TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney put pressure on lawmakers today to consider a controversial bill to overhaul the state's affordable housing system, saying today he would not support a related bill to extend a break for fees paid by commercial developers. A moratorium on the 2.5 percent fee developers pay toward affordable housing is set to expire July...
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Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) speaks to reporters as he enters the Senate Budget Committee room before the start of the committee hearing at the Statehouse this morning. TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney put pressure on lawmakers today to consider a controversial bill to overhaul the state's affordable housing system, saying today he would not support a related bill to extend a break for fees paid by commercial developers.
A moratorium on the 2.5 percent fee developers pay toward affordable housing is set to expire July 1, which means they would have to begin paying into the fund. The bill that change the state's affordable housing system would eliminate the fee.
But the complex issue, which has been the subject of hearings and debate throughout the past few months, does not seem close to being resolved. Though the Senate passed the 35-page affordable housing bill earlier this month, the Assembly just last week held a hearing on the issue. Meanwhile, the Christie administration set a July 1 deadline for a deal, in part because of the expiration of the moratorium.
If the moratorium were extended on its own, some of the pressure would be off the Assembly to pass its version of the bill. But Sweeney today said he would not let that happen.
"They got to deal with this issue one way or another," said Sweeney (D-Gloucester). "Vote it up, vote it down, but deal with it. Don't hide from it."
As senate president, Sweeney has control over which bills come up for a vote in that house.
Previous Coverage:
• N.J. Assembly chairman says he will not rush affordable housing bill despite Christie's deadline
• Christie administration wants bill changing N.J. affordable housing system by end of month
• No vote is planned as N.J. Assembly committee schedules hearing on affordable housing bill
• N.J. groups say abolishing affordable housing will further polarize towns into rich, poor
• N.J. Senate votes to abolish affordable-housing council, move control from state to towns
