Nj. Const. art. VIII, § 0 — Article VIII / Section 0
NJ Const., Article VIII
Status: in_force

[ edit ] SECTION I [ edit ] l. (a) Property shall be assessed for taxation under general laws and by uniform rules. All real property assessed and taxed locally or by the State for allotment and payment to taxing districts shall be assessed according to the same standard of value, except as otherwise permitted herein, and such real property shall be taxed at the general tax rate of the taxing district in which the property is situated, for the use of such taxing district. (b) The Legislature shall enact laws to provide that the value of land, not less than 5 acres in area, which is determined by the assessing officer of the taxing jurisdiction to be actively devoted to agricultural or horticultural use and to have been so devoted for at least the 2 successive years immediately preceding the tax year in issue, shall, for local tax purposes, on application of the owner, be that value which such land has for agricultural or horticultural use. Any such laws shall provide that when land which has been valued in this manner for local tax purposes is applied to a use other than for agriculture or horticulture it shall be subject to additional taxes in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the taxes paid or payable on the basis of the valuation and the assessment authorized hereunder and the taxes that would have been paid or payable had the land been valued and assessed as otherwise provided in this Constitution, in the current year and in such of the tax years immediately preceding, not in excess of 2 such years in which the land was valued as herein authorized. Such laws shall also provide for the equalization of assessments of land valued in accordance with the provisions hereof and for the assessment and collection of any additional taxes levied thereupon and shall include such other provisions as shall be necessary to carry out the provisions of this amendment. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 1 amended effective December 5, 1963. 2. Exemption from taxation may be granted only by general laws. Until otherwise provided by law all exemptions from taxation validly granted and now in existence shall be continued. Exemptions from taxation may be altered or repealed, except those exempting real and personal property used exclusively for religious, educational, charitable or cemetery purposes, as defined by law, and owned by any corporation or association organized and conducted exclusively for one or more of such purposes and not operating for profit. 3. Any citizen and resident of this State now or hereafter honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service, in time of war or other emergency as, from time to time, defined by the Legislature, in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, annually to a deduction from the amount of any tax bill for taxes on real and personal property, or both, including taxes attributable to a residential unit held by a stockholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation, in the sum of $50 or if the amount of any such tax bill shall be less than $50, to a cancellation thereof, except that the deduction or cancellation shall be $100 in tax year 2000, $150 in tax year 2001, $200 in tax year 2002 and $250 in each tax year thereafter. The deduction or cancellation shall not be altered or repealed. Any person hereinabove described who has been or shall be declared by the United States Veterans Administration, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability, shall be entitled to such further deduction from taxation as from time to time may be provided by law. The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has met or shall meet his or her death on active duty in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any such service shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deduction as from time to time may be provided by law. The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has had or shall hereafter have active service in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who died or shall die while on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or who has been or may hereafter be honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deductions as from time to time may be provided by law. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 amended effective December 2, 1999. 4. The Legislature may, from time to time, enact laws granting an annual deduction, from the amount of any tax bill for taxes on the real property, and from taxes attributable to a residential unit in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation, of any citizen and resident of this State of the age of 65 or more years, or any citizen and resident of this State less than 65 years of age who is permanently and totally disabled according to the provisions of the Federal Social Security Act, residing in a dwelling house owned by him which is a constituent part of such real property, or residing in a dwelling house owned by him which is assessed as real property but which is situated on land owned by another or others, or residing as tenant-shareholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation, but no such deduction shall be in excess of $160.00 with respect to any year prior to 1981, $200.00 per year in 1981, $225.00 per year in 1982, and $250.00 per year in 1983 and any year thereafter and such deduction shall be restricted to owners having an income not in excess of $5,000.00 per year with respect to any year prior to 1981, $8,000.00 per year in 1981, $9,000.00 per year in 1982, and $10,000.00 per year in 1983 and any year thereafter, exclusive of benefits under any one of the following: a. The Federal Social Security Act and all amendments and supplements thereto; b. Any other program of the federal government or pursuant to any other federal law which provides benefits in whole or in part in lieu of benefits referred to in, or for persons excluded from coverage under, a. hereof including but not limited to the Federal Railroad Retirement Act and federal pension, disability and retirement programs; or c. Pension, disability or retirement programs of any state or its political subdivisions, or agencies thereof, for persons not covered under a. hereof; provided, however, that the total amount of benefits to be allowed exclusion by any owner under b. or c. hereof shall not be in excess of the maximum amount of benefits payable to, and allowable for exclusion by, an owner in similar circumstances under a. hereof. The surviving spouse of a deceased citizen and resident of the State who during his or her life received a deduction pursuant to this paragraph shall be entitled, so long as he or she shall remain unmarried and a resident of the same dwelling house situated on the same land with respect to which said deduction was granted, to the same deduction, upon the same conditions, with respect to the same real property or with respect to the same dwelling house which is situated on land owned by another or others, or with respect to the same cooperative or mutual housing corporation, notwithstanding that said surviving spouse is under the age of 65 and is not permanently and totally disabled, provided that said surviving spouse is 55 years of age or older. Any such deduction when so granted by law shall be granted so that it will not be in addition to any other deduction or exemption, except a deduction granted under authority of paragraph 3 of this section, to which the said citizen and resident may be entitled, but said citizen and resident may receive in addition any homestead rebate or credit provided by law. The State shall annually reimburse each taxing district in an amount equal to one-half of the tax loss to the district resulting from the allowance of tax deductions pursuant to this paragraph. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 4 amended effective December 8, 1988. 5. The Legislature may adopt a homestead statute which entitles homeowners, residential tenants and net lease residential tenants to a rebate or a credit of a sum of money related to property taxes paid by or allocable to them at such rates and subject to such limits as may be provided by law. Such rebates or credits may include a differential rebate or credit to citizens and residents who are of the age of 65 or more years, or less than 65 years of age who are permanently and totally disabled according to the provisions of the Federal Social Security Act, or are 55 years of age or more and the surviving spouse of a deceased citizen or resident of this State who during his lifetime received, or who, upon the adoption of this amendment and the enactment of implementing legislation, would have been entitled to receive a rebate or credit related to property taxes. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 5 amended effective December 2, 1976. 6. The Legislature may enact general laws under which municipalities may adopt ordinances granting exemptions or abatements from taxation on buildings and structures in areas declared in need of rehabilitation in accordance with statutory criteria, within such municipalities and to the land comprising the premises upon which such buildings or structures are erected and which is necessary for the fair enjoyment thereof. Such exemptions shall be for limited periods of time as specified by law, but not in excess of 5 years. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 6 added effective December 4, 1975. 7. No tax shall be levied on personal incomes of individuals, estates and trusts of this State unless the entire net receipts therefrom shall be received into the treasury, placed in a perpetual fund and be annually appropriated, pursuant to formulas established from time to time by the Legislature, to the several counties, municipalities and school districts of this State exclusively for the purpose of reducing or offsetting property taxes. In no event, however, shall a tax so levied on personal incomes be levied on payments received under the federal Social Security Act, the federal Railroad Retirement Act, or any federal law which substantially reenacts the provisions of either of those laws. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 7 amended effective December 6, 1984. SECTION II [ edit ] 1. The credit of the State shall not be directly or indirectly loaned in any case. 2. No money shall be drawn from the State treasury but for appropriations made by law. All moneys for the support of the State government and for all other State purposes as far as can be ascertained or reasonably foreseen, shall be provided for in one general appropriation law covering one and the same fiscal year; except that when a change in the fiscal year is made, necessary provision may be made to effect the transition. No general appropriation law or other law appropriating money for any State purpose shall be enacted if the appropriation contained therein, together with all prior appropriations made for the same fiscal period, shall exceed the total amount of revenue on hand and anticipated which will be available to meet such appropriations during such fiscal period, as certified by the Governor. 3. The Legislature shall not, in any manner, create in any fiscal year a debt or debts, liability or liabilities of the State, which together with any previous debts or liabilities shall exceed at any time one per centum of the total amount appropriated by the general appropriation law for that fiscal year, unless the same shall be authorized by a law for some single object or work distinctly specified therein. Regardless of any limitation relating to taxation in this Constitution, such law shall provide the ways and means, exclusive of loans, to pay the interest of such debt or liability as it falls due, and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof within thirty-five years from the time it is contracted; and the law shall not be repealed until such debt or liability and the interest thereon are fully paid and discharged. Except as hereinafter provided, no such law shall take effect until it shall have been submitted to the people at a general election and approved by a majority of the legally qualified voters of the State voting thereon. No voter approval shall be required for any such law authorizing the creation of a debt or debts in a specified amount or an amount to be determined in accordance with such law for the refinancing of all or a portion of any outstanding debts or liabilities of the State heretofore or hereafter created, so long as such law shall require that the refinancing provide a debt service savings determined in a manner to be provided in such law and that the proceeds of such debt or debts and any investment income therefrom shall be applied to the payment of the principal of, any redemption premium on, and interest due and to become due on such debts or liabilities being refinanced on or prior to the redemption date or maturity date thereof, together with the costs associated with such refinancing. All money to be raised by the authority of such law shall be applied only to the specific object stated therein, and to the payment of the debt thereby created. This paragraph shall not be construed to refer to any money that has been or may be deposited with this State by the government of the United States. Nor shall anything in this paragraph contained apply to the creation of any debts or liabilities for purposes of war, or to repel invasion, or to suppress insurrection or to meet an emergency caused by disaster or act of God. Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 3 amended effective December 8, 1983. 4. There shall be credited to a special account in the General Fund: (a) for each State fiscal year commencing on and after July 1, 1999 an amount equivalent to the revenue derived from $0.09 per gallon from the tax imposed on the sale of motor fuels pursuant to chapter 39 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes; (b) for the State fiscal year in which the amendment to this paragraph is approved by the voters an amount not less than $100,000,000 derived from the State revenues collected from the tax on the gross receipts of the sale of petroleum products imposed pursuant to P.L.1990, c.42 (C.54:15B-1 et seq.) as amended and supplemented, or any other subsequent law of similar effect, and for each State fiscal year thereafter an amount not less than $200,000,000 derived from those revenues; and (c) for the State fiscal year next commencing after the amendment to this paragraph is approved by the voters an amount not less than $80,000,000 from the State revenue collected from the State tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act," pursuant to P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, or any other subsequent law of similar effect, for the State fiscal year thereafter an amount not less than $140,000,000 from those revenues, and in each State fiscal year thereafter an amount not less than $200,000,000 from those revenues; provided, however, the dedication and use of such revenues as provided in this paragraph shall be subject and subordinate to (a) all appropriations of revenues from such taxes made by laws enacted on or before December 7, 2000 in accordance with Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 3 of the State Constitution in order to provide the ways and means to pay the principal and interest on bonds of the State presently outstanding or authorized to be issued under such laws or (b) any other use of those revenues enacted into law on or before December 7, 2000. These amounts shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for the purposes of paying or financing the cost of planning, acquisition, engineering, construction, reconstruction, repair and rehabilitation of the transportation system in this State and it shall not be competent for the Legislature to borrow, appropriate or use these amounts or any part thereof for any other purpose, under any pretense whatever. Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 4 added effective December 6, 1984; amended effective December 7, 2000. 5. (a) With respect to any provision of a law enacted on and after January 17, 1996, and with respect to any rule or regulation issued pursuant to a law originally adopted after July 1, 1996, and except as otherwise provided herein, any provision of such law, or of such rule or regulation issued pursuant to a law, which is determined in accordance with this paragraph to be an unfunded mandate upon boards of education, counties, or municipalities because it does not authorize resources, other than the property tax, to offset the additional direct expenditures required for the implementation of the law or rule or regulation, shall, upon such determination cease to be mandatory in its effect and expire. A law or rule or regulation issued pursuant to a law that is determined to be an unfunded mandate shall not be considered to establish a standard of care for the purpose of civil liability. (b) The Legislature shall create by law a Council on Local Mandates. The Council shall resolve any dispute regarding whether a law or rule or regulation issued pursuant to a law constitutes an unfunded mandate. The Council shall consist of nine public members appointed as follows: four members to be appointed by the Governor; one member to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one member to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the General Assembly; and one member to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Of the members appointed by the Governor, at least two shall be appointed from a list of six willing nominees submitted by the chairman of the political party whose candidate for Governor received the second largest number of votes at the most recent gubernatorial general election. The decisions of the Council shall be political and not judicial determinations. (c) Notwithstanding anything in this paragraph to the contrary, the following categories of laws or rules or regulations issued pursuant to a law, shall not be considered unfunded mandates: (1) those which are required to comply with federal laws or rules or to meet eligibility standards for federal entitlements; (2) those which are imposed on both government and non-government entities in the same or substantially similar circumstances; (3) those which repeal, revise or ease an existing requirement or mandate or which reapportion the costs of activities between boards of education, counties, and municipalities; (4) those which stem from failure to comply with previously enacted laws or rules or regulations issued pursuant to a law; (5) those which implement the provisions of this Constitution; and (6) laws which are enacted after a public hearing, held after public notice that unfunded mandates will be considered, for which a fiscal analysis is available at the time of the public hearing and which, in addition to complying with all other constitutional requirements with regard to the enactment of laws, are passed by 3/4 affirmative vote of the members of each House of the Legislature. Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 5 added effective December 7, 1995. 6. There shall be credited annually to a special account in the General Fund an amount equivalent to 4% of the revenue annually derived from the tax imposed pursuant to the "Corporation Business Tax Act (1945)," P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, or any other State law of similar effect. The amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph shall be dedicated and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature only for the following purposes: paying or financing costs incurred by the State for the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include performing necessary operation and maintenance activities relating to remedial actions and costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge; providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom; providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge; for paying or financing the cost of water quality point and nonpoint source pollution monitoring, watershed based water resource planning and management, and nonpoint source pollution prevention projects; and for providing grants for the costs of air pollution control equipment to reduce the levels of particulate matter emissions from diesel-powered engines, and for funding for other measures to reduce human exposure to those emissions. It shall not be competent for the Legislature, under any pretense whatever, to borrow, appropriate, or use the amount credited to the special account pursuant to this paragraph, or any portion thereof, for any purpose or in any manner other than as enumerated in this paragraph. It shall not be competent for the Legislature, under any pretense whatever, to borrow, appropriate, or use the amount credited to the special account pursuant to this paragraph, or any portion thereof, for the payment of the principal or interest on any general obligation bond that was approved by the voters prior to this paragraph becoming part of this Constitution. (a) A minimum of one-sixth of the amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph, or a minimum of an amount equal to $5,000,000.00 per year, whichever is less, shall be dedicated, and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for paying or financing the cost of water quality point and nonpoint source pollution monitoring, watershed based water resource planning and management, and nonpoint source pollution prevention projects. (b) A minimum of one-third of the amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph shall be dedicated, and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom, and for providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge. Of any amount dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) but not expended prior to January 1, 2004, fifty percent of that amount shall be expended on funding for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom, and fifty percent shall be expended on funding the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, including costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge. Commencing January 1, 2004 and ending December 31, 2005, fifty percent of the moneys dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) shall be appropriated for funding the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom, and fifty percent shall be appropriated for funding the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge. Commencing January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2021, forty percent of the moneys dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) shall be appropriated for funding the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom, and sixty percent shall be appropriated for funding the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge. Commencing January 1, 2004, up to $2,000,000.00 per year, which shall be taken from the amount appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) for the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, may be expended for the costs of a State underground storage tank inspection program, which costs may include the direct but not indirect program administrative costs incurred by the State for the employment of inspectors and a compliance and enforcement staff, and the purchase of vehicles and equipment necessary for the implementation thereof. All moneys derived from repayments of any loan issued from the amount dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) shall be dedicated, and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for the purposes authorized pursuant to this subparagraph (b). The dedication of moneys derived from loan repayments shall not expire. Except for moneys that may be expended for the costs of a State underground storage tank inspection program, and except for amounts that may be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature on or after January 1, 2006, but not to exceed $1,000,000 annually, to administer programs to provide loans and grants for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, no moneys appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) may be expended on any direct or indirect administrative costs of the State or any of its departments, agencies, or authorities. Commencing January 1, 2006, funding for administrative costs for programs to provide loans and grants for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances may be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature from the amount dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) for those purposes in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 in any year. No moneys appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) may be expended on any upgrade, replacement, or closure of any underground storage tank, or for the remediation of any discharge therefrom, for any underground storage tank owned by the State or any of its departments, agencies, or authorities, or for costs incurred by the State for the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances. Commencing on January 1, 2022, the moneys dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (b) may be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature: for providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom; for providing funding, including the provision of loans or grants, for the costs of the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge; or for the costs of a State underground storage tank inspection program, in an amount up to $2,000,000.00 per year. The Legislature may appropriate after January 1, 2006, an amount not to exceed $10,000,000, of any of the amounts appropriated in any fiscal year ending before July 1, 2005, made for the purpose of the provision of loans or grants, for the upgrade, replacement, or closure of underground storage tanks that store or were used to store hazardous substances, and for the costs of remediating any discharge therefrom, and not expended for that purpose prior to the end of the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2005, for the purpose set forth in subparagraph (d) of this paragraph. (c) Commencing January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2015, a minimum of thirty-three percent of the amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph shall be dedicated, and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for paying or financing costs incurred by the State for the remediation of discharges of hazardous substances, which costs may include performing necessary operation and maintenance activities relating to remedial actions and costs incurred for providing alternative sources of public or private water supplies, when a water supply has been, or is suspected of being, contaminated by a hazardous substance discharge. Commencing January 1, 2016, a minimum of one-half of the amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph shall be dedicated for the purposes of this subparagraph (c). No moneys appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph (c) may be expended for any indirect administrative costs of the State, its departments, agencies, or authorities. No more than nine percent of the moneys annually credited pursuant to this paragraph, which shall be taken from the amount dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (c), may be expended for any direct program administrative costs of the State, its departments, agencies, or authorities. If the Legislature dedicates for the purposes of this subparagraph (c) any moneys above the minimum that is required to be dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (c), those moneys may not be expended for any direct or indirect administrative costs of the State, its departments, agencies, or authorities. (d) Commencing January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2015, a minimum of seventeen percent of the amount annually credited pursuant to this paragraph shall be dedicated, and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature, only for providing grants for the costs of air pollution control equipment to reduce the levels of particulate matter emissions from diesel-powered engines, funding for other measures to reduce human exposure to those emissions, and funding for those program administrative costs as provided in this subparagraph. No more than $1,150,000 per year of the amount dedicated pursuant to this subparagraph (d) may be expended for program administrative costs of the State, its departments, agencies, or authorities for implementing the provisions of this subparagraph (d), and for regulating particulate matter emissions from diesel-powered engines. Any amount dedicated and appropriated pursuant to this subparagraph (d) but not expended prior to January 1, 2016 shall be dedicated and may be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature for the purposes authorized in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph. Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6, added effective December 5, 1996; amended effective December 4, 2003; amended effective December 8, 2005. 7. (a) Commencing July 1, 1999, there shall be credited in each State fiscal year, until June 30, 2009, to a special account in the General Fund $98,000,000 from the State revenue annually collected from the State tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act," P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, or from any other State law of similar effect. The dedication and use of those moneys credited pursuant to this subparagraph shall be subject and subordinate to (1) all appropriations of revenues from taxes made by laws enacted prior to the effective date of this paragraph in accordance with Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 3 of the State Constitution in order to provide the ways and means to pay the principal and interest on bonds of the State presently outstanding or authorized to be issued under those laws, or (2) any other use of those revenues enacted into law prior to the effective date of this paragraph. The amount credited each State fiscal year pursuant to this subparagraph shall be dedicated and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature only to: provide funding, including loans or grants, for the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, and for historic preservation; and satisfy any payments relating to bonds, notes, or other obligations, including refunding bonds, issued by an authority or similar entity established by law to provide funding, including loans and grants, for the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, and for historic preservation. (b) Commencing July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2029, there shall be credited in each State fiscal year to a special account in the General Fund from the State revenue annually collected from the State tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act," P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, or from any other State law of similar effect, the lesser of $98,000,000 or the amount necessary in each State fiscal year to satisfy any payments relating to bonds, notes, or other obligations, including refunding bonds, issued by an authority or similar entity established by law to provide funding, including loans and grants, for the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, and for historic preservation. The dedication and use of those moneys credited pursuant to this subparagraph shall be subject and subordinate to (1) all appropriations of revenues from taxes made by laws enacted prior to the effective date of this paragraph in accordance with Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 3 of the State Constitution in order to provide the ways and means to pay the principal and interest on bonds of the State presently outstanding or authorized to be issued under those laws, or (2) any other use of those revenues enacted into law prior to the effective date of this paragraph. The amount credited each State fiscal year pursuant to this subparagraph shall be dedicated and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature only to satisfy any payments relating to bonds, notes, or other obligations, including refunding bonds, issued by an authority or similar entity established by law to provide funding, including loans and grants, for the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, and for historic preservation. (c) Moneys credited to the special account pursuant to this paragraph shall not be used for (1) payments related to bonds, notes, or other obligations which in aggregate principal amount exceed $1,150,000,000 plus costs of issuance; or (2) payments relating to bonds, notes, or other obligations, except refunding bonds, issued after June 30, 2009. (d) The authority or similar entity established by law as described in this paragraph shall consist of members appointed by the Governor and of members appointed by the Legislature. (e) All moneys derived from repayments of any loan issued from the amounts dedicated pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, and all income derived from the investment of moneys in the special account established pursuant to this paragraph, shall be credited to that special account, and shall be dedicated and shall be appropriated from time to time by the Legislature only for the purpose of providing funding, including loans or grants, for the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, and for historic preservation. Notwithstanding any provision of this paragraph to the contrary, the dedication of moneys derived from loan repayments and investments shall not expire. (f) It shall not be competent for the Legislature, under any pretense whatever, to borrow, appropriate, or use the amounts credited to the special account established pursuant to this paragraph, or any portion thereof, for any purpose or in any manner other than as enumerated in this paragraph. Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 7 added effective December 3, 1998; amended effective December 4, 2003. SECTION III [ edit ] 1. The clearance, replanning, development or redevelopment of blighted areas shall be a public purpose and public use, for which private property may be taken or acquired. Municipal, public or private corporations may be authorized by law to undertake such clearance, replanning, development or redevelopment; and improvements made for these purposes and uses, or for any of them, may be exempted from taxation, in whole or in part, for a limited period of time during which the profits of and dividends payable by any private corporation enjoying such tax exemption shall be limited by law. The conditions of use, ownership, management and control of such improvements shall be regulated by law. 2. No county, city, borough, town, township or village shall hereafter give any money or property, or loan its money or credit, to or in aid of any individual, association or corporation, or become security for, or be directly or indirectly the owner of, any stock or bonds of any association or corporation. 3. No donation of land or appropriation of money shall be made by the State or any county or municipal corporation to or for the use of any society, association or corporation whatever. SECTION IV [ edit ] 1. The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years. 2. The fund for the support of free public schools, and all money, stock and other property, which may hereafter be appropriated for that purpose, or received into the treasury under the provisions of any law heretofore passed to augment the said fund, shall be securely invested, and remain a perpetual fund; and the income thereof, except so much as it may be judged expedient to apply to an increase of the capital, shall be annually appropriated to the support of free public schools, and for the equal benefit of all the people of the State; and it shall not be competent, except as hereinafter provided, for the Legislature to borrow, appropriate or use the said fund or any part thereof for any other purpose, under any pretense whatever. The bonds of any school district of this State, issued according to law, shall be proper and secure investments for the said fund and, in addition, said fund, including the income therefrom and any other moneys duly appropriated to the support of free public schools may be used in such manner as the Legislature may provide by law to secure the payment of the principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued for school purposes by counties, municipalities or school districts or for the payment or purchase of any such bonds or notes or any claims for interest thereon. Article VIII, Section IV, paragraph 2 amended effective December 4, 1958. 3. The Legislature may, within reasonable limitations as to distance to be prescribed, provide for the transportation of children within the ages of five to eighteen years inclusive to and from any school. SECTION V [ edit ] 1. No lands that were formerly tidal flowed, but which have not been tidal flowed at any time for a period of 40 years, shall be deemed riparian lands, or lands subject to a riparian claim, and the passage of that period shall be a good and sufficient bar to any such claim, unless during that period the State has specifically defined and asserted such a claim pursuant to law. This section shall apply to lands which have not been tidal flowed at any time during the 40 years immediately preceding adoption of this amendment with respect to any claim not specifically defined and asserted by the State within 1 year of the adoption of this amendment. Article VIII, Section V, paragraph 1 added effective December 3, 1981.