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Committee releases bill to create outreach campaign and call center for property tax relief programs
Summary
A5277 would fund a public awareness campaign and create a call center for certain property tax relief programs, require annual reporting by a state task force on program progress and disbursements; the sponsor's written statement was read into the record and the committee released the bill.
A5277, presented to the Assembly Appropriations, State and Local Committee, would establish a public awareness campaign and a call center for certain property tax relief programs and require an annual report by a state task force on the program's progress and funds dispersed to homeowners and renters.
The bill's sponsor was not present; a statement from the sponsor was read into the record describing constituent difficulties with the program's online application, the lack of a reliable paper option this year, and the absence of an effective hotline. The sponsor's statement said seniors and technology-challenged residents had difficulty accessing relief and that, "If we intend to promise folks property tax relief, which they are owed, it must be an easily accessible and understandable to the population that needs the most help." The statement also asked the task force to report to the Legislature on how much funding is actually dispersed each year.
Committee members had no additional public testimony and moved to release the bill. The committee recorded affirmative votes and released A5277. Committee discussion did not include specific appropriation amounts or operational details about how the call center would be staffed or funded; those details were not specified in the hearing record.
With the bill released, the task force reporting requirement and any fiscal impacts will be subjects for later review during the budget and committee process.
