Dedicated Library Purpose Tax to Appear on New Jersey Property Tax Bills

Taxes paid to support libraries will be shown separately on tax bill now. (Gloucester County Times, 3/24/2011)

Excerpt: Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula to help support continued funding for public libraries has been signed into law.

“Libraries have been an integral part of learned and progressive society for centuries upon centuries,” said Chivukula (D-Somerset/Middlesex). “This bill is intended to increase transparency with regard to how libraries are funded. Once taxpayers see, in writing, the portion they pay to support their library, I think they’ll agree it is a sound investment that is worth their support.”

The law (S-2068/A-2679) will require municipalities in which a free public library is located, or municipalities that belong to a joint municipal library, to provide for a dedicated library purposes tax on the property tax bill. The law also requires a municipality to pay the library or joint municipal library the funds due to the library on a quarterly basis.

New Jersey Library Association news release.

New Jersey has a minimum funding requirement for public libraries of 1/3 mill of equalized value.  (Link to document below.)