Last week we reported that the State Health Benefits Commission had approved an increase of 22.8% in the state health benefits program costs for local and county governments. While the Murphy Administration worked out a deal with some state public workers unions to hold increases to 3% for STATE ONLY public workers, no such deal was arranged to include local and county governments and employees. A statement was issued after the vote by Mayor Janice S. Mironov, President of the NJCM, expressing disappointment about this unjust decision, which will have dramatic cost impacts on local and county governments. As a follow up on this vote and her statement, NJ Conference of Mayors President, Janice S. Mironov, Mayor of East Windsor sent a letter to Governor Phil Murphy seeking his immediate action, along with the Legislature, to expedite a solution to the September 14 vote by the State Health Benefits Commission. Mayor Mironov stated that the steep hike in health benefits costs will dramatically upend municipal and county budgets, public employee costs and burden property taxpayers at a time when the Administration and Legislature tout its affordability agenda. We are asking that YOU send a similar letter to your state legislators and the Governor. The only way action will be taken is if enough Mayors demand a fair and equitable resolution of this unacceptable new cost burden!
Around the State Department of Community Affairs The New Jersey Historic Trust has approved a total of $15,758,315 in grant recommendations from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund to save and promote historic sites throughout the state. Sixty-five preservation planning, heritage tourism, and capital projects are included in this year’s list of recommendations. Of the 65 grant award recommendations, 27 will help fund preservation planning projects such as condition assessments, historic structure reports, archaeological investigations, and construction documents; one grant will
help fund heritage tourism initiatives to improve the visitor experience at historic sites; and 37 grants will fund capital preservation projects on sites listed in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. All grants awarded to nonprofit organizations or entities of municipal, county and state governments require a match from the recipient. For more information on how to apply for the grants follow this link:
https://www.nj.gov/dca/news/news/2022/approved/20220928.shtml
Federal Funding for Publicly Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure New Jersey will compete for billions of dollars in federal funding for publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations later this year through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This is a national competition administered by USDOT and is open to states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, political subdivisions, and tribal governments.
The NJ Department of Environmental wants to make sure you are aware of the opportunity and gauge your interest. You can complete the short survey at the following link by October 14, 2022 to help New Jersey prepare to compete for $2.5 billion in federal funding to speed the transition to a clean energy economy. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJDEPnevisurvey
NJ Water Infrastructure Investment Plan Webinar
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the Governor’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Office is hosting a webinar on how IIJA funding is being dispersed and utilized to improve water infrastructure in New Jersey through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs (Water Bank). New Jersey is expected to receive over $1 billion in funding between 2022 and 2026 to provide attractive financing packages, including grantlike principal forgiveness and low-interest loans for much-needed investments in water infrastructure. At this webinar speakers from NJDEP and EPA will provide information and take questions on how IIJA funding will flow to municipalities. Register for the webinar. Registrants will be emailed the meeting link the week of the event. Any questions can be sent to IIJA@nj.gov