The meaning of "options" in New Jersey Covid19 response

One item that is not getting a lot of press in New Jersey is the property tax deadline of May 1, which may be extended to May 10. On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, Governor Murphy gave municipalities the OPTION of extending the deadline to June:


Murphy approves delay in property-tax deadline

New Jersey municipalities have the option of extending the payment deadline for second-quarter property taxes from May 1 to June 1 under an executive order that Gov. Phil Murphy signed Tuesday.

The move comes as more than 850,000 residents have applied for unemployment benefits during a coronavirus-induced economic downturn.

The executive order temporarily supersedes existing law, which allows towns to offer a grace period of up to 10 days.



As of May 4, a number of municipalities have not given residents a firm statement of whether or not they are exercising their option to extend the deadline.

Separately, counties had the option of opening county parks at sunrise on May 2, 2020. One park that was not opened was the Der Goot Rose Garden in Somerset County:

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From https://patch.com/new-jersey/bridgewater/heading-somerset-county-parks-heres-whats-open-closed :

Somerset County's reopening followed Gov. Phil Murphy's announcement on Tuesday saying he is reopening state parks and allowing golf courses to reopen with statewide restrictions.


However, he left it up to the local counties' discretion whether they plan to reopen.

Of the garden itself

https://www.somersetcountyparks.org/parksFacilities/colonial/RoseGarden.html

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Of New Jersey's fiscal health generally

See New Jersey losing billions

AND from the Newark Star-Ledger on 3 May 2020