Bill Text: NJ S1872 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns municipal dedicated charitable funds for exclusively public purposes to receive elective contributions made by certain property owners and providing credits for contributions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-15 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S1872 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1872-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RICHARD J. CODEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns municipal dedicated charitable funds for exclusively public purposes to receive elective contributions made by certain property owners and providing credits for contributions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning municipal dedicated charitable funds for exclusively public purposes to receive elective contributions made by certain property owners and providing credits for those contributions, supplementing Title 54 of the Revised Statutes and amending various sections of statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. A municipality shall establish by ordinance a dedicated fund to receive monetary contributions. All moneys in the fund shall be expended for exclusively public purposes and allocated pursuant to the "Local Budget Law," N.J.S.40A:4-1 et seq., and other applicable State law, in the same manner as property tax revenues. The amount of money collected and deposited shall not reduce the amount to be raised by taxation.
b. A property owner may elect to contribute to the fund established pursuant to subsection a. of this section for the municipality in which the owner's property is located by notifying the municipal tax collector of the election.
c. For property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, the municipal tax collector shall allow a property owner a credit against the property tax otherwise due for the property tax year equal to the amount contributed by the owner during the property tax year to the fund established pursuant to subsection a. of this section for the municipality in which the owner's property is located, not to exceed the liability otherwise due for the property tax year.
2. (New section) In addition to the information required by R.S.54:4-65, each property tax bill shall have printed thereon notice of the election authorized by subsection b. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill) and instructions for notifying the municipal tax collector of the election.
3. Section 2 of P.L.1990, c.61, (C.54:4-8.58) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in sections 2 through 10 of P.L.1990, c.61 (C.54:4-8.58 through 54:4-8.66) and sections 3 and 14 through 16 of P.L.1999, c.63 (C.54:4-8.58a and 54:4-8.66a through C.54:4-8.66c):
"Annualized rent" means, for tax years 2004 and thereafter, the rent paid by the claimant during the tax year for which the homestead rebate is being claimed, and if paid for a lease term covering less than the full tax year, the actual rent paid for the days during the term of the lease of the homestead proportionalized as if the term of the lease had been for 365 days of the tax year;
"Arm's-length transaction" means a transaction in which the parties are dealing from equal bargaining positions, neither party is subject to the other's control or dominant influence, and the transaction is entirely legal in all respects and is treated with fairness and integrity;
"Condominium" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Condominium Act," P.L.1969, c.257 (C.46:8B-1 et seq.);
"Continuing care retirement community" means a residential facility primarily for retired persons where lodging and nursing, medical or other health related services at the same or another location are provided as continuing care to an individual pursuant to an agreement effective for the life of the individual or for a period greater than one year, including mutually terminable contracts, and in consideration of the payment of an entrance fee with or without other periodic charges;
"Cooperative" means a housing corporation or association which entitles the holder of a share or membership interest thereof to possess and occupy for dwelling purposes a house, apartment, manufactured or mobile home or other unit of housing owned or leased by the corporation or association, or to lease or purchase a unit of housing constructed or to be constructed by the corporation or association;
"Director" means the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury;
"Dwelling house" means any residential property assessed as real property which consists of not more than four units, of which not more than one may be used for commercial purposes, but shall not include a unit in a condominium, cooperative, horizontal property regime or mutual housing corporation;
"Homestead" means:
a. (1) a dwelling house and the land on which that dwelling house is located which constitutes the place of the claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the claimant as the claimant's principal residence;
(2) a dwelling house situated on land owned by a person other than the claimant which constitutes the place of the claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the claimant as the claimant's principal residence;
(3) a condominium unit or a unit in a horizontal property regime which constitutes the place of the claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the claimant as the claimant's principal residence;
(4) for purposes of this definition as provided in this subsection, in addition to the generally accepted meaning of owned or ownership, a homestead shall be deemed to be owned by a person if that person is a tenant for life or a tenant under a lease for 99 years or more and is entitled to and actually takes possession of the homestead under an executory contract for the sale thereof or under an agreement with a lending institution which holds title as security for a loan, or is a resident of a continuing care retirement community pursuant to a contract for continuing care for the life of that person which requires the resident to bear a share of the property taxes that are assessed upon the continuing care retirement community, if a share is attributable to the unit that the resident occupies;
b. a unit in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation which constitutes the place of domicile of a residential shareholder or lessee therein, or of a lessee, or shareholder who is not a residential shareholder therein, and which is used by the claimant as the claimant's principal residence; and
c. a unit of residential rental property which unit constitutes the place of the claimant's domicile and is used by the claimant as the claimant's principal residence;
"Horizontal property regime" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Horizontal Property Act," P.L.1963, c.168 (C.46:8A-1 et seq.);
"Gross income" means all New Jersey gross income required to be reported pursuant to the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act," N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq., other than income excludable from the gross income tax return, but before reduction thereof by any applicable exemptions, deductions and credits, received during the taxable year by the owner or residential shareholder in, or lessee of, a homestead;
"Manufactured home" or "mobile home" means a unit of housing which:
(1) Consists of one or more transportable sections which are substantially constructed off site and, if more than one section, are joined together on site;
(2) Is built on a permanent chassis;
(3) Is designed to be used, when connected to utilities, as a dwelling on a permanent or nonpermanent foundation; and
(4) Is manufactured in accordance with the standards promulgated for a manufactured home by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the "National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974," Pub.L.93-383 (42 U.S.C. s.5401 et seq.) and the standards promulgated for a manufactured or mobile home by the commissioner pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.);
"Mobile home park" means a parcel of land, or two or more parcels of land, containing no fewer than 10 sites equipped for the installation of manufactured or mobile homes, where these sites are under common ownership and control for the purpose of leasing each site to the owner of a manufactured or mobile home for the installation thereof, and where the owner or owners provide services, which are provided by the municipality in which the park is located for property owners outside the park, which services may include but shall not be limited to:
(1) The construction and maintenance of streets;
(2) Lighting of streets and other common areas;
(3) Garbage removal;
(4) Snow removal; and
(5) Provisions for the drainage of surface water from home sites and common areas;
"Mutual housing corporation" means a corporation not-for-profit, incorporated under the laws of this State on a mutual or cooperative basis within the scope of section 607 of the Lanham Act (National Defense Housing), Pub.L.849, 76th Congress (42 U.S.C. s.1521 et seq.), as amended, which acquired a National Defense Housing Project pursuant to that act;
"Principal residence" means a homestead actually and continually occupied by a claimant as the claimant's permanent residence, as distinguished from a vacation home, property owned and rented or offered for rent by the claimant, and other secondary real property holdings;
"Property tax" means payments to a municipality based upon an assessment made by the municipality upon real property on an ad valorem basis on land and improvements, and includes contributions to a municipal fund established pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), for which a property owner is allowed a credit pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), but shall not include payments made in lieu of taxes;
"Rent" means the amount due in an arm's-length transaction solely for the right of occupancy of a homestead that is a unit of residential rental property. Rent shall not include any amount paid under the federal Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program or paid as a rental assistance grant under section 1 of P.L.2004, c.140 (C.52:27D-287.1). If the director finds that the parties in a rental transaction have not dealt with each other in an arm's-length transaction and that the rent due was excessive, the director may, for purposes of the homestead rebate claim, adjust the rent claimed in the homestead rebate application to a reasonable amount of rent;
"Rent constituting property taxes" means 18% of the rent paid by the homestead rebate claimant during the tax year on a unit of residential rental property which constitutes the claimant's homestead, and in the case of a manufactured home or mobile home in a mobile home park which constitutes the claimant's homestead means 18% of the site fee paid by the claimant during the tax year to the owner of the mobile home park. Provided however, that for tax year 2004 and for each tax year thereafter, rent constituting property taxes shall equal 18% of annualized rent, and in the case of a manufactured home or mobile home in a mobile home park rent constituting property taxes shall equal 18% of a similarly annualized site fee;
"Resident" means an individual:
a. who is domiciled in this State, unless he maintains no permanent place of abode in this State, maintains a permanent place of abode elsewhere, and spends in the aggregate no more than 30 days of the tax year in this State; or
b. who is not domiciled in this State but maintains a permanent place of abode in this State and spends in the aggregate more than 183 days of the tax year in this State, unless the individual is in the Armed Forces of the United States;
"Residential rental property" means:
a. any building or structure or complex of buildings or structures in which dwelling units are rented or leased or offered for rental or lease for residential purposes;
b. a rooming house, hotel or motel, if the rooms constituting the homestead are equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities;
c. any building or structure or complex of buildings or structures constructed under the following sections of the National Housing Act (Pub.L.73-479) as amended and supplemented: section 202, Housing Act of 1959 (Pub.L.86-372) and as subsequently amended, section 231, Housing Act of 1959; and
d. a site in a mobile home park equipped for the installation of manufactured or mobile homes, where these sites are under common ownership and control for the purpose of leasing each site to the owner of a manufactured or mobile home for the installation thereof;
"Residential shareholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation" means a tenant or holder of a membership interest in that cooperative or corporation, whose residential unit therein constitutes the tenant or holder's domicile and principal residence, and who may deduct real property taxes for purposes of federal income tax pursuant to section 216 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.216; and
"Tax year" means the calendar year in which property taxes are due and payable.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.62, s.21)
4 Section 1 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.67) is amended to read as follows:
1. As used in this act:
"Base year" means, in the case of a person who is an eligible claimant on or before December 31, 1997, the tax year 1997; and in the case of a person who first becomes an eligible claimant after December 31, 1997, the tax year in which the person first becomes an eligible claimant. In the case of an eligible claimant who subsequently moves from the homestead for which the initial eligibility was established, the base year shall be the first full tax year during which the person resides in the new homestead. Provided however, a base year for an eligible claimant after such a move shall not apply to tax years commencing prior to January 1, 2009.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
"Director" means the Director of the Division of Taxation.
"Condominium" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Condominium Act," P.L.1969, c.257 (C.46:8B-1 et seq.).
"Cooperative" means a housing corporation or association which entitles the holder of a share or membership interest thereof to possess and occupy for dwelling purposes a house, apartment or other unit of housing owned or leased by the corporation or association, or to lease or purchase a unit of housing constructed or to be constructed by the corporation or association.
"Disabled person" means an individual receiving monetary payments pursuant to Title II of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. s.401 et seq.) on December 31, 1998, or on December 31 in all or any part of the year for which a homestead property tax reimbursement under this act is claimed.
"Dwelling house" means any residential property assessed as real property which consists of not more than four units, of which not more than one may be used for commercial purposes, but shall not include a unit in a condominium, cooperative, horizontal property regime or mutual housing corporation.
"Eligible claimant" means a person who:
is 65 or more years of age, or who is a disabled person;
is an owner of a homestead, or the lessee of a site in a mobile home park on which site the applicant owns a manufactured or mobile home;
has an annual income of less than $17,918 in tax year 1998, less than $18,151 in tax year 1999, or less than $37,174 in tax year 2000, if single, or, if married, whose annual income combined with that of the spouse is less than $21,970 in tax year 1998, less than $22,256 in tax year 1999, or less than $45,582 in tax year 2000, which income eligibility limits for single and married persons shall be subject to adjustments in tax years 2001 through 2006 pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.68);
has an annual income of $60,000 or less in tax year 2007, $70,000 or less in tax year 2008, or $80,000 or less in tax year 2009, if single or married, which income eligibility limits shall be subject to adjustments in subsequent tax years pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.68);
as a renter or homeowner, has made a long-term contribution to the fabric, social structure and finances of one or more communities in this State, as demonstrated through the payment of property taxes directly, or through rent, on any homestead or rental unit used as a principal residence in this State for at least 10 consecutive years at least three of which as owner of the homestead for which a homestead property tax reimbursement is sought prior to the date that an initial application for a homestead property tax reimbursement is filed. A person who has been an eligible claimant for a previous tax year shall qualify as an eligible claimant beginning the second full tax year following a move to another homestead in New Jersey, despite not meeting the three-year minimum residency and ownership requirement required for initial claimants under this paragraph; provided that the person satisfies the income eligibility limits for the tax year. Provided however, eligibility beginning in a second full tax year after such a move shall not apply to tax years commencing prior to January 1, 2010.
"Homestead" means:
a dwelling house and the land on which that dwelling house is located which constitutes the place of the eligible claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the eligible claimant as the eligible claimant's principal residence;
a site in a mobile home park equipped for the installation of manufactured or mobile homes, where these sites are under common ownership and control for the purpose of leasing each site to the owner of a manufactured or mobile home for the installation thereof and such site is used by the eligible claimant as the eligible claimant's principal residence;
a dwelling house situated on land owned by a person other than the eligible claimant which constitutes the place of the eligible claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the eligible claimant as the eligible claimant's principal residence;
a condominium unit or a unit in a horizontal property regime or a continuing care retirement community which constitutes the place of the eligible claimant's domicile and is owned and used by the eligible claimant as the eligible claimant's principal residence.
In addition to the generally accepted meaning of "owned" or "ownership," a homestead shall be deemed to be owned by a person if that person is a tenant for life or a tenant under a lease for 99 years or more, is entitled to and actually takes possession of the homestead under an executory contract for the sale thereof or under an agreement with a lending institution which holds title as security for a loan, or is a resident of a continuing care retirement community pursuant to a contract for continuing care for the life of that person which requires the resident to bear, separately from any other charges, the proportionate share of property taxes attributable to the unit that the resident occupies;
a unit in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation which constitutes the place of domicile of a residential shareholder or lessee therein, or of a lessee or shareholder who is not a residential shareholder therein, which is used by the eligible claimant as the eligible claimant's principal residence.
"Homestead property tax reimbursement" means payment of the difference between the amount of property tax or site fee constituting property tax due and paid in any year on any homestead, exclusive of improvements not included in the assessment on the real property for the base year, and the amount of property tax or site fee constituting property tax due and paid in the base year, when the amount paid in the base year is the lower amount; but such calculations shall be reduced by any current year property tax reductions or reductions in site fees constituting property taxes resulting from judgments entered by county boards of taxation or the State Tax Court.
"Horizontal property regime" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Horizontal Property Act," P.L.1963, c.168 (C.46:8A-1 et seq.).
"Manufactured home" or "mobile home" means a unit of housing which:
(1) Consists of one or more transportable sections which are substantially constructed off site and, if more than one section, are joined together on site;
(2) Is built on a permanent chassis;
(3) Is designed to be used, when connected to utilities, as a dwelling on a permanent or nonpermanent foundation; and
(4) Is manufactured in accordance with the standards promulgated for a manufactured home by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the "National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974," Pub.L.93-383 (42 U.S.C. s.5401 et seq.) and the standards promulgated for a manufactured or mobile home by the commissioner pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
"Mobile home park" means a parcel of land, or two or more parcels of land, containing no fewer than 10 sites equipped for the installation of manufactured or mobile homes, where these sites are under common ownership and control for the purpose of leasing each site to the owner of a manufactured or mobile home for the installation thereof, and where the owner or owners provide services, which are provided by the municipality in which the park is located for property owners outside the park, which services may include but shall not be limited to:
(1) The construction and maintenance of streets;
(2) Lighting of streets and other common areas;
(3) Garbage removal;
(4) Snow removal; and
(5) Provisions for the drainage of surface water from home sites and common areas.
"Mutual housing corporation" means a corporation not-for-profit, incorporated under the laws of this State on a mutual or cooperative basis within the scope of section 607 of the Langham Act (National Defense Housing), Pub.L.849, (42 U.S.C. s.1521 et seq.), as amended, which acquired a National Defense Housing Project pursuant to that act.
"Income" means income as determined pursuant to P.L.1975, c.194 (C.30:4D-20 et seq.).
"Principal residence" means a homestead actually and continually occupied by an eligible claimant as his or her permanent residence, as distinguished from a vacation home, property owned and rented or offered for rent by the claimant, and other secondary real property holdings.
"Property tax" means the general property tax due and paid as set forth in this section, on a homestead, and includes contributions to a municipal fund established pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), for which a property owner is allowed a credit pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), but does not include special assessments and interest and penalties for delinquent taxes. For the sole purpose of qualifying for a benefit under P.L.1997, c.348 (C.54:4-8.67 et seq.), property taxes paid by June 1 of the year following the year for which the benefit is claimed will be deemed to be timely paid.
"Site fee constituting property tax" means 18 percent of the annual site fee paid or payable to the owner of a mobile home park.
"Tax year" means the calendar year in which a homestead is assessed and the property tax is levied thereon and it means the calendar year in which income is received or accrued.
(cf: P.L.2012, c.17, s.431)
5. Section 2 of P.L.1996, c.60 (C.54A:3A-16) is amended to read as follows:
2. As used in this act:
"Condominium" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Condominium Act," P.L.1969, c.257 (C.46:8B-1 et seq.).
"Continuing care retirement community" means a residential facility primarily for retired persons where lodging and nursing, medical or other health related services at the same or another location are provided as continuing care to an individual pursuant to an agreement effective for the life of the individual or for a period greater than one year, including mutually terminable contracts, and in consideration of the payment of an entrance fee with or without other periodic charges.
"Cooperative" means a housing corporation or association which entitles the holder of a share or membership interest thereof to possess and occupy for dwelling purposes a house, apartment, manufactured or mobile home or other unit of housing owned or leased by the corporation or association, or to lease or purchase a unit of housing constructed or to be constructed by the corporation or association.
"Dwelling house" means any residential property assessed as real property which consists of not more than four units, of which not more than one may be used for commercial purposes, but shall not include a unit in a condominium, cooperative, horizontal property regime or mutual housing corporation.
"Homestead" means:
a. a dwelling house and the land on which that dwelling house is located which constitutes the place of the taxpayer's domicile and is owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence;
b. a dwelling house situated on land owned by a person other than the taxpayer which constitutes the place of the taxpayer's domicile and is owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence;
c. a condominium unit or a unit in a horizontal property regime or a continuing care retirement community which constitutes the place of the taxpayer's domicile and is owned and used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence.
In addition to the generally accepted meaning of owned or ownership, a homestead shall be deemed to be owned by a person if that person is a tenant for life or a tenant under a lease for 99 years or more, is entitled to and actually takes possession of the homestead under an executory contract for the sale thereof or under an agreement with a lending institution which holds title as security for a loan, or is a resident of a continuing care retirement community pursuant to a contract for continuing care for the life of that person which requires the resident to bear, separately from any other charges, the proportionate share of property taxes attributable to the unit that the resident occupies;
d. a unit in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation which constitutes the place of domicile of a residential shareholder or lessee therein, or of a lessee or shareholder who is not a residential shareholder therein, which is used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence; and
e. a unit of residential rental property, which unit constitutes the place of the taxpayer's domicile and is used by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence.
"Horizontal property regime" means the form of real property ownership provided for under the "Horizontal Property Act," P.L.1963, c.168 (C.46:8A-1 et seq.).
"Mutual housing corporation" means a corporation not-for-profit, incorporated under the laws of this State on a mutual or cooperative basis within the scope of section 607 of the Lanham Act (National Defense Housing), Pub.L.849, 76th Congress (42 U.S.C.1521 et seq.), as amended, which acquired a National Defense Housing Project pursuant to that act.
"Principal residence" means a homestead actually and continually occupied by a taxpayer as the taxpayer's permanent residence, as distinguished from a vacation home, property owned and rented or offered for rent by the taxpayer, and other secondary real property holdings.
"Property taxes" means payments to municipalities for which an assessment by a municipality has been made on an ad valorem basis on both land and improvements, and includes contributions to a municipal fund established pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), for which a property owner is allowed a credit pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), and shall not include payments made in lieu of taxes.
"Rent constituting property taxes" means 18% of the rent paid by the taxpayer for occupancy during the taxable year of a unit of residential rental property which the taxpayer occupies as a principal residence; notwithstanding the definition of "property taxes" herein, rent constituting property taxes includes the rent paid for the occupancy of a manufactured home installed in a mobile home park.
"Residential rental property" means:
a. any building or structure or complex of buildings or structures in which dwelling units are rented or leased or offered for rental or lease for residential purposes;
b. a rooming house, hotel or motel, if the rooms constituting the homestead are equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities; and
c. any building or structure or complex of buildings or structures constructed under the following sections of the National Housing Act (Pub.L.73-479) as amended and supplemented: section 202, Housing Act of 1959 (Pub.L.86-372) and as subsequently amended, section 231, Housing Act of 1959.
"Residential shareholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation" means a tenant or holder of a membership interest in that cooperative or corporation, whose residential unit therein constitutes the tenant's or holder's domicile and principal residence, and who may deduct real property taxes for purposes of federal income tax pursuant to section 216 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C .216.
(cf: P.L.1996, c.60, s.2)
6. (New section) a. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs may adopt immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law such regulations as the director deems necessary to implement the provisions of this act, which shall be effective for a period not to exceed 360 days following enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and may thereafter be amended, adopted or readopted by the director in accordance with the requirements of P.L.1968, c.410.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Director of the Division of Taxation, Department of the Treasury, may adopt immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law such regulations as the director deems necessary to implement the provisions of this act, which shall be effective for a period not to exceed 360 days following enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and may thereafter be amended, adopted or readopted by the director in accordance with the requirements of P.L.1968, c.410.
7. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires municipalities to establish by ordinance a dedicated municipal fund for exclusively public purposes to receive elective contributions made by real property owners. A contribution made to a municipal fund shall be expended for exclusively public purposes. Also, pursuant to the Local Budget Law and applicable State law, moneys in the fund will be allocated in the same manner as property tax revenues collected by a municipality.
A property tax payer who elects to make a contribution will be allowed a credit against the owner's property tax otherwise due for the amounts contributed up to the amount of the property tax liability of the property owner for the tax year. Instructions for notifying the municipal tax collector of the election will be on each tax bill for property tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018.
The amount of money collected and deposited in the municipal fund shall not reduce the amount to be raised by local real property taxation.
Elective contributions to the municipal fund for which a property owner is allowed credit will be deemed real property tax payments for the purpose of the homestead property tax benefit program, the senior and disabled citizens homestead property tax reimbursement program, and the gross income tax property tax deduction or credit.