Last year 24th District Republicans: State Senator Steve Oroho, Assemblymen Hal Wirths and Parker Space proposed creating a 'Rural Enterprise Zone" in all of Sussex County and northern Warren County. Yesterday, their proposal received key support from two leaders of the Democratic Party. State Senate President Steve Sweeney and 5th District Congressman Josh Gottheimer held a joint press conference with Oroho and Wirths to announce their support for a "Highlands Enterprise Zone. Since the Highlands Act of 2004 limited development in northwest New Jersey to protect the water supply for the rest of northern New Jersey. There hasn't been much done to protect the economic base of Sussex and Northern Warren Counties. Creation of a Highlands Enterprise Zone would lower the sales tax in all of Sussex County and Northern Warren County from 6.6 to 4.3 percent. Another 1 percent of the remaining sales taxes paid would be returned to local communities to help keep property taxes stable. Governor Murphy has not weighed in on the idea yet. The lower sales tax would be about 2.3 cents on every $1.00 purchase. Which doesn't sound like much but adds up. For example, the overall purchase price of a $30,000.00 vehicle would be reduced by almost $700.00.
Source: New Jersey Herald