S940

An Act establishing the Capital City Commission and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. There is established in, but not of, the Department of Community Affairs the “Capital City Commission.” The commission shall consist of 13 members, including:

a. the Mayor of Trenton, the Trenton City Council President, the County Executive of Mercer County, the Chair of the Mercer County Board of Commissioners, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio;

b. one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated knowledge and expertise in issues relating to the work of the commission;

c. one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated knowledge and expertise in issues relating to the work of the commission;

d. a representative of the Judicial Branch, appointed by the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; and

e. three members appointed by the Governor, including, one representative of the Executive Branch, one representative of State workers, upon the recommendation of the Communication Workers of America Union, and one representative of the business community.

2. All appointments shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Each member shall serve for a term of four years and until the appointment and qualification of a successor. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the commission shall be eligible for reappointment to the commission. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of funds made available to the commission for its purposes.

3. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of a majority of its members, but not later than 60 days after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The commission shall choose a chairperson from among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.

4. It shall be the duty of the commission to study and make recommendations concerning the short-term, medium-term, and long-term advancement of, and improvement to, the City of Trenton. The commission shall consider and assess issues including, but not limited to:

a. maximizing the Trenton waterfront by proposing ways to improve currently developable land, and proposing ways to enhance access to the waterfront, which may include rerouting Route 29;

b. recruiting and incentivizing businesses to locate to or remain in Trenton;

c. developing and leveraging Trenton’s current assets, including the presence of State buildings and State workers, and developing new assets in order to enhance the status of Trenton as New Jersey’s Capitol City; and

d. developing and promoting cultural, social, and recreational opportunities within Trenton, and promoting Trenton as a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family.

5. The Department of Community Affairs shall provide staff and related support services to the commission. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.

6. a. The commission shall meet quarterly for the first two years following its organization, pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Board of County Commissioners of Mercer County, and to the Trenton City Council no later than the first day following the 24th month following the commission’s organization.

b. Following issuance of the initial report, pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the commission shall meet at least twice each year for the purpose of evaluating the implementation of the commission’s past recommendations and the purpose of modifying past recommendations, and shall issue a report annually thereafter, setting forth its findings and recommendations to the Governor, to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Board of County Commissioners of Mercer County, and to the Trenton City Council.

7. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the Capital City Commission (commission) in, but not of, the Department of Community Affairs. The purpose of the commission is to study and make recommendations concerning the short-term, medium-term, and long-term advancement and improvement to the City of Trenton. Under the bill, the commission is required to consider and assess issues including, but not limited to:

· maximizing the Trenton waterfront by proposing ways to improve currently developable land, and proposing ways to enhance access to the waterfront, which may include rerouting Route 29;

· recruiting and incentivizing businesses to locate to or remain in Trenton;

· developing and leveraging Trenton’s current assets, including the presence of State buildings and State workers, and developing new assets in order to enhance the status of Trenton as New Jersey’s Capitol City; and

· developing and promoting cultural, social, and recreational opportunities within Trenton, and promoting Trenton as a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family.

The bill requires the commission to meet quarterly for the first two years following its organization and to issue its initial report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, to the Legislature, to the Board of County Commissioners of Mercer County, and to the Trenton City Council no later than two years after the commission organizes. Following the issuance of its initial report, the commission is required to meet at least twice each year and to issue a report annually thereafter.