40:54D-2. Findings, determinations relative to tourism improvement and development

2. The Legislature finds and determines:

a. The State of New Jersey contains many unique natural, recreational, and economic resources that are enjoyed not only by the citizens of the State but also by millions of visitors from all over the United States and the world, which in turn results in a multi-billion dollar tourism industry that is crucial to the economic well-being of the State.

b. The provision of appropriate public facilities and improvements necessary to promote and sustain tourism is especially difficult for public entities located in sixth class counties of this State. In those counties a relatively small permanent population combines with a relative lack of a diversification in the economic base to present special obstacles for public entities which seek to undertake and fund tourism facilities and improvements without damaging the economic prosperity of the locality by imposing onerous taxes on permanent residents or businesses.

c. The creation of tourism improvement and development districts may assist municipalities in those counties in promoting economic growth and employment related to a tourism-economy and that municipalities in counties of the sixth class should be encouraged to create tourism improvement and development districts to finance the acquisition, maintenance, operation and support of convention center facilities and to promote tourism in order to enhance the local tourism business climates.

d. It is in the public interest to encourage these municipalities in counties of the sixth class to seek regional solutions to common problems related to economic prosperity of this State, and to enhance the prosperity of those municipalities by the adoption of appropriate ordinances to assess, levy and collect taxes upon receipts from certain sales and services, and to impose certain municipal fees. These special public finance measures which are not generally available to other local units of the State, are appropriate to address the particular economic conditions of sixth class counties, and are not necessary or appropriate in areas with a larger population base and more diversified economic structure, which are not so heavily affected by the seasonal fluctuations of a tourism based economy.

e. The extension of the tourism development fees provided by the amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.2002, c.72 is intended to serve as a tool for the tourism improvement and development authority to attract visitors and tourists to the State. The municipalities that constitute the tourism improvement and development district will establish the amounts of the fees, in their sole discretion, with no fee schedule set by the State.

L.1992,c.165,s.2; amended 2002, c.72, s.1.