Frequently Asked Questions

The Coalition has provided non-partisan, objective educational and informational forums that give citizens the background knowledge and ability to conduct reasoned debate on the State's complex tax system. In September of 2003 more than 100 men and women, broadly representative of the State's population, participated in a two-day Citizens' Tax Assembly where they reached broad consensus on what changes need to be made in New Jersey's tax system (see Let the People Speak, Report of the Citizens' Tax Assembly.)

In 2004, the Coalition hosted five Citizens' Tax Assemblies and forums in all parts of the State where more than 200 men and women came together to make more specific recommendations on how to improve New Jersey's system of raising revenues for government services (see Let the People Speak, June 2004 and Let the People Speak, III.)

The Coalition may at times operate jointly with other organizations or groups to share information and ideas.

The Coalition, which is a nonprofit organization that does not lobby but does undertake analysis, research and education on key issues, was created by the Citizens for the Public Good. Citizens for the Public Good grew out of discussions among a bipartisan group of New Jerseyans, including former elected and appointed officials as well as leaders from the business, academic and nonprofit communities. They were concerned about the lack of progress on issues crucial to the State's future. The organization's name comes from this passage in the New Jersey State Constitution:

Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people, and they have the right at all times to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it.

The Coalition designed the Citizens' Tax Assemblies as objective, non-partisan forums where delegates could speak their minds on taxes and to demonstrate to the rest of the State that people of good will can arrive at reasonable solutions. Those sessions did not promote any one position or agenda on property tax reform.

In view of the State Legislature's failure to take action to devise a new tax system or to provide reasonable solutions to the State's over reliance on local property taxes, Governor McGreevey appointed the New Jersey Property Tax Convention Task Force in 2004 to make recommendations for the creation and conduct of a property tax convention.

The Coalition's charter precludes it from taking an advocacy position on how to achieve property tax reform. However, the Coalition's adjunct organization, Citizens for the Public Good, supports a well-designed tax convention as the most practical method to achieve reform.

Support for the Citizens' Tax Assemblies, the Coalition website, and the informative reports have come from The Fund for New Jersey, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and The Schumann Fund for New Jersey. These foundations are equally committed to empowering citizens with relevant information to help stimulate public policy discussion in New Jersey.

The Coalition also receives generous contributions from concerned citizens.

You can participate by following the events and reports on this website. You can also submit more specific questions and information to us through this website at info@njcpg.org