Tax Increases – Reducing cost of government versus Band-Aid approaches Bayshore Courier News Posted:06/03/10
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New Jersey - Assembly Republicans Domenick DiCicco and Declan O'Scanlon, sponsors of proposals to cap property taxes and state government spending, said today that the Legislature should be working on proposals that will make New Jersey affordable again, instead of continuing to play political games and voting on legislation that would raise taxes for the 116th time since 2001.
"The public has no more tolerance for tax increases and elected officials who are more concerned with putting on a show for their next television commercial than working on the enormous task at hand," DiCicco, R-Gloucester and Camden, said. "They want us to fix government spending, not reconsider another disastrous tax that will cost our state more jobs and add to our national-worst tax burden.
"Instead of force-feeding another tax hike that has been clearly rejected, we should consider legislation that will allow voters to decide whether we should firmly cap property taxes and state government spending," DiCicco added.
DiCicco and O'Scanlon sponsor A-130 and A-131, related measures that would place questions on November's ballot allowing voters to decide whether property taxes and state government spending should be capped at 2.5 percent annually. Cap 2.5 is the cornerstone proposal of Governor Christie's comprehensive plan to reform government spending and make New Jersey affordable and economically competitive again.
Democratic leaders who control the Legislature haven't scheduled a vote for either measure even though they must be approved next month to meet ballot deadlines for November.
"Our government is in a crisis that threatens our future and people's ability to live in the state they love," O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth and Mercer, said. "We can no longer drag our feet, play the same tired political games and chase the same failed fiscal policies. People are hurting and want us to get to work fixing a government that has been broken by unsustainable spending and endless tax increases.
"Repeating a vote on a job-killing tax will only show who wants to keep New Jersey sinking and who wants to lift it toward a better direction," O'Scanlon added.
DiCicco noted that delaying action on the cap proposals would mean another year without a permanent fix for the nation's highest property taxes.
"For the last eight years, the Democratic solution to property taxes has been Band-Aid approaches and an assault on the taxpayer. Now, Democratic legislators want to keep attacking and dividing the state for political gain," DiCicco said. "The people of New Jersey are too smart for this gamesmanship and deserve better from their elected officials.
"These caps have proven to be a permanent fix by taking away power from politicians to spend tax dollars without control and giving it to the voters," DiCicco added. "The people deserve a vote on this permanent solution to our burdensome property taxes and Democratic leaders should not take this decision away from them in their pursuit of political games," DiCicco added.
