of whether part of a collective bargaining unit, that are subject to restrictions on accumulated absence compensation and/or accumulation pursuant to P.L. 2007, c. 92 or P.L. 2010, c. 3.

15. Gross and net municipal and utility fund(s) debt;

16. Outstanding principal and interest for bonds, bond anticipation notes, utility fund(s), loans, guarantees, capital/equipment leases, and other debt. In addition to the current year, such information may be displayed for the prior year and future years at the discretion of the Director;

17. Per capita gross/net debt based on most recent census data;

18. Net debt as percentage of the average property valuation over three years;

19. If rated, the bond rating along with the year of last bond rating; and

20. A listing of each shared service provided or received, what entity or entities are providing or receiving the service, the beginning and end date of the agreement as applicable, and the amount either received or paid for the service.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:30-3.8

Adopted by 47 N.J.R. 462(a), effective 2/17/2015

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 1690(a), effective 8/7/2023