file photo by Boyd Loving
JOHN REITMEYER AND COLLEEN O’DEA | AUGUST 8, 2017
Supreme Court supplies a little heat by deciding fire districts are subject to OPRA, while law lets districts move elections into November, in hopes of boosting voter turnout
Fire districts — special geographical areas that have the power to levy local property taxes to support firefighting services — are coming under increased scrutiny due to new legislation and a state Supreme Court decision. The districts have operated well below the radar in many New Jersey communities, but statewide they spent $240 million from local tax levies last year.
The court issued an opinion Monday that the more than 180 fire districts are an “instrumentality of a political subdivision” and thus subject to the full terms of New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, which requires public disclosure of basic documents like budgets and payroll.
That opinion was issued the same day Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a bill that will allow fire districts to hold their elections each year in November instead of late February. Up until now that’s when they’ve been required to be held, even though they typically draw very low voter turnout.
