Bill Text: NJ ACR96 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposes constitutional amendment to restrict use of condemnation power against non-blighted property for private economic development purposes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee [ACR96 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-ACR96-Introduced.html

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ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 96

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 16, 2014

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  DIANNE C. GOVE

District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)

Assemblyman  BRIAN E. RUMPF

District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Proposes constitutional amendment to restrict use of condemnation power against non-blighted property for private economic development purposes.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

A Concurrent Resolution proposing to amend Article VIII, Section III, paragraph 1 of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

 

     1.    The following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

 

     Amend Article VIII, Section III, paragraph 1, to read as follows:

     1.    The clearance, replanning, development or redevelopment of blighted areas shall be a public purpose and public use, for which private property may be taken or acquired; provided, however, that private property that is not itself blighted but is located within a blighted area shall not be taken for the use of, or the transfer to, a private entity for economic development purposes.  Municipal, public or private corporations may be authorized by law to undertake such clearance, replanning, development or redevelopment; and improvements made for these purposes and uses, or for any of them, may be exempted from taxation, in whole or in part, for a limited period of time during which the profits of and dividends payable by any private corporation enjoying such tax exemption shall be limited by law.  The conditions of use, ownership, management and control of such improvements shall be regulated by law.

(cf: Art.VIII, Sec.III, para. 1)

 

     2.    When this proposed amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the next general election occurring more than three months after the final agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior to the general election.

 

     3.    This proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the following manner and form:

     There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

     a.    In every municipality in which voting machines are not used,
a legend which shall immediately precede the question, as follows:

     If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (T) in the square opposite the word "Yes."  If you are opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (T) in the square opposite the word "No."

     b.    In every municipality the following question:

 

		TITLE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT LIMITING POWER TO CONDEMN NON-BLIGHTED PROPERTY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES
	YES	Do you approve amending the Constitution so that the government cannot take property that is not blighted, but located in a blighted area, and transfer it to a private party to be redeveloped?
		INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT
	NO	This proposed amendment would prohibit the government from taking private property that is not blighted and turning it over to a private company to be redeveloped.  This action would be prohibited if the property was in a blighted area.   The United States Supreme Court has decided that private property can be taken in order to improve the economic health of a community, except when a state prohibits or limits such actions.   A "yes" vote will amend the Constitution so that property that is located in a blighted area but is not itself blighted cannot be taken to be redeveloped by a private party.  A "no" vote would leave the situation unchanged.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This concurrent resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to restrict the use of the condemnation power.  Currently, a property that is not in a blighted condition, but is located in a blighted area designated by a municipal governing body to be in need of redevelopment, can be condemned upon the failure of a bona fide attempt to purchase it.  Such a property can then be turned over to a private company for that company's own economic enrichment.  The courts have held that economic development is a public use for which the power of condemnation can be used, even when the public benefit is incidental to the private benefit.  This proposed amendment would prohibit this use of the condemnation power.  When the non-blighted property is to be used by, or transferred to, a private entity for economic development purposes, the condemnation power could not be used and the redeveloper would have to keep attempting to acquire the property through purchase alone, or build around the property.