Bill Text: NJ A540 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Removes statutory requirements concerning salaries for certain county officers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee [A540 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A540-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN DIMAIO
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Removes statutory requirements concerning salaries for certain county officers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning local officers and employees and amending various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.2B:14-3 is amended to read as follows:
2B:14‑3. The board of chosen freeholders in each county shall fix the Surrogate's annual salary by resolution [in an amount equal to not less than sixty‑five percent (65%) of the annual salary of a Judge of the Superior Court which shall not be diminished during the term of office or during any consecutive terms served by the Surrogate. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a surrogate whose annual salary exceeds the amount provided for herein shall be reduced, or that a board of chosen freeholders may not increase the salary of a surrogate in excess of the amount provided for herein].
(cf: P.L.2001, c.370, s.1)
2. Section 4 of P.L.1988, c.109 (C.22A:4-17.2) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. The county treasurer shall return to the county surrogate $2.00 of each fee received for the probate of a will; for the grant of general administration; for the grant of letters of guardianship; for the grant of letters of trusteeship for the filing of inventories; for the filing of accountings; and for any other proceeding filed, recorded or issued in the surrogate's court. Such sums shall be returned within 10 days of receipt by the county treasurer.
b. Monies received by the county surrogates pursuant to the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be used to upgrade and modernize the services provided by their offices. These monies shall not be used for budgetary reduction by the counties.
c. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, monies received by a county surrogate attributable solely to the amount of fee increases for services enumerated in N.J.S.22A:2‑30 pursuant to the amendments set forth in section 3 of P.L.2001, c.370, [that exceed in any year the amount by which the annual minimum salary of the surrogate fixed pursuant to N.J.S.2B:14‑3 exceeds the amount of the surrogate's salary in effect on November 1, 2000,] and not used to pay any increase in the surrogate's salary pursuant to N.J.S.2B:14-3 shall be used for budgetary reduction by the county and shall be reflected as a county tax levy reduction.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.370, s.8)
3. N.J.S.40A:9‑76 is amended to read as follows:
40A:9‑76. The board of chosen freeholders in each county, by resolution, shall fix the annual salary of the county clerk [in an amount equal to not less than sixty‑five percent (65%) of the annual salary of a Judge of the Superior Court. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a county clerk whose annual salary exceeds the amount provided for herein shall be reduced, or that a board of chosen freeholders may not increase the salary of a county clerk in excess of the amount provided for herein.
Nothing in this section shall authorize the fixing of the salary of any person holding the office of county clerk at any amount less than that now payable pursuant to law, so long as the said person shall hold such office during the present and any consecutively ensuing term or terms, nor shall anything in this section authorize the payment of any salary for which a range is established in an amount less than the minimum of said range].
The salary of said officer shall be paid by the proper county disbursing officer in the same manner as county officers and employees are paid.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.370, s.10)
4. N.J.S.40A:9‑92 is amended to read as follows:
40A:9‑92. The board of chosen freeholders in each county, by resolution, shall fix the annual salary of the register of deeds and mortgages [in an amount equal to not less than sixty‑five percent (65%) of the annual salary of a Judge of the Superior Court. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a register whose annual salary exceeds the amount provided for herein shall be reduced, or that a board of chosen freeholders may not increase the salary of a register in excess of the amount provided for herein.
Nothing in this section shall authorize the fixing of the salary of any person holding the office of register of deeds and mortgages at any amount less than that now payable pursuant to law, so long as the said person shall hold such office during the present and any consecutively ensuing term or terms, nor shall anything in this section authorize the payment of any salary for which a range is established in an amount less than the minimum of said range].
The salary of said officer shall be paid by the proper county disbursing officer in the same manner as county officers and employees are paid.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.370, s.11)
5. N.J.S.40A:9‑104 is amended to read as follows:
40A:9‑104. The board of chosen freeholders in each county, by resolution, shall fix the annual salary of the sheriff [in an amount equal to not less than sixty‑five percent (65%) of the annual salary of a Judge of the Superior Court. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a sheriff whose annual salary exceeds the amount provided for herein shall be reduced, or that a board of chosen freeholders may not increase the salary of a sheriff in excess of the amount provided for herein.
Nothing in this section shall authorize the fixing of the salary of any person holding the office of sheriff at any amount less than that now payable pursuant to law, so long as the said person shall hold such office during the present and any consecutively ensuing term or terms, nor shall anything in this section authorize the payment of any salary for which a range is established in an amount less than the minimum of said range].
The salary of said officer shall be paid by the proper county disbursing officer in the same manner as county officers and employees are paid.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.370, s.12)
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill removes statutory requirements that salaries for the county surrogate, clerk, register of deeds and mortgages, and sheriff be tied to State standards. The bill gives control of those salaries, which are paid for by county taxpayers, to the county freeholders, who are responsible to the voters for county fiscal management issues.
