New Jersey has long recognized the need to reform its tax system and in particular to reduce its reliance on local property taxes. However, this recognition has not led to meaningful reform. In an effort to overcome the political barriers to reform, Governor James McGreevey in 2004 proposed a limited constitutional convention to deal with taxing and spending issues. To inform the discussion of reform, the Center for State Constitutional Studies published a series of background papers that highlight the key procedural and substantive issues confronting reformers:
- Background Paper No. 1: Background on Constitutional Amendment and Revision (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 2: The Question of Authority (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 3: Convening, Structuring, and Operating a Constitutional Convention in New Jersey (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 4: The New Jersey State Constitution And Taxing, Spending, And Borrowing (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 5: Electing Delegates to a State Constitutional Convention: Legal Issues (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 6: Voting Systems for the Election of Delegates to a State Constitutional Convention (pdf file) or (Word file)
- Background Paper No. 7: The Law of Limited State Constitutional Conventions (pdf file) or (Word file)
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