§ 40A:65-28 — Equalization of property assessments for apportionment of taxes.

28. a. If a revaluation of property for the consolidated municipality is not implemented for the first local budget year of the consolidated municipality, then the assessments on the properties owned by the taxpayers of the former municipalities shall be equalized for the apportionment of taxes for the consolidated municipality, in the same manner as assessments are equalized for the apportionment of county taxes. b. The owners of any residential property or residential tenants of any municipality consolidated under sections 1 to 37 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-1 et al.), or the "Municipal Consolidation Act," P.L.1977, c.435 (C.40:43-66.35 et al.), who experience a municipal or school district purposes real property tax increase in the first tax year following the municipal consolidation shall be entitled to annual property tax relief until such time as they sell or transfer their home or no longer reside as tenants in the rental unit they occupied just prior to the municipal consolidation. In the case of the owner of residential property, the property tax relief shall be reflected as a credit on the property tax bill equal to the difference between the municipal and school district purposes real property tax payable by the taxpayer for the tax year, subject to any adjustment as determined necessary by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs to reflect operating budgets for a normal pre-consolidated fiscal year, and the municipal and school district purposes real property tax billed to that taxpayer for the tax year during which the consolidation is effectuated, as may be adjusted by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs to reflect normal post-consolidation operating budgets for the municipalities and school districts. In the case of a residential tenant, the tax credit applied to an apartment property shall be distributed to eligible tenants pursuant to the provisions of the "Tenants' Property Tax Rebate Act," P.L.1976, c.63 (C.54:4-6.2 et seq.) and this section. The total of all such relief in the municipality shall be paid by the State to the municipality on a schedule determined by the Local Finance Board. For the purpose of this subsection, a "normal" budget year shall be one that, in the determination of the director, does not reflect expenses made in anticipation of, or in implementation of, a municipal consolidation. L.2007, c.63, s.28.