DCA Awards $98,050 Count Grant to Passaic County
Grants to Help County Conduct Shared Services Program


TRENTON - New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Acting Commissioner Charles A. Richman today announced the award of a $98,050 COUNT grant to the Passaic County Improvement Authority. COUNT grants are part of DCA's Sharing Available Resources Efficiently (SHARE) Grant program.

"Governor Corzine has continually stressed how sharing services can reduce property taxes and create greater efficiencies in local government for New Jersey residents,"said Acting Commissioner Richman. "Passaic County should be commended for their effort to drive down the cost of local government."

The one-year COUNT Grant will be used to hire a consultant firm to conduct the County's shared service program. The County has executed an interlocal agreement with the Improvement Authority to operate the program on its behalf.

COUNT Grants offer state financial assistance to help county governments and eligible non-profit organizations facilitate, study, develop, or establish new shared and regional services. The program is designed to encourage greater use of shared services by counties and local units to reduce the costs of local government services. The efficiencies possible through shared efforts can reduce the local property taxes required to fund local services.

DCA's SHARE program provides assistance for the study or implementation of any regional service agreement, or for the coordination of programs and services authorized under the Uniform Shared Service and Consolidation Act. DCA has awarded nearly $4.8 million through COUNT grants to 17 counties. Overall, DCA has awarded $10.9 million through 179 SHARE Grants (including COUNT grants) since the program's inception in 2005.

For more information on the SHARE program, call 609-984-7764, or log on to www.nj.gov/dca/lgs/.


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