The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Trenton NJ,after his 2020 State of the State address, Governor Murphy struck back at criticism that looks for ways to tax the residents of New Jersey, during a Q and A with reporters following the launch of his Jobs NJ initiative.
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HOBOKEN NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today marked the seventh anniversary of Superstorm Sandy by signing Executive Order No. 89 to establish a Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy. The Executive Order also establishes a Climate and Flood Resilience Program within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which will be led by a Chief Resilience Officer. Additionally, the Executive Order creates an Interagency Council on Climate Resilience, comprised of 16 state agencies to develop short- and long-term action plans that will promote the long-term mitigation, adaptation, and resilience of New Jersey’s economy, communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.
Continue reading Governor Murphy Signs “Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy” while the Obama’s enjoy their New Beachfront Property
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TRENTON NJ, In an effort to provide relief to taxpayers, Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips pushes towns to pledge against passing a rain tax.
“Over the past few days I have joined Assemblyman Ryan Peters by imploring municipalities to oppose the rain tax by taking the ‘no rain tax’ pledge and passing a ‘no rain tax resolution.’” I have reached out to mayors in my district and many of them have agreed that our residents are overtaxed and charging people for rain would only add insult to injury,” said DePhillips (R-Bergen).
Continue reading Assemblyman says residents drowning in taxes, pushes towns to pledge no rain tax
NJBIA Statement on Signing of Stormwater Tax Legislation
NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Ray Cantor issued the following statement regarding the signing of bill S-1073 today by Governor Murphy. The new law allows municipalities and counties to create authorities to impose fees on residential and commercial property owners based on the amount of their impervious surfaces.
“This law adds yet another tax on our already overburdened residents and businesses, though there is no language to define how much people will be charged, how the funds will be collected or how the funds generated by it will actually address stormwater issues.
“This legislation essentially creates a new, non-deductible property tax on the public and another bureaucratic expense at the local level. Churches and non-profits, as well as residents and businesses, will all be susceptible to these added fees based on their patios, parking lots, driveways and roofs.
“Potentially, 565 individual municipalities could charge fees within their own boundaries without having to consider how sewerage systems and stormwater in neighboring towns affect their projects. A county could also decide to have a stormwater authority, potentially forcing property owners to deal with two bureaucracies and fees for the same property.
“Further, this law will be extremely difficult to administer. It will require an analysis of each property in a town, credits for existing facilities, and credits for how well you maintain a facility. There is no certainty on how much can be collected and no stated appeals process.
NJBIA understands the needs to address non-point source pollution, flooding and infrastructure needs. There are mechanisms already in place around the state to address the intent of this legislation. With this law, however, only the costs – and not the results – will be certain.”
Derek Michalski GreenUSR, Founder and Volunteer – (Upper & Saddle River, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities)
Upper Saddle River NJ, This will be my last public plea to you Honorable Ladies: Mayor Joanne Minichetti, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi and Assemblywoman Lisa Swain on the subject of Pleasant Brook stormwater pollution.
Considering the perpetual environmental devastation that besets our community, please do the right thing and order Toll Brothers to honor the EPA settlement that Toll Brothers signed back in 2012. Since you and only you have the power to issue a Stop Work Order concerning construction at this work site to arrest further release of environmental toxins, please do so in order to prevent Toll Brothers from violating stormwater regulations. Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi has been receiving extensive documentation over the course of the past year regarding this environmental condition and, this adverse environmental condition will go unabated if this Stop Work Order is not honored.
Continue reading Last Plea to Stem Apple Ridge Stormwater Pollution
file photo by Boyd Lving
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TRENTON NJ, New Jerseyans are inundated with taxes, some of which are among the highest in the country, and now they could be taxed based on how much it rains. Republicans blasted Democrats for considering the proposal (S1073 : Authorizes municipalities, counties, and certain authorities to establish stormwater utilities) at an Assembly session Thursday.
Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips was strongly opposed to raising taxes on people based on the weather. He also took issue with how financially irresponsible the bill is, allowing unlimited bonding and ever-more debt on the backs of property-tax payers.
“The last thing this state needs is more debt and another runaway tax. Especially one that taxes the weather,” said DePhillips (R-Bergen). “I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: let’s not do this, let’s vote down this bill together, let’s vote no and consider financially responsible alternatives to this legislation.”
Continue reading Republicans blast Democrats for soaking residents with ‘rain tax’
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Ridgewood NJ,the Mount Laurel doctrine is a controversial judicial interpretation of the New Jersey State Constitution. The doctrine requires that municipalities use their zoning powers in an affirmative manner to provide a realistic opportunity for the production of housing affordable to low and moderate income households.
One of the many negative byproducts of forced over development is storm water run off .Trenton lawmakers have moved closer to approving a much-debated measure that aims to give communities the resources to fix aging stormwater systems that foul the state’s waters and increase flooding and the answer as always is to raise taxes .
But not everyone is happy with the idea , Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney said , “Here we are looking to tax rain. What’s next? Air?’’ asked Assemblyman Kevin Rooney (R-Bergen), who argued other pressing water problems ought to be addressed first, including lead in drinking water and hundred-year-old water mains that leak potable water before it ever reaches customers.
