Senator Bill Baroni (R-14) wants to remind all residents that the filing deadline for both the Property Tax Reimbursement Program, also known as the Senior Tax Freeze, and the Homestead Rebate is this coming Monday, November 2nd. The Senator’s district office will open early at 8 AM on Monday to ensure help is available to those who need assistance completing their applications before the deadline.

“The people of New Jersey pay the highest property taxes in the nation,” said Baroni. “Now, more than ever, it’s imperative that homeowners not miss out on any opportunity for property tax relief. My office will be open early to ensure that all residents have the opportunity to file by the Monday deadline.”

Read the rest of Deadline to file for Senior Tax Freeze and Homestead Rebates is Monday, Nov. 2 (236 words)

Legislation sponsored by Senator Bill Baroni (R-14) that would make it easier for concerned citizens to participate in their municipal government has been signed into law. The measure, S-1426/A-2784, is meant to help residents find out what positions are available on local authorities, boards and commissions, and to make it easy to apply for appointments to positions that are vacant.

“With numerous municipal authorities, boards and commissions to follow, it can be difficult for citizens to keep track of how their local government operates,” said Baroni. “With rising property taxes, we need more citizen involvement and this groundbreaking legislation – written in a bi-partisan fashion – will ensure that people have the ability to apply and participate when there are vacancies in their local government.”

Read the rest of Baroni’s Citizen Service Act Signed into Law (182 words)

Legislation sponsored by Senator Bill Baroni (R-14) that would give municipalities an important tool to protect communities from convicted sex offenders has received the support of a key law enforcement group. Senator Baroni’s legislation, S-2138, has been reviewed and endorsed by the New Jersey Prosecutors Association.

“We know that convicted sex offenders have a high rate of reoffending when released back into our neighborhoods,” said Baroni. “Knowing sex offenders’ propensity for recidivism, we must provide municipalities with the ability to enact common-sense residency restrictions to prevent the circumstances that may lead to new assaults. The buffer zones around places where children congregate can prevent convicted rapists and pedophiles from having the repeated contact and exposure that often leads to new offenses.”

Read the rest of Prosecutors Back Baroni’s Megan’s Law Reform (189 words)

Read the rest of Baroni: Court’s Decision Removes the Ability of Towns to Protect Their Own Children (88 words)

Read the rest of Pennacchio and Baroni Say Scandal Demonstrates Why Corzine Should Join Call for Pension Hearings Now (360 words)

Senator Bill Baroni (R-Mercer, Middlesex) and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R- Monmouth, Middlesex) announced today that they are introducing legislation that would amend the current pay-to-play laws to include all federally-funded state contracts, that will stem from the recently passed stimulus package.

Read the rest of Baroni and Handlin to Introduce Banning Pay-to-Play for Federal Stimulus Contracts (277 words)

Senators Joe Pennacchio and Bill Baroni are drafting legislation that would create a bipartisan commission to investigate the state’s handling of its depleted $59 billion pension system and come up with a plan to restore it to solvency. The Senate Resolution would create a bipartisan panel of senators with the power to issue subpoenas. That power would be used to compel testimony from government officials and investment advisers who have been reluctant or unwilling to talk openly about the state’s investment procedures or the $58 billion pension deficit and the threat it poses to taxpayers, retirees and government’s ability to pay for services.

Read the rest of GOP Senators Call for Bipartisan Commission to Investigate Pension System (313 words)

“Today the Senate took a destructive step to our pension funds. Over and over governors and legislators have underfunded, non-funded and bonded against our pension funds. Today the Senate adds another act to that shameful legacy.

Read the rest of Baroni: Passage of Pension Deferral Bill Is an Affront to Public Employees and Their Families (100 words)

Today, the four Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in opposition to the reappointment of Jeanne Fox as president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and objected to being rushed through the hearing and to the incomplete testimony provided by the nominee. The members cited numerous reasons for their opposition including the opening of unlawful bank accounts, conflicts of interest between consultants and staff at the Office of Clean Energy and the Clean Energy Council, and former staff members being involved in the awarding of grants totaling millions of dollars. The four Republican members of the committee are Gerald Cardinale, Joe Kyrillos, Bill Baroni and Jennifer Beck.

Read the rest of Republican Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Oppose Fox Reappointment (251 words)

Senator Bill Baroni, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement regarding a study released today on the effectiveness of New Jersey’s Megan’s  Law.

Read the rest of Baroni: Megan’s Law Study Misses the Mark (181 words)