Navigating Your Local Government

Become an Active Participant in Your Community!

 Saturday, April 20, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.*

Bloomfield College

College Hall

(Formerly the Life Science Building)

177 Liberty Street (corner of Liberty & Spruce)

Bloomfield, NJ

 Lunch included**

**$10 donation requested at the door

 

*We ask that you please arrive at 9:30 a.m. so we can start promptly at 10:00 a.m.

 

Agenda

 

Cedar Grove Councilman Joe Chiasulo

Civics 101

Learn how town hall and town council meetings are run - ordinances vs resolutions; what are first and second readings; role of planning and zoning boards; budgetary process; role of citizen comment during meetings

 

Chris Rogers, Executive Director, NJ Taxpayers Association

Cutting Waste in the Your Local Budget

Learn how to combat wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars on the local level and what role you can play in the process.

 

Donald Doherty, Attorney

The Role of OPRA

If you want to find out exactly where your tax dollars are going, who is on the payroll, how many vendors a town hires, etc., you have a right to the information.  Learn the importance of using OPRA (Open Public Record Act) and how to use it effectively to bring transparency to your town's finances.

 

Tina Renna, Executive Director, Union County Watchdog

How to Use OPRA Records

  Now that you have used OPRA to obtain the information, what can you do with it?  Ms. Renna will talk of her experiences in creating a watchdog orgnization and how you can implement those ideas on a local level.

Matt Rooney

State Issues Affecting Local Budgets

Mr. Rooney will discuss the impact of state legislation that affects your local property taxes.

Rick Shaftan

Agenda 21:  Coming to Your Local Government

Learn the issue and how to fight centralized planning in your community.