Its all about “fees” Christie changes course on fee hikes
Everything but spending cuts
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD
Two months ago, Governor Christie proposed a $34.4 billion budget, promising “no new taxes on the people of New Jersey.”
Now his administration is detailing nearly two dozen fees and fines that he wants increased — none of which was made public at the time.
The tax policy changes would increase revenue for five different state departments.
They include boosting the $2 fee added to motor vehicle fines to fund the state’s forensic DNA lab by 75 cents. The fingerprint fees for non-criminal background checks would go from $30 to $45.
Home improvement contractors would be forced to pay $110 instead of $90 to register with the state, and $90 instead of $75 to renew their registration.
The state’s Division Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the sale of alcohol in New Jersey, would also increase fees across the board, according to Christie’s proposal.
For state taxpayers and businesses, the new fee and fine hikes — 23 in all, according to information made public last week by the state Department of Treasury — would mean giving more money to Trenton. But for Christie, a Republican seen as a possible contender for his party’s 2016 presidential nomination, the increases might pose a political problem.
He frequently and very publicly attacks Democrats for raising fees and taxes — including many of the same lawmakers he now needs to pass this budget.
And even as Democrats have questioned Christie’s proposal, which would bring in an estimated $32 million in new revenue, the governor is blaming the Democrats for having to hike the fees and fines in the first place.
“Quite frankly, I’ve had my teeth kicked in by this administration that we’ve raised taxes 115 times,” said Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, when the issue came up during a meeting Thursday. “We’ve all been kicked around about how many taxes and fee increases we’ve voted on it recent years.”
After the meeting, Sarlo said it will take Republican votes to get the increases Christie wants adopted to balance his budget.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-changes-course-on-fee-hikes-1.1014656#sthash.YpAsjTuy.dpuf
Christie is just another phony politician looking to pass the buck and the blame.
Its difficult for Gov Christie to undo the bad management practices and excessive borrowing by McGreevy, Florio, and Corzine, the 3 stooges.
Looks like it is Knudson and Sedon in the votes
#2 Christie is in his second term he owns what ever happens good or bad just like Obama can no longer blame the incompetent Bush boy.
You’re wrong as usual.
He cannot undo the massive hiring of state employees and their union contracts with generous wages, benefits and retirements.
He cannot undo the massive spending by the former Democratic governors and their cohorts that ‘kicked the can down the road’ leaving him to fund their expenditures.
He cannot undue the foolish laws enacted by Democratic governors and their democrat house/assembly.
If you want change, vote in republican state reps.
Simple people expect simple answers and their isn’t one for NJ.