TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Susan Bass Levin today announced the award of a $250,000 COUNT Grant, which will benefit the Somerset County Business Partnership.

“Sharing services is an integral part of increasing government efficiency as well as a vital component of Governor Corzine's property tax reform plan,” said Commissioner Levin. “The Somerset County Business Partnership is a great example of how sharing services can lead to efficient local services at lower costs to tax payers.”

Somerset County Business Partnership will receive $50,000 this year and $100,000 in 2007 and 2008. The grant will allow the Partnership to expand its role in planning and facilitating a new level of shared service initiatives among the Somerset County Administration, the county’s 21 municipalities and 19 school districts, the County Vocational & Technical School and Raritan Valley Community College.

COUNT Grants offer state financial assistance to help county governments facilitate, study, develop, or establish new shared and regional services. The program is designed to support county-developed initiatives to meet the shared service needs of the county and its constituents.

Somerset County is the fourth county to participate in the program.

More information on the COUNT program can be obtained by calling 609-984-7764, or by going online at www.nj.gov/dca/lgs/.