40:48C-15 Collection of employer payroll tax by municipality.
15. a. Any municipality may by ordinance impose and collect an employer payroll tax for general municipal purposes of the municipality, or for the purposes set forth in subsection d. of this section, at a rate of up to one percent of the employer's payroll.
b. A municipality may by ordinance adjust the rate of an employer payroll tax imposed and collected pursuant to subsection a. of this section, provided that the rate does not exceed one percent. Any reduction in an employer payroll tax while the municipality is in receipt of aid provided through the Transitional Aid to Localities program, or any other discretionary aid program for municipalities in fiscal distress, shall be subject to approval by the Department of Community Affairs.
c. An ordinance adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section may provide that the employer payroll tax shall not apply to the remuneration paid by employers to employees who are residents of the municipality.
d. (1) If a municipality adopts an ordinance pursuant to subsection a. of this section and the municipality has a median household income of $55,000 or greater according to the most recent American Community Survey five-year estimate by the United States Census Bureau, all employer payroll tax revenues collected by the municipality pursuant to the ordinance shall be deposited into a trust fund to be used exclusively for school purposes, inclusive of charter schools.
(2) The governing body of the municipality shall monthly pay employer payroll tax revenues deposited in the trust fund over to the board secretary or treasurer of school moneys, as appropriate, of the school district coextensive with the municipality or of which the municipality comprises a part, in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the difference in State school aid provided to that school district, pursuant to P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.) and P.L.2018, c.67 (C.18A:7F-67 et al.), between the current State fiscal year and State fiscal year 2018, for use in lieu of adjustment aid and all other categories of State school aid.
(3) Any balance remaining in the trust fund shall be reserved for use toward making payments pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection in the event the employer payroll tax revenues collected in a year are insufficient to pay the full amount provided for under that paragraph.
L.1970, c.326, s.15; amended 2017, c.35; 2018, c.68, s.1.