Chesterfield one of two municipalities targeted
By:Vanessa S. Holt
CHESTERFIELD The township is one of two rural New Jersey municipalities housing state prisons that could receive state aid if a bill pending in the Legislature becomes law.
The bill, S880, introduced in February by state Sen. James S. Cafiero, R-1, would provide an annual "economic impact" grant of $300 per state inmate to towns where the prison population is greater than 75 percent of the municipal population.
Chesterfield, which houses the Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility and the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility, could receive an annual grant of $909,000 if the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law.
"That would be nice," said Mayor Larry Durr. "We hope it passes."
The bill has been assigned to a Senate committee for review.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of Chesterfield is 5,955, of which 3,330 are inmates and 2,625 are township residents, far surpassing the 75 percent minimum required to receive aid under the legislative proposal.
If the bill becomes law, the grant would be no later than July 31 of each year.
The other qualifying municipality is Cumberland County’s Maurice River Township.
The bill states that the "per inmate" aid would be recomputed each year by multiplying the grant amount by the annual cost-of-living adjustment.
The state Department of Corrections oversees 30,000 inmates in 12 adult male facilities, one adult women’s facility and a central intake unit.
The bill states that the state prison population can create demands on local governments and are often located in rural municipalities with small populations.
The bill stated that although the prisons are often the largest ratables in those communities, they are tax exempt.
The state aid that would be provided through this grant would be meant to support local government services in those municipalities.