Paperless Government Aims to Increase Efficiency

The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee has advanced bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Anthony Bucco (R-25) that would encourage the modernization of local governments and provide opportunities to cut back on property tax bills.

“Allowing towns to replace expensive postal mailings with email for more types of correspondence can produce real savings, which translates into property tax relief,” Senator Bucco said. “People already are going paperless to get their cable and utility bills, so there’s no reason local governments can’t follow this example and pass the savings to the local taxpayer.”

Bucco’s legislation, S-78, provides municipalities with the opportunity to start sending tax bills, construction permits, and receipts for municipal fees via email. Each town would have to pass an ordinance to authorize the use of email, and residents who do not request the email option will still be sent a hard copy in the mail.

“Americans use more than 69 million tons of paper each year,” Bucco added. “With new technological advances, New Jersey’s towns can make a step in the right direction by eliminating unnecessary paper bills, permits, and receipts. By converting large quantities of mail to email, we can go green and save green.”