Proposes temporary constitutional amendment to provide for State constitutional convention to reduce government spending and to reform system of property taxation.
ACR83 proposes a temporary amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that would ask voters whether to create a State constitutional convention focused on two subjects: reducing government spending and reforming the property tax system. If approved, the convention would be empowered to recommend constitutional amendments and statutory changes aimed at making property taxation more uniform and less burdensome, reducing local governments’ reliance on property taxes, and identifying ways to lower spending by State and local government. The measure also states that the convention’s recommendations must be revenue neutral overall, meaning the total amount of State and local revenue would remain the same, even if the mix of taxes and funding sources changes.
The resolution lays out a detailed process for selecting and operating the convention. After voter approval of the convention itself, two delegates would be elected from each legislative district, for a total of 80 delegates, in a special election. The convention would meet in New Brunswick, complete its work by August, and place its final package before voters at the next general election. Voters would be asked to approve or reject the convention’s proposals as a single package, and any statutory changes approved by voters could later be amended or repealed by the Legislature. The proposal also directs the Legislative Services Commission to prepare research on New Jersey’s tax structure, revenue sources, property tax assessment system, and possible spending reforms, and it provides for reimbursement of county election costs.
The bill would not itself change tax rates or spending laws immediately. Instead, it would create a temporary constitutional mechanism for proposing changes to the Constitution and statutes, subject to later voter approval. It would also temporarily alter election procedures for selecting convention delegates, including petition requirements, campaign contribution limits, ballot formatting, and vacancy-filling rules. The amendment would expire 30 days after the general election at which the convention’s proposal appears on the ballot.
The general sentiment reflected in the text is strongly reform-oriented and pro-convention. The resolution frames property taxes as unfair and inequitable and presents a constitutional convention as the best way to build public consensus for major tax and spending changes. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from legislators in the available materials, but the bill’s structure suggests an intent to give voters a direct role in authorizing and ratifying broad fiscal reform.
The main point of contention embedded in the proposal is the scope and direction of the convention’s mandate. The resolution bars consideration of a statewide equalized school property tax, requires revenue neutrality, and allows the convention to recommend alternative funding sources that could include increases in taxes other than property tax. That combination could draw support from property-tax reform advocates while raising concerns from taxpayers, local governments, and anti-tax groups about possible shifts in the tax burden or indirect tax increases. Another potential issue is that the convention would bundle its recommendations into a single up-or-down vote, limiting voters’ ability to accept some reforms and reject others.
If enacted and approved by voters, ACR83 would temporarily amend the New Jersey Constitution to authorize a one-time constitutional convention and create a new process for proposing changes to tax policy, spending priorities, and related statutes. It would affect election law procedures for delegate selection, require state-funded administrative support and county reimbursement, and direct the Legislative Services Commission to conduct extensive fiscal research. Any statutory revisions approved through the convention could later be changed by ordinary legislation, but any constitutional changes would become part of the State Constitution only if ratified by voters.
The bill is presented in a strongly reform-minded, pro-voter framework, emphasizing public participation, property tax fairness, and the need to reduce government spending. The text suggests support for a broad fiscal reset rather than incremental change. Because no committee testimony or vote record is included, there is no documented legislative split in the available materials, but the proposal’s emphasis on tax restructuring and possible alternative revenue sources indicates it is designed to appeal to reform advocates while inviting scrutiny from those wary of tax shifts or a constitutional convention process.
The most notable contention points are the convention’s limited mandate, the exclusion of a statewide equalized school property tax, and the requirement that the convention remain revenue neutral overall. Supporters of property tax reform may favor the convention as a way to address long-standing inequities, while opponents may object to the possibility of replacing property tax dependence with other taxes or funding mechanisms. There may also be disagreement over the use of a constitutional convention itself, the all-or-nothing voter approval structure for the convention’s final package, and the potential for the process to open the door to broader fiscal changes than some voters expect.