TRENTON – The results of New Jersey Press Association’s (NJPA) survey of the state’s newspaper publishers, to determine accurate public notice expenditures for 2016, is complete and was provided late Wednesday, March 1 to the state’s legislative leadership.
According to a release, following the December posting of the bills permitting state governments to self-post their required public notifications in lieu of newspapers, and Governor Chris Christie’s related charge that the legislation will result in taxpayer savings of “$80 million,” NJPA noted in its December opposition communications and committee testimony that our “$20 million” figure was based on NJPA’s most recent survey data; conducted in 2010; the last time a bill of this nature was active.
Beyond Christie’s erroneous, oft-repeated $80 million claim and his inaccurate public accusation that NJPA has been deceitful, NJPA assumes his number so badly misses the mark due to faulty assumptions, tabulations, and/or extrapolations.
For NJPA, our methodology for obtaining the results below was to survey the publishers for their 2016 public notice billings via their companies’ billing systems, and with sub-categories broken out as shown below:
$32,259,814 (Total)
The grand total spent statewide in 2016 for N.J. public notices – full year ending Dec. 31, 2016.
The amount is:
– Inclusive of all public notices; whether required of a public or private entities; and whether required by legislative statute or a court.
– Higher than NJPA’s prior 2010 survey figure of $20.0 million due entirely to the state’s current foreclosure bubble (see #s below).
– Comprised of the following:
1. $7,336,445 (paid for with public/taxpayer dollars)
Total spent statewide in 2016 by public entities (using taxpayer dollars)
The amount is:
– 23 percent of the total spend and at ad rates based on the newspaper’s circulation, controlled by statute, and without any adjustment since 1983.
– 9 percent below the 2010 survey figure of $8.0 million
2. $24,923,369 (paid for with private/non-taxpayer dollars)
Total spent statewide in 2016 by private entities (companies/individuals)
The amount is:
– 77 percent of the total spend and at the same identical ad rates paid by governments based on circulation levels and rates controlled by statute.
– Higher than the 2010 survey figure of $12 million due to New Jersey’s current foreclosures bubble.
– The 2016 sheriff sales/foreclosure notices sub-category amounts to $22,046,081 of the $24,923,369 total for all 2016 private/ non-taxpayer-paid expenditures.
- Due to the “foreclosures bubble” our state is enduring, the 2016 $22 million foreclosures total is higher than the 2010 survey result of $9 million.
- Sheriff sale notices for 2016 represented 68% of all N.J. public notice expenditures statewide, and 88% of all private (nontaxpayer-paid) notices statewide.
- We understand foreclosures are expected to return to normal levels in approximately four years.
- Costs for foreclosure notices are reimbursed in full to Sheriff Offices by the foreclosing entities.
In anticipation of future discussions with government leaders to jointly craft outstanding public policy for this responsibility, NJPA is preparing by:
1. Identifying best practices for providing government transparency and accountability services – whether required by statute or the courts.
2. Developing strategies for raising New Jerseyans’ awareness of:
- www.njpublicnotices.com; the long-time statewide aggregated website from which everyone may sign-up to be directly notified via email based on their personal saved searches, or to simply save their keywords for quick, future visits (provided at no-charge).
- The vital, continuing importance of public notifications for helping achieve government transparency and accountability.
