Fiocchi Addresses Co. Chamber’s 27th Annual Legislative Update

STONE HARBOR – First District Assemblyman Samuel Fiocchi, a Republican, addressed tourism funds, fishing and property tax reduction Aug. 21 when he addressed the 27th annual Legislative Update of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce.
The event, held at The Reeds of Shelter Haven, was attended by over 100 members.
Fiocchi cited and spoke about three bills he has sponsored:
• AR122: Urges National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to use better data collection measures in federal fisheries act. It also asks Congress to review fisheries data collection program.
• A2776: Establishes “County Tourism Incentive Grant Fund” in the Department of Treasury to fund grants to counties to support tourism advertising and promotion.
• A157: Establishes direct property tax relief, increases renter’s gross income tax credit for property taxes; increases earned income credit.
Fishing
In the wake of the economic recession, which hurt recreational and commercial fisheries, Fiocchi said he met with representatives of both. They surfaced problems regarding how surveys are conducted under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Fiocchi’s bill focuses on the way NOAA has, since 1979, obtained its information about catches, by “random telephone interviews and in-person intercepts at marinas and other fishing sites to obtain the relevant data.”
While NOAA contracted with the National Research Council in 2004 to improve the accuracy and quality of surveys, the act directed NOAA to implement a new program by Jan. 1, 2009 “that included improved data collection measures.”
In 2008, NOAA implemented another program to address the NRC concerns. However, “over five years later, NOAA has failed to implement many of the NRC’s recommendations and has postponed the improved data collection measures mandated by Congress,” the bill states.
The state has its own database of recreational fishermen, yet NOAA fails to use that when conducting surveys, relying on its random telephone surveys. Because of the need for accurate data the bill seeks an independent, non-partisan review of the program to evaluate accuracy, precision and timeliness of recreational fishing data.”
Tourism Incentive Grant
Fiocchi, keenly aware that Cape May County sends more tourism-generated hotel-motel occupancy tax to Trenton than it gets back, sponsored and introduced a bill Feb. 27 that could change that situation.
The county receives about 10 percent of the funds it send north, while Essex County receives 144 percent of what it sends to Trenton.
“It’s unlikely the formula will change,” Fiocchi told the chamber, “What this does, it gives any excess back to the county of origin. It’s gotten a lot of support from the Department of Tourism, and I am trying to get it moved through committee.”
The bill would create the County Tourism Incentive Grant Fund and provide for appropriation and distribution of excess state hotel and motel occupancy fee revenues into a fund that would provide funding for grants to counties to support tourism advertising and promotion.
Such incentive grants would be filed with the state treasurer.
Direct Tax Relief for N.J. Families Act
The first bill Fiocchi introduced once he was sworn in January was to establish the tax relief program; increase renter’s gross income tax credit for property taxes, and hike the earned income tax credit.
“The purpose of the bill is to deliver real relief to working and middle–class families, responsibly stimulating New Jersey’s economy while improving the state’s tax climate,” it states. To accomplish that it contains three points:
• Establish direct property tax relief program to provide a refundable credit against the income tax based on property taxes paid.
• Increase state’s earned income tax credit from 20 percent to 25 percent of federal earned income tax credit.
• Quadruple current credit for homestead property taxes, commonly called renter’s credit.
Questions
Fiocchi took questions after his address. One asked about the impact three Atlantic City casinos’ closings would have on Cape May County. He said the local impact possibly would be from 200 to 300 jobs. “We will do whatever we can to try to keep casino jobs going. We will help them find employment.”
Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard asked Fiocchi’s views on the B.L. England generating station’s situation regarding the rejected South Jersey Gas pipeline that would convert the plant to natural gas, a plan rejected by the Pinelands Commission.
“I certainly oppose the decision by the Pinelands to shoot that down,” Fiocchi said. “They were only going to displace eight or nine trees, and those were at the behest of Upper Township. There was no impact to the environment. We have one gas pipeline that serves Cape May County; this provides redundancy, if we lost one gas line into the county.”
He cited jobs for the approximately 100 at the generating plant as well as those who would work to place the pipeline. Additionally, he cited the pending shut-down of Oyster Creek nuclear generating plant in 2019.
“People don’t realize power has to come from somewhere,” said Fiocchi. He said he had sent a letter to Upper Township residents, and also went door-to-door to solicit public sentiment regarding the pipeline. “They support it,” he said. He vowed to “advocate for it, and hopefully get a different decision.”