If the Local Finance Board has reason to believe that a municipal public utility is faced with financial difficulty, it shall have the power to order an increase in rents, rates, fees or other charges of the utility, and this order shall be valid and enforceable notwithstanding any provisions of the contrary in R.S. 48:2-1 et seq., but the Local Finance Board, before issuing this order, shall first hold a hearing to which the Director of the Division of Local Government Services shall summon appropriate officials of the municipality. The Local Finance Board may require the production of papers, documents, witnesses or information and may make or cause to be made an audit or investigation of the circumstances with respect to which the hearing was called.
The Local Finance Board may except municipal and county funding for a deficit of a municipal public utility or authority from the expenditure limitations of P.L. 1976, c. 68 (C. 40A:4-45.1 et seq.).
N.J.S. § 40A:5A-25