The Center for Government Services offers a variety of resources and publications to its students and to the community.

Course Manuals & study guides

For descriptions of course materials and to order copies, please visit the program page of interest.

Research Papers

For ordering information, please email Mary Jean Lush at mjlush@docs.rutgers.edu

Municipal Charter Revision in New Jersey: An Inventory of Change, 1950-2015 

Occasional Paper Series #7

The purpose of this publication is to provide an inventory of all of the actions taken locally under the provisions of the Optional Municipal Charter Law of 1950 (OMCL) to change the organization of New Jersey municipal governments. While over 350 actions have been identified and cataloged, the Inventory is not complete. Users are invited to forward additional information on actions under the OMCL to the author, so that the Inventory can be made more comprehensive. Information on recent actions is particularly desirable.

Cooperative Purchasing in New Jersey: A Case Study on Regionalization (2000)-- No Fee

Occasional Paper Series #9

Cooperative purchasing was initiated in New Jersey with the passage of legislation in 1979. The types of cooperative purchasing agreements include Cooperative Pricing, Commodity Resale and Joint Purchasing. These agreements result in lower prices for products purchased and less resources required to conduct bidding processes. In New Jersey, 71% of municipalities, 75% of school districts, and 81% of counties participate in cooperative purchasing agreements. This study analyzes cooperative purchasing systems and offers several recommendations.

Cost Impact of School District Creation and Consolidation in New Jersey (1995)-- No Fee

Occasional Paper Series #3

This paper evaluates the expenditure experience of 43 groups of school districts which, between 1955 and 1982, joined to created new limited purpose regional high school districts and six groups of school districts which consolidated into all-purpose K-12 regional districts during the same period. The paper suggests the cost savings which might be achieved through the consolidation of limited purpose regional districts into all-purpose districts. (The paper's author is Dr. Ernest C. Reock, Jr., Professor Emeritus at Rutgers.)

Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey--- No Fee

Years: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012

The inventory shows for each New Jersey municipality the type, county, 2000 estimated population, area, density, form of government, number of elected officials, elections from wards or at-large, governing body terms of office, whether the elections are partisan or nonpartisan, and whether the voters have the power of initiative or referendum. Municipal data are presented in two ways: alphabetically by county and by population size within each form of government.

Redistricting New Jersey after the Census of 2010 (2008)-- No Fee

Occasional Paper Series #10

This occasional paper describes the procedures to be used and forecasts in general terms the probable changes which will be made after the Census of 2010 in Congressional districts, state Legislative districts, county freeholder districts, municipal wards, regional school board membership, and local election districts.

Property Tax Determinants: New Research

In his paper, "Determinants of Property Tax Burden in New Jersey - 2013," Dr. Ernest C.Reock, Jr. offers a methodology for identifying the causes of the relative tax burden in cities and towns - causes that often reach beyond municipal and school expenditures to county and state levels of taxation and funding. He specifically looks at 2013 in comparison to 2008 to identify statewide changes, such as declining property values, which had a profound impact on property tax burdens across New Jersey.

Download the research in PDF format here or request a hard copy.

Municipal Charter Studies

The Center for Government Services provides assistance to municipal charter study commissions, municipal officials, and citizen groups considering a change in their form of municipal government. Staff members of the Center will respond to telephone or e-mail inquiries and, within the limits of available time, will meet with local officials and organizations. For further information, call 848-932-4738. Documents available from the Center may be accessed below.

New Jersey Data Book

The Dr. Ernest C. Reock, Jr. New Jersey Data Book is a free data tool that provides users with fast, easy access to a variety of statistics and information about New Jersey.

To learn more, visit njdatabook.rutgers.edu.