43:8C-3 Submission of detailed information concerning incentive program.
3. a. No later than six months prior to the date on which a proposed incentive program is to begin, the local unit shall submit detailed information concerning the incentive program to the director, in a form and manner prescribed by the director, which shall include the following:
(1) the governmental services affected by the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation;
(2) the departments, offices, sections, and other organizational components of the local unit to be affected, and a list of the employees thereof;
(3) the incentives to be offered;
(4) the estimated number of employees who will retire or terminate employment under the incentive program;
(5) fiscal information sufficient to demonstrate that the incentive program in conjunction with the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation will result in a reduction for the local unit in the number of employees providing the affected governmental services, including information on the number of employees by which the local unit will reduce employment for a period of at least five years;
(6) fiscal information sufficient to demonstrate that, taking into consideration the costs of the incentive program, the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation will result in a reduction in the cost of providing the affected governmental services for the local unit;
(7) information on the fiscal stability of the local unit sufficient to demonstrate that the local unit will be able to pay the costs for the incentive program and for the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation which will result in net savings and shall not necessitate any increase in property taxes for the local unit;
(8) information sufficient to demonstrate that the local unit will continue to provide the affected governmental services without the number of employees that are expected to take the incentive;
(9) copies of proposed interlocal services contracts or joint services contracts; and
(10) any other information which the director may require.
The director may, for good cause, permit a local unit to submit information without complying with the time period for submission of information or which does not conform to the specific informational requirements of this subsection.
b. The director shall provide to the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury sufficient information relating to the incentive program so that the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits may provide to the director:
(1) an estimate of the anticipated liability of the affected retirement systems;
(2) a determination of whether the incentive program is reasonably calculated to produce a reduction in the number of employees of the local unit; and
(3) taking into consideration the liability for the incentive program, an estimate of the net savings in the employment costs to provide the affected governmental services.
c. In order to make the calculation required by paragraph (2) of subsection b. of this section, the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury shall submit the proposed incentive program to the actuary of each retirement system which would be affected by the incentive program. Each actuary shall estimate the additional liability to the retirement system for the incentive program, including the liability for the additional service credit and the earlier retirement of employees under the incentive program. Each actuary shall provide the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits with an opinion on whether the incentive program is reasonably calculated to produce a reduction in the number of employees of the local unit providing the affected governmental services, and a net savings, taking into consideration the liability for the incentive program, in the employment costs to provide the affected governmental services. The State shall conduct the actuarial work required by this subsection at no charge to the local units.
d. If the incentive program includes the provision of additional service credit under State retirement systems for eligible employees, the beginning and ending dates for the incentive program and the time period during which the eligible employees will have to elect to participate in the incentive program shall be subject to approval by the Director of the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury.
e. If the director determines that the incentive program, in conjunction with the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation, will result in the local unit continuing to provide the affected governmental services with fewer employees and at a lower cost, and that the incentive program and the interlocal services contract or joint services contract or municipal consolidation will result in net savings and will not necessitate any increase in local property taxes for the local unit, the director shall approve the incentive program for implementation.
L.1999,c.59,s.3.