“investment ” = tax increases and taxpayer giveaways
NOVEMBER 26, 2015, 10:21 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015, 10:27 PM
BY DUSTIN RACIOPPI
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD
For nearly six years, Governor Christie has presented himself as the last line of defense between Democrats and taxpayers’ wallets, resisting spending increases and vetoing “more tax increases than any governor in American history,” as he often tells voters.
With two years left in Christie’s final term, and with the state facing a host of costly and pressing issues, two of the most visible and most likely Democrats to run for governor have been offering clues into the fiscal policy of a post-Christie New Jersey.
Central to each of their plans for reviving the economy, upgrading the state’s aging network of roads and bridges and growing the middle class is what they call “investing.” The word they don’t use is “spending,” and spending tends to mean an increase in taxes.
Both likely gubernatorial candidates, Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Phil Murphy, a former ambassador to Germany, say that not all investment amounts to tax increases, but they also agree that some sort of future tax hike is inevitable. Specifically what kind of tax increases, and how many, is not being discussed. (A third likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City, has been more circumspect about his plans, but he came out forcefully this week against the Christie administration’s effort to bring development — possibly including a hotel and an amusement park — to Liberty State Park.)
It takes a lot of work to maintain the position as the most taxed state in the country.
Great, so let’s raise taxes to pay for the past. The NJ state pension reform committee’s report last February said that without diminishing the costs for pension and health benefits, that state income taxes would have to increase by 24%, that sales taxes would need to rise to 12%, and we all know Senator Sanzari wants to raise the gasoline tax by 25c a gallon without first asking why our state roads cost so much more than any other state… All that just to prop up the pensions and pay as we go on healthcare.
Dig a little deeper into your deep pockets you 1%ers, its about time to pay your fair share.
Taxpayers in NJ aren’t paying their fair share? We’re taxed more than any other state in the nation. Maybe NJ public sector workers need their benefits diminished.
Im telling you its the CBA. I say that to my wife before I go to bed. Not now honey I have the CBA
We pay as we go for Obama care 8:04
8:59 PM said, Taxpayers in NJ aren’t paying their fair share? We’re taxed more than any other state in the nation.
WRONG my 1%er friend @ 8:59 PM, you do not pay your fair share. N.J. is a ultra high income state.
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The median household income in N.J. is $71,637 (2012) and its median family income is $87,389 (2012), both the second highest in the country.
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The median household income in Ridgewood is $142,372 (2012) two times higher than the state median household income.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_locations_by_per_capita_income
Explain, if you can, why you shouldn’t be taxed more than the other 49 states? Would you be willing to cut your income by 2/3rds so your not taxed as much? I doubt it. Consider yourself lucky to have such a high income that you do pay more taxes.
why do you feel you have right to other peoples money and property
8:46, I guess you don’t come from around here. We have a progressive tax system, so yes, we do pay the highest state plus local taxes as of percentage of income – the level of income is not the issue, the state income tax rate is the issue. Property taxes are assessed as a percentage of assessed value, using the so called mill rate. The more valuable your house, the higher your taxes. So what’s your point exactly, these tax percentage rates aren’t high enough for you? Why would it possibly be in your interest to see them raised higher? Could it be you don’t want your municipal retirement benefits diminished?
It takes a certain kind of stupidity to get us into the fiscal mess we have in NJ. 8:47 just proved that…. Again.
Ha ha 8:47, you just don’t get it do you? Highest median income plus the highest state & local taxes as a percentage of that income, and yet the Democrats in Trenton still want to raise taxes because they can’t pay for the promises they’ve made. Sounds like we have a cost issue, not a revenue issue. Costs are out of control, so instead of just raising taxes, cut your costs…
I promise to take a cut in my ay and health benefits.
I promise to take a cut in my pay and health benefits.
If it eats breathes or poops the democratics will find a way to tax it
Hey 8:47, why do you want everyone’s taxes to go up? How does that benefit you? And why does your benefit matter more than my tax rate?
Just as I thought, not one cogent, reasonable argument as to why N.J. Residents, who have the 2nd highest median income shouldn’t be paying taxes that are more than the other 49 states?
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Ridgewood Residents, who have an estimated median income of $142,000.00, (which is nearly 3 times the Census Bureaus U.S. estimated real median household income at $53,657 for 2014) are complaining that they pay the highest taxes, well DUH. You want lower taxes give up some of your massive income, that will drop your taxes.
are you out of your mind , you serve at the pleasure of the people , you don’t own anyone or anyone’s income ,the biggest crime most have committed is voting for these idiots ,btw my income is significantly higher out of state ,very significantly. New Jersey has become an anti business dump . You or anyone else are not entitled to my money ,as for services, the road are not paved , the signage is terrible, mass transit for all its improvements is still so so , the police do a great job guarding Verizon trucks , the school systems still cant out perform far les expensive home schooling I could go on for hours . Sorry the state plain sucks.