Column: Who Wouldn't Want a Tax Cut?
The bigger question: How would New Jersey pay for it?
Photos
In his State of the State message last week, Gov. Chris Christie proposed cutting income taxes 10 percent across the board for all New Jerseyans.
What great news! Who wouldn’t want a tax cut?
The average Morris County household, with a taxable income of $96,950, would eventually pay $402 less in taxes under Christie's proposal. The cut would amount to $118 in Passaic on $45,527 in income, and $210 in Sussex on $64,197.
Those are the figures for the eventual annual savings after three years, when the full cut takes effect. The typical Morris household, then, could expect about a $134 windfall (a cup of coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or so a week) next year if the cut is approved, which is a big if at the moment.
The full 10-percent cut would buy about nine tanks of gas at current prices, depending on the size of the car. Two weeks of groceries for a family of four with teenage boys. Or a new flat screen TV, though not a big one.
To Republicans, it's an economy booster: Give people more money and it'll trickle down.
“The governor does not buy into the ‘Robin Hood’ economics of some legislators, but he clearly understands that our economy will improve by cutting taxes responsibly.” said Assemblyman Gary Chiusano, R-Sussex and Morris, and a member of the Assembly’s budget committee. He noted Christie twice vetoed Democratic attempts at renewing the recently expired tax on millionaires.
To Democrats, the governor’s proposal is unfair.
A graduated income tax is widely viewed as the most equitable because it is based on one's ability to pay. The Dems would rather see tax relief provided in a similar way.
But this cut would give a much smaller benefit, both in dollars and proportionally, to the lowest-income residents.
According to statistics from the Assembly Democratic office, a taxpayer with $30,000 in income would pay about $46 less in taxes under Christie’s proposal. Do the math and it works out to be .15 percent of income.
But someone with $250,000 would get .48 percent of income in savings, or $1,188, from a 10 percent tax cut.
According to the most recent Statistics of Income report by the state treasurer’s office, which includes data for 2009, more than a third of Morris County income tax returns had gross incomes of $30,000 or less, while 11 percent were totaled $200,000 or more.
“The governor’s math is seriously flawed,” declared Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, D-Hudson and the new chair of that house’s budget panel. “The governor continues on his crusade to further enrich millionaires, while ignoring his obligation to the residents who are in most need of our assistance.”
But millionaires—numbering more than 1,500 in Morris in 2009—won’t stand for higher taxes, the GOP contends.
The state treasurer’s office last fall released a report that found “small but significant” effects of different marginal tax rates on moving patterns.
Extrapolating, it estimated 20,000 taxpayers and $2.5 billion in annual income left New Jersey following tax rate increases in 2003 and the “millionaires’ tax” in 2004.
Of course, other studies have contradicted that, saying people move mostly due to jobs and the weather.
Democratic leaders have agreed to review Christie’s proposal and are particularly interested in learning where the money will come from to pay for the tax cuts.
That’s a very good question that the governor has yet to answer. He hasn’t even disclosed the cost.
His current budget anticipates $11.1 billion from the income tax. That mean a 10 percent tax cut would cost $1.1 billion. And shortly after Christie’s announcement, his treasurer’s latest revenue estimates put the state $325 million below what New Jersey had anticipated for the first six months of the year.
So those who think the tax cut is a good idea should explain how the state will pay for it.
Colleen O'Dea is a writer, editor, researcher, data analyst, web page designer and mapper with almost three decades in the news business. Her column appears Mondays.
This column appears on Patch sites serving communities in Morris County. Comments below may be by readers of any of those sites.
Jo
7:36 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
The Republicans keep making the same claim - that tax cuts across the board are best for the economy, and spending will "trickle down". With the Bush tax cuts, it didn't happen, and it isn't happening now. Yet, Christie parrots the same old lies. The math clearly shows this is not an equitable solution. Yet, many gullible taxpayers swallow it whole. I can only surmise that it is total greed that drives their thinking. Why else do they ignore the truth?
V
8:58 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Newsflash for socialist dopes: if you think you must "help the poor", put your money where your mouth is. IRS donation account will be happy to hear from you.
Chris Christie / Scott Walker '2020
Denobin
9:37 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
You're ignoring the fact that as a society, we all have an obligation to support the country; not just those who "choose" to volunteer.
V
9:50 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> You're ignoring the fact that as a society, we all have an obligation to support
>> the country; not just those who "choose" to volunteer.
Support the country, yes. Support the freeloaders? No, thank you.
Brady
11:37 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max, I am curious to know which services are used by "free loaders"? Are there any social services that you agree with keeping?
V
11:43 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> Max, I am curious to know which services are used by "free loaders"? Are there
>> any social services that you agree with keeping?
Let's start with tax refunds for people who pay no taxes at all. Do you refer to it as "service"? As for social services that should be kept, they are perfectly outlined in that dusty but still "living and breathing" document called "The Constitution". Look up Section 8.
Brady
12:09 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
You don't have much of an argument with your comments so I have to assume you either don't know which services to cut, what services the government actually provides or do not actually know what socialism is.
If a person was a true "free loader" they would not have any income and there fore would not be eligible for the EITC. So your argument that you would start there is false in it's entirety.
V
12:23 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> You don't have much of an argument with your comments so
>> I have to assume you either don't know which services to cut,
>> what services the government actually provides or do not
>> actually know what socialism is.
I presume you didn't bother to peruse the Constitution text. It names all services that the government is responsible for. Everything else is buying your vote with my money.
>> If a person was a true "free loader" they would not have any income
>> and there fore would not be eligible for the EITC. So your argument
>> that you would start there is false in it's entirety.
Sigh. You cannot possibly be THAT much misinformed. Ever heard of "child credit"?
Brady
12:25 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max, further notes about Art.1 Sec 8 of the Constitution...
Curious if you disagree with the Supreme Court in their 1937 decision that Congress has the right to provide for the welfare of the United States?
And if your argument is that the exact program has to be listed in Art 1 Sec 8 for the US to have a right to support that program, then I ask you if you support the United States Air Force. There is a line for the Army and one for the Navy, but no specific mention of the Air Force.
Brady
12:35 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max, maybe some of my confusion is in your definition of a "free loader". I assumed (maybe incorrectly) that you meant someone with no income that is trying to live off the system.
Can you offer a more definitive definition of a "free loader" so I know just who you are trying to criticize. If you could offer as close to an exact person as possible I'd appreciate it. Any one can just assume that there has to be someone out there sponging off the system.
Let's try to have this discussion with facts, not opinions and innuendos.
V
12:37 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Air Force is part of the Army. Last time I checked, their chain of command starts in the White House. Now, I'm surprised you didn't bring up the Post Office, which happens to be a constitutionally permitted governmental albatross of considerable size. :)
As for 1937, the verdict was a result of FDR raping the Supreme Court's independence. Under that threat, they would proclaim him Emperor if he asked.
V
12:45 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Gladly. A "freeloader" is a person who directly receives money, or their material equivalent, from the government in the amount exceeding his or her income tax contribution. The amount received does not include shared services, e.g. common defense, courts, public roads, or national parks.
Brady
1:02 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
So just to start you would get rid of Unemployment, Medicaid, Social Security, most Pell Grants.
Just to clarify some facts. The average AGI for all Americans in 2010 was $33,048. Even if you assume that every person filed as a single and with zero deductions their tax payment would be $4,529.
For the same year, 2010, the average American received over $4,731 (based on Utahs rate, the lowest of all 50 States) of government assisted aid.
By your definition almost every American is a free loader. Almost every American receives more aid from the United States than they pay in taxes. Probably you included.
V
1:23 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
I would like to inform you of a fact well known in conservative circles: 47% of American citizens pay no income taxes at all. It's an official IRS data that coordinates well with the numbers you list. Yes, the number of freeloaders is THAT high, and growing yearly, but it's not "almost everyone" as your post says.
I'll give you an idea of what's to come. As the percentage grows, so will tax burden for those "producers" who still pay rather than receive. When the remaining income is equal to the public dole, "producers" will cease working, increasing the burden for the remaining few. Eventually, nobody will be working except what government declares as "vital services", which will be paid with the deficit spending and/or money emission. That's exactly what is defined as socialism.
V
1:36 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> So just to start you would get rid of Unemployment, Medicaid,
>> Social Security, most Pell Grants.
Sorry, almost missed. I wonder if you intentionally listed the most popular programs, skipping Obamacare, Cash for Clunkers, TSA, and other recent additions. :)
1) Unemployment should not be the state's business, but that for private industry. If you want to be covered, take an insurance - that's how it works in every other area. If someone's skills are not required in the marketplace, so be it.
2) Medicaid should not exist, period. It was a blatant vote-buying measure that should be winded down and then eliminated before our healthcare system crashes. Aided by outdated EMTALA law, it's the primary booster of healthcare prices.
3) Social Security is designed as a Ponzi scheme (look the term up) that will crash in a decade unless retirement age is brought in accord with modern expectations. It didn't help that generations of politicians raided the SS fund, too.
4) Pell grants is a ridiculous attempt of unconstitutional vote-buying social engineering. Have you ever tried to apply for them? Better be an urban minority. The sooner they're ended, the better.
Brady
1:43 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
What you seem to fail to realize is that many more people receive aid than you probably think (you probably receive more aid than you think).
ALL of these are government assistance programs - College loans and grants, crop and live stock insurance, disability resources, disaster assistance for victims, farm ownership operating loans and subsidies, federal retiree benefits, government grants, home loans through FHA, home rental assistance, small business loans, loans for agriculture, disaster relief, education or housing, medicaid, medicare, rural development loans, social security, student grants for overseas, unemployment insurance.
I think discussion has gotten a little off the original intent of the article. You can keep your opinion that you don't want to support "free loaders" but I would continue to argue that there is a vast majority of Americans that receive more benefits than they pay in income tax. And I'd also argue that we are a better society because of it.
V
1:48 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Brady, for someone to receive a benefit, someone else will have to pay for it. That's the fact of hard math that no political opinion can deny. It means that someone has to work more without receiving a payment. You know the name for people who work without being paid? Yeah, THAT.
Natalie Davis
9:25 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max, with all respect due, is it absolutely necessary for you to insult people who hold differing views? We want everyone to feel free to express themselves without feeling attacked. Leading with namecalling only deters people from participating. You then can't learn anything from them and they miss out on an opportunity to learn anything from you. Kindness--and attacking ideas, not people--is the best way to make this commenting work for everyone. Thanks, Max, I appreciate you and everyone taking this to heart.
V
9:37 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
Natalie, socialism has devastated two countries of which I was a citizen prior to the US. For people who believe it will work here, "dope" is a compliment.
Julia Peterson
9:26 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
I am waiting for political leaders who are willing to state the obvious: taxes pay for services : roads and highways , schools, public universities and community colleges, public parks, public transportation, infrastructure. These are things that most of us can't pay for by ourselves. Much of the tax burden pays for people's salaries: teachers, police, firefighters, hospitals, ..... So what is going to be cut, if taxes are cut?
Denobin
9:43 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
@Max: Paying taxes to build infrastructure and provide services is not socialist; it is how this country was built to the greatest in the world and how we will maintain that position. If you perceive that we are living in a socialist state then I'd say that "dope" is probaly too weak an expression. How about "willfully ignorant"?
V
10:00 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> Paying taxes to build infrastructure and provide services is not
>> socialist; it is how this country was built to the greatest in the world
>> and how we will maintain that position.
The country was doing just fine before income tax existed. Providing "services" is how the country ended up being the greatest DEBTOR in the world. We spend too much - and FYI, outrageous public sector salaries and benefits are neither "services" nor "infrastructure".
wt-taxpayer
9:48 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
The biggest issue facing people in this state are property taxes. We pay more in PROPERTY TAXES than ANY other state in the country. It is the single biggest factor for families that cause people to have to leave the state. Morris county residents typically stay here to raise their kids and then leave once they retire. (Unless they are fortunate to have a decent pension - usually from a public-sector job.) This causes a fractional society and is unsustainable on the backs of average income earners. The social implications of separating families should also be considered - so many have to leave to less expensive states - its really a shame. It also means less interest in creating a social 'investment' in the area - because of the transient nature of the majority of the population. I really wish the focus would be on creating a sustainable way to manage property taxes.
Denobin
9:59 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
@Max: Pray that someday circumstances do not force you to count yourself among those you label "freeloaders", and that those more fortunate don't choose to show you the same level of compassion and blindly lump you into that catagory. Just sayin...
V
10:03 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> Pray that someday circumstances do not force you to count yourself
>> among those you label "freeloaders", and that those more fortunate
>> don't choose to show you the same level of compassion and blindly
>> lump you into that catagory.
Your concern is truly touching. Since God has blessed me with a brain, I'll rather buy insurance and keep a rain day fund, and reserve prayer for more important causes.
Denobin
10:12 am on Monday, January 23, 2012
@Max: So those who have fallen on hard times or cannot afford insurance have no brain? Well, good for you. You must be charmed, lack of compassion notwithstanding.
Peace.
joe
12:01 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Lets all hope this idiot max goes back to one of the countries he came from..But they dont want him and thats why he is here. You are the only dope on this site Max.
V
12:02 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
>> Lets all hope this idiot max goes back to one of the countries he
>> came from..But they dont want him and thats why he is here. You
>> are the only dope on this site Max.
Natalie Davis, where is your outrageous outrage? Reserved for people you don't agree with?
james
12:08 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max is just a miserable human being! Anytime someone disagrees with him he resorts to name calling. It explains why he loves the governor. Peas in a pod.
Natalie Davis
12:08 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max, I am in a meeting and just saw this.
You don't know that I disagree with you. All you know is that 1) I am not sitting reading this thread all day because I have other work to do and 2) I disagree with people attacking people, which includes people attacking you. And your answer is to attack me and cast aspersions on my character? Stop it.
Not cool, Joe.
And, for everyone, "dope," whatever one's view, is not a compliment.
Everyone, be kind of Max and to one another. Please. Attack ideas, but not people.
Jo
7:26 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Natalie. I thank you for inserting that reminder "Attack ideas, but not people". If anyone hopes to succeed in having their views heard and accepted, this is step 1. Even the "good guys" need to remember this.
V
12:16 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Natalie: I originally assumed that the article is yours but now I see it's penned by Colleen O'Dea. I definitely know HER political preferences, but I do not know yours. For that mistake, I owe you an apology.
As for attacking ideas, how can one argue with these "joes" and "jameses"? They don't seem to express any.
james
12:24 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Good boy Maxie!
Dan Grant
1:25 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max's view of America is obviously shaped by the Countries he claims to have come from. It is not an historically American view. Most of us understand that some services will be needed and we have to pay for them. Max for example. He has children in public school according to him and unless he is paying $30,000 in property taxes than he himself is one of those "Freeloaders" he complains about.
V
1:42 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
So says the professional public fund leech living on a dole. This argument was debunked many times but Dan keeps forgetting; it happens in his mushy age. That's why there's such a nice boot print on his rear, courtesy of Montville voters. As soon as I get back 70% of my property taxes and 20% of my state taxes, I'll stop burdening the school system with my children anymore.
james
1:55 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
There goes the name calling again! So classy.
Sir
2:53 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Let's start by replacing the food stamp president. Enough of the handouts.
Dan Grant
4:11 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max your total tax bill didn't pay for half of your childrens education. Under your idea you owe us a lot of money. Plus you still get all the municipal services.
V
4:14 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Have you read my response, Dan? Forgot how to?
james
4:16 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Ooooh good one Max! You're so clever!
Lurky Loo
4:40 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
I for one am solely dependent upon other people working for me to work so I am all for this much needed tax break. People keep screaming that we don't pay enough in taxes, but what about the other states they do NOT charge state tax at all?? Are those people paying enough? We pay some of the highest takes in the country and your telling me that I do not deserve this? Speak for yourself! If you don't want the tax break then send it to the IRS or choose to buy a homeless person a meal or a room on a cold night, but do not dare ever say that I don't deserve to keep more of my money that I worked at least 2 jobs for!! I'd like to know how fair it is that people who are on unemployment go out and get jobs under the table or work just under the required hours just to continue collecting! I'd like to know how fair it is that welfare recipients continue to have babies for the added handouts! People need to start taking responsibility for themselves and we need programs to get these people on and off as quickly as possible because we can't afford to become another Greece! People need to get off their ass and off the "what are you gonna give me" train and be a productive part of society and off the system. I deserve the money I earn and so do you! Just because someone is smarter and better than you at making money doesn't mean you can just take it! They pay taxes too and those people with money tend to create businesses that hire people like me!
John
4:43 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Max you are responding to an article about state taxes quoting section 8 of the US constitution. Maybe, you should be quoting the NJ constitution as I beleive the arguement is that if it isn't stated in the US constitution it is the right of the states.
V
5:01 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
John, you're right. I'll grant you that, unemployment fund is indeed in the Constitution, which surprised me. However, I couldn't find anything about college grants for underprivileged minorities, paid lifetime healthcare for state employees, or prevailing wages for shoddy road repair. Maybe these should be disposed of, you know, to pay for the tax cuts?
james
5:05 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
State employees don't get paid benefits
RetiredOF
7:17 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
We need to cut property taxes, not the income tax which primarily benefits the high-rollers.
Sir
7:42 pm on Monday, January 23, 2012
Its one in the same - people who earn more usually live in homes that are more expensive - meaning higher property bill and ultimately pay more into the system in property taxes. So a reduction of property taxes will also benefit the "wealthy". Let me guess, that's not fair also? Maybe we should charge the wealthy more for gas, food, electricity? Perhaps restaurants should require patron's to show a W-2 and those that earn more than $200k should pay a 25% tax on their food because it will help bring the cost down for everyone else's meal? Come on - enough with the redistribution of wealth.
John
5:35 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The income disparity is not caused by tax policy but by the unending war on unions. The funny thing is that a people like me who have never been union fans have supported this attack. The outcome is lower wages for everyone union and non union and the difference is kept by the top 1% therefore the disparity. As a country based on consumerism we need to reverse this trend to put more disposable income in the hands of the 99% which will increase consumer purchases, tax revenue and the general economy. It is the trickle up theroy and worked great for many years. Higher disposable wages, greater spenind more revenue for businesses and government mean higher profits for everyone except Wall Street.
V
7:23 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Public union salaries are the reason we're in such doodoo. Who do you think pays them, space aliens? Whatever they make, others have to be taxed for.
LV Taxpayer
7:12 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What needs to be cut are the number of public workers.
Those who remain should be paid based on merit AND their salaries and bene's should be in line with the private sector.
What we REALLY need is property tax reductions rather than income tax reductions.
Jo
7:46 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
New Jersey taxpayers earn some of the highest salaries in the country. We have many more services than most. We live in a highly desirable part of the country. Yet all you hear is complaints. We rate high in many different poll categories e.g. our children test higher than most. I don't mind paying taxes, and am grateful that I can afford to, but I don't like tax money wasted on programs that are inefficient and/or poorly supervised. There is room for improvement; there always is. I wish that when governors first come into office, they would approach state programs with a scalpel, not with an axe. In most cases, the existing programs were established after popular demand and policy deliberation. Too bad responders to this Patch poll spent so much of their effort trying to get thru Max's thick skin. He's all for his "country", yet shows little compassion for anyone less fortunate than he. Sorry, Max. For me, the flag I have hanging outside my window stands for United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
V
8:45 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
>> For me, the flag I have hanging outside my window stands for United
>> We Stand, Divided We Fall.
We might be flying different flags, then. Mine says "Do not tread on me." :)
Anyway, I don't think Christie took anything resembling an axe to the state programs, even if we wanted to. He didn't destroy COAH, failed to defang Abbott court, and is yet to create a network of charter schools as was his promise. Even with Democrat-controlled legislature, he could have achieved more. Perhaps he should learn from Obama how to urinate on the Congress and call it rain.
Chris D.
9:05 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
As someone coming to NJ from a different state, I think it is worth pointing out something that you may not realize...if you've lived here a long time or all of your life...NJ HAS WAY TOO MANY MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS!!!
Every single town or borough has their own publicly financed administration and bureaucracy. It's the equivalent of the bloated School District count. For an equivalent school system in terms of both quality and mix of urban/suburban districts, you need only look as far as MD. Adjusting for population MD would have 38 School districts to NJ's 590!!! Can you imagine not having to pay the salary and retirement benefits on 552 School superintendents?
Then for every tiny township you have all of the same offices and administration of larger towns...All these administrative government jobs and their pensions really rack up the costs. Tip of the hat to Madison, Chatham and Harding who put together a Joint Municipal Court, and in its first year of operation it saved nearly $500,000 among the four participating Morris County municipalities.
Peter Greendyk
9:51 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
I had an economics professor at Pace who used to ask, "Why should you be punished for doing well?" That's what happens under a graduated income tax, and small business owners who are sole proprietors realize the frustration of this situation. You're punished for doing well, paying taxes at a higher rate the more you make after working harder. Thanks a lot! Cut taxes and spending!
Mom Tlm
10:14 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Stop spending so much!!!!! And, yes, people with $1 million and over surely are hiding their money and paying less as a percent than the average people. . Thos who have the money to pay for skillful accounting and have the ability to take in CASH on a daily basis are escaping their share of tax burden. It is not fair for the average people. . . . . Cut back on the extreme entitlements too!!!!! Enough is enough.
Pete Sesnick
10:55 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
In her column, Colleen O’Dea says that the bigger question is “How would New Jersey pay for [the proposed tax cut]?” Her column then descends into a more or less typical, leftist, class warfare diatribe. It shouldn’t be necessary, but apparently it needs to be said that New Jersey, the State, pays for nothing. Taxpayers pay for everything. That, I assume, would include most of the people who read the “Patch.” I guess, just for the record, it needs to be said also that it’s private sector taxpayers who pay for everything. (No one in the public sector makes dime one until someone in the private sector pays their taxes.)
Tax cuts always benefit the “wealthy” because only the wealthy pay taxes. (Actually, it’s income earners who pay taxes. Whether or not those income earners are “wealthy” is another issue.) Furthermore, under our progressive tax system (a system originally proposed by Karl Marx), across-the-board tax cuts benefit high income earners more than low income earners because high income earners pay more in taxes to begin with. That seems to be “fair.”
To answer O’Dea’s “bigger question,” the State should reduce expenditures to match revenues. A good starting point would be a ten per cent across-the-board cut in spending. That’s the way it’s often done in the private sector from whence all State revenue cometh, and such an across-the-board cut would seem to be “fair” also.
Diane Licht
4:18 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
No man does it all by himself.
diane
Dan Grant
5:40 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Pete, Christie is now following the Whitman plan that destroyed NJ property tax payers. The Two percent cap is being replaced by an increase in local fees by local government to hide the fact that Christie has actually raised the cost of municipal services and for their own political protection. Your Town is a prime example of that. Non deductable fees are being raised to keep tax deductable property tax increases artificially low. NJ is living proof that you can fool most of the people most of the time. Christie cut your towns aid to local government and the Board of Education almost three million dollars his first year and then gave back half that the second year. In the mean time services were cut, the Town took $ 2 million in water and sewer fees to cover the fact that they would have exceded the cap and the Board of Education began charging fees for activities and increased busing fees. Meaningfull property tax reform is what is needed not these shell games that benefit the rich.
V
7:39 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
When NJEA says "jump", the Board of Ed asks "how high". That's where the money sink is, the public unions. And guess, Mr. Dan "Hammer-n-Sickle" Grant, which party NJEA contributes to? You have three guesses, and the first two don't count.
Pete Sesnick
7:52 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Diane,
Your comment ignores the fact that here in the United States the most successful among us pay a disproportionate share of the expense required to support the less successful among us. You obviously don't grasp the concept of the progressive income tax, so there's no point in continuing this discussion thread. I hope you enjoy life in your socialist fantasy land. May reality never intrude upon it.
Pete Sesnick
8:04 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Dan,
Your comments are typical of a leftist with no cogent response to the points raised by someone with an opposing point of view: You change the subject, you introduce irrelevancies, you obfuscate the issue. I will not take the bait. I will not play your game. I will not waste my time.
Dan Grant
12:39 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Pete, the article was about Christie's call for a 10 percent reduction in the Income Tax and my comments wher on target in saying that it is not the problem. Maybe you say they aren't cogent because you are idealogically unsuited to understand them. No matter how you cut it Christie's programs have made it more expensive for property tax payers and that will continue until we reform property taxes themselves.
Dan Grant
9:53 pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Max, You have this thing about Unions and Teachers and calling people Communists because they realize that strong Unions make the middleclass stronger. They gave the middleclass better wages and disposable income that went into the ecconomy. With the decline of union membership has come a decline in the middleclass. It is undenieable. You are obsessed to the point that you will ignore this issues I just brought up and ignore what the Township is doing.
V
7:24 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Dan, all public unions do is pump money out of the middle class pockets into Democrat campaign coffers. Where do you think their salaries come from? It's your taxes. Oh, I forgot, you don't pay any.
Sir
11:22 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Unfortunately there are now too many people in the waggon and too few people pulling it. Stop the food stamps and start making the 50% who pay no federal taxes, start paying.
Roll Back Our Tax
8:45 am on Monday, February 27, 2012
In Hopatcong, the teachers didn't have enough fortitude to forfeit the 4.45% wage increase in the last year of their contract to increase state aid. Instead teachers got laid off & Hopatcong got less aid.
http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/hopatcong-schools-to-get-760k-less-state-aid-than-in-2011
New forms of greed will arise w/new teacher's contract. Had to go to state for mediation. I predict 2-3% increases in wages.
http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/hopatcong-teachers-strike-tenative-contract
Hell our schools can't even score above state average in math and English skills.
http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/high-school-test-scores-show-mixed-results-locally
Yet we have the 3rd highest cost in Sussex county to educate a student ($17,040).
At a time when we should be counting every penny, Mayor Petillo gave the borough employees 3% raises over next 3 years, the Superintendent doesn't want to close a school despite declining enrollment plus the School Board President and former Mayor Cliff Lundin doesn't want to start a Citizens Audit Committee despite rising out of control costs. The school budget will come up for vote again because they're over the 2% cap, we'll defeat it and once again the taxpayers get blamed.
http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/hopatcong-school-budget-vote-elections-see-changes
Don't need income tax relief. Too many seniors & disabled on fixed income. Looking at 8-10% increase in real estate taxes in Hopatcong!