RESOLUTION #2007-086

A RESOLUTION OF THE BOROUGH OF HARVEY CEDARS, COUNTY OF OCEAN EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF THE STATE BUREAUCRACY BY DOWNSIZING THE STATE WORK FORCE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS the Governing Body of the Borough of Harvey Cedars finds and declares that New Jersey’s financial condition is critical and is facing a projected budget shortfall for the next fiscal year estimated to be in the billions of dollars; and

WHEREAS the Governing Body further finds and declares that tax and fee increases placed upon state residents needed to fund the operation of state government has significantly contributed to the affordability crisis within New Jersey which has caused many residents to move out of state; and

WHEREAS the Executive Branch of state government expanded its workforce by nearly 14,000 employees from the years 2000 thru 2006, at a rate far greater than the other two branches of state government; and

WHEREAS it is the collective opinion of the Governing Body that it would be far more beneficial to the taxpayers for the state to begin utilizing private sector practices to begin downsizing the state bureaucracy to a more manageable, affordable size and cut government spending as to help alleviate the significant tax burden placed on residents as a more viable and lasting alternative to selling, leasing or the monetization of state assets, including state toll roads; and

WHEREAS according to the Office of Legislative Services (OLS), the average state employee costs taxpayers $68,427 per year, including salary and fringe benefits, and that, over the past several years an average of 5,000 employees per year separate from their employment with the state, meaning that a bureaucratic scale back would produce significant cost savings to the taxpayers and not require mass layoffs; and

WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners wishes to express its support for legislation currently pending before the State Legislature (S-2160/A-3482) which proposes a plan to reduce the number of state employees within the Executive Branch back to year 2000 levels, through means of attrition, to be instituted over a four-year period.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Borough of Harvey Cedars, County of Ocean, State of New Jersey as follows:

1. The Governing Body does hereby express its support for the enactment of legislation currently pending before the State Legislature (S-2160/A-3482), which proposes a plan to reduce the number of state employees within the Executive Branch back to year 2000 levels, through means of attrition, instituted over a four-year period.

2. A certified copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Honorable Jon Corzine, Governor, the 9^th Legislative District, and the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

PASSED ON:  September 18, 2007