>There is a difference between EARNING money and living off someone else’s money. We all need to live within our means. We are not yet a socialist country, but a lot of good Americans are starting to talk like socialists.
If you have 4 kids then you should have a plan to send them to college. Stop applying to private schools and then complaining that the financial aid is not enough. There are a lot of good state schools that a person can go to. Live within your means and send them to one. I pay full freight so that your kids can get a “package”.
I have a family that I take care of and I should not be asked to support yours. The state has no business trying to level the playing field. They will destroy incentives to work hard.
James Simpson, the new commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, inherits plenty of problems as he takes over the sprawling agency. The state Transportation Trust Fund is running dry. The condition of New Jersey’s crowded highways is the worst in the nation, according to federal data. NJ Transit ridership is down and fares are slated to increase 25 percent. The state’s toll collectors recently drew unwanted attention for hundreds of complaints by motorists about nasty behavior. (Nussbaum, Inquirer)
>Examining IRS tax return data by state, E.J. McMahon, a fiscal expert at the Manhattan Institute, measured the impact of large income-tax rate increases on the rich ($200,000 income or more) in Connecticut, which raised its tax rate in 2003 to 5% from 4.5%; in New Jersey, which raised its rate in 2004 to 8.97% from 6.35%; and in New York, which raised its tax rate in 2003 to 7.7% from 6.85%. Over the period 2002-2005, in each of these states the “soak the rich” tax hike was followed by a significant reduction in the number of rich people paying taxes in these states relative to the national average. Amazingly, these three states ranked 46th, 49th and 50th among all states in the percentage increase in wealthy tax filers in the years after they tried to soak the rich.
This result was all the more remarkable given that these were years when the stock market boomed and Wall Street gains were in the trillions of dollars. Examining data from a 2008 Princeton study on the New Jersey tax hike on the wealthy, we found that there were 4,000 missing half-millionaires in New Jersey after that tax took effect. New Jersey now has one of the largest budget deficits in the nation.
However, history hasn’t stopped the anti-Christie crowd from demanding the restoration of the “millionaire surcharge” on individuals earning $400,000 or more annually. I’ll be generous and attribute it to short memories. If they got their way, more business owners, investors, and other high-end taxpayers will quit the fight and head for the state line. New Jersey would experience another collapse in its revenue base and, ironically, school aid reductions for the following fiscal year would assuredly prove even more dramatic than what’s currently on the table. An utter and complete disaster of epic proportions! blog.savejersey.com/2010/04/06/remember-how-we-got-here.aspx
>I have news for the average taxpayer. Section 9002 of the healthcare bill requires your employer to add the cost of your medical insurance premiums to the gross income reported on your W2. In plain english what this is is a huge tax increase.
For example if your employers pays $5,000 per year for your medical insurance you will see a $5,000 increase in your gross income. If your income is subject to 25% taxes which is about average you will pay an extra $1,250 per year in federal income taxes.
How do you feel about a tax increase of this magnitude? How do you feel about the fact that this was not disclosed to you? Are you going to vote for the people who caused this to happen? Do you think change is in order?
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Conservatives have long blamed the New Jersey Supreme Court for making a mess of some of the state’s most vexing issues, from affordable housing to public school funding. Now those same conservatives are calling for Gov. Christie, a Republican, to start overhauling the court by replacing Justice John E. Wallace Jr. instead of renominating him when his first term ends May 20. (Lu, Inquirer)
Conservatives have long blamed the New Jersey Supreme Court for making a mess of some of the state’s most vexing issues, from affordable housing to public school funding. Now those same conservatives are calling for Gov. Christie, a Republican, to start overhauling the court by replacing Justice John E. Wallace Jr. instead of renominating him when his first term ends May 20. (Lu, Inquirer)
>State ‘spends’ over $15 billion on would-be taxes
New Jersey foregoes more than $15 billion a year in tax revenue through various credits, deductions, exemptions and other special provisions in the state’s tax code, a new state report shows. A 35-page report on these so-called “tax expenditures’ was released quietly last month by Gov. Chris Christie’s administration, to comply with a new law passed by the Legislature in January and signed by lame-duck Gov. Jon S. Corzine. (Symons, Gannett)
>Christie urges NJEA acceptance of salary freeze proposal, which teachers dismiss as gov ‘slush fund’
In the same letter he sent today to Barbara Keshishian, president of the New Jersey School Board Association, and Marie Bilik, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, Gov. Chris Christie urged education associations and local school boards to adopt a proposal to provide additional state aid to school districts that have enacted year-long salary freezes. “The additional state aid to those districts that make the right choice and join in the shared sacrifice will ensure that more teachers stay in their jobs, more students will be able to participate in extracurricular activities, and protect educational services. While it is not the easy choice, it is the right choice and it shows we put New Jersey’s children first,” said Christie. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
>Last week, President Obama signed historic health care reform legislation into law — but his legislative success doesn’t seem to have helped his image with the American public.
The latest CBS News Poll, conducted between March 29 and April 1, found Americans unhappier than ever with Mr. Obama’s handling of health care – and still worried about the state of the economy.
President Obama’s overall job approval rating has fallen to an all-time low of 44 percent, down five points from late March, just before the health bill’s passage in the House of Representatives. It’s down 24 points since his all-time high last April. Forty-one percent of those polled said they disapproved of the president’s performance. …
When it comes to health care, the President’s approval rating is even lower — and is also a new all-time low. Only 34 percent approved, while 55 percent said they disapproved.
Americans are still worried about the economy, with 84 percent telling CBS they thought it was still in bad condition. However, even that high number represents an improvement: nine in ten thought the economy was bad during the last half of 2008 and at the beginning of 2009, when Mr. Obama assumed the Presidency.
Concern about job loss remains high; slightly more Americans now (35 percent) than in February (31 percent) were “very concerned” that someone in their household would lose a job. Nearly six in ten Americans said they were at least “somewhat concerned” about a job loss.
As has often been the case, lower-income Americans tend to be the most concerned about job loss.
This concern is reflected in yet another low approval rating — this time for the President’s handling of the economy. Just 42 percent said they approved of how President Obama is handling the economy, only one point above January’s all-time low. Half of the public disapproves.
The Cartel Movie Also Schedules a “New Jersey Swing”
No, the New Jersey Swing is not a dance, (as far as we know).
The Cartel movie has been scheduled for a series of one-night-only screenings throughout New Jersey, all to be followed by a Q&A with Director Bob Bowdon. All tickets $15. (No physical tickets will be printed or mailed; names will be on a list at the location. All sales final — no refunds.)
April 19Westfield*, NJRialto Theatre, 250 East Broad Street7:30pm April 20Sparta*, NJSparta Theatre, 25 Centre Street7:30pm April 21Hoboken*, NJClearview Cinema, 409 14th Street7pm, 9pm April 25Atlantic City*, NJResorts International Casino, Screening Room2pm April 26Mount Laurel*, NJBurlington Community College, Enterprise Center, 3331 Route 387:30pm April 27Red Bank*, NJClearview Cinema, 36 White Street 730pm April 28Paramus*, NJBergen County Community College, Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre, 400 Paramus Road7:30pm April 29Trenton*, NJNJ State Museum Auditorium, 205 W. State Street7:30pm
The Trenton Screening on April 29 will be the site of the 2010 New Jersey School Choice Rally.
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives today recognizing the efforts of state legislatures, Attorneys General and citizens to resist the implementation of the health care bill, HR 3590.
“While Congress is given power under the Constitution to regulate interstate commerce, never before have we considered legislation that would require individuals to purchase a private—government approved—product, as the price of citizenship,” Garrett said. “This moves far beyond regulating economic activity, and into the realm of regulating inactivity. If we allow that Congress has this authority under the Constitution, then there is virtually no limit to Washington’s power to micromanage the lives of our citizens.
“I would like to commend those fighting against this massive expansion of government into the private sector. President Obama and others have called this legislation “historic,” and they’re correct. It is “historic” that the federal government would violate the liberties of its citizens. It is “historic” that a political party would use their majority in Congress to override the will of the American people. It is “historic” that the president and Members of Congress, all of whom have taken oaths to uphold the Constitution, would express such disdain and disregard for our country’s founding document. Yes, my friends, this legislation is truly historic.”
The text of Garrett’s resolution is below:
111th CONGRESS
2nd Session
H. RES.
Commending the efforts of state legislatures, Attorneys General and citizens to resist the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
IN THE HO– USE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 25, 2010
Mr. SCOTT GARRETT of New Jersey
Commending the efforts of State legislatures, Attorneys General, and citizens to resist the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Whereas the expanding Federal Government is encroaching on the rights constitutionally reserved for the States and individuals;
Whereas the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act attempts to regulate inactivity rather than an activity of United States’ citizens and the Constitution does not grant the Federal Government the power to regulate inactivity;
Whereas Congress has never before considered, prior to the individual mandate, legislation that would require citizens to purchase a private good;
Whereas if Congress has this authority under the Constitution, there is virtually no limit to its power to micromanage the lives of our citizens;
Whereas the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act creates an entirely new Federal entitlement program, while the growing cost of existing Federal entitlement programs are already crippling future generations with mountains of debt;
Whereas the legislatures of more than three-fourths of all the States, including those of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, have proposed legislation reaffirming their 10th Amendment right to rule and govern in areas not specifically delegated to the Federal Government by the Constitution;
Whereas many of the bills proposed by the State legislatures recognize that numerous actions by Congress are weakening States’ rights through legislation like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;
Whereas more than a dozen state Attorneys General, including those from Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,Utah, Virginia, and Washington, have filed or announced their intention to file lawsuits challenging Congress’s authority to force citizens to buy health insurance;
Whereas numerous doctors’ groups, such as New Jersey Physicians Inc., and individuals around the country have or are preparing to file suit against this unconstitutional law; and
Whereas 54 percent of Americans oppose the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and 56 percent of Americans think the Federal Government has become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) commends the efforts of State legislatures, Attorneys General, and citizens to resist the unconstitutional implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and
(2) applauds these groups’ endeavors to protect the rights and the interests of American citizens.
Dateline: Atlantic City -Morgan Stanley Bank filed Wednesday with the SEC indicating the impending sale/auction of their failing Revel casino. Morgan’s board recognized the failure of the casino before New Jersey state legislators, poised to pour $300 million into the project, recognized the danger of the risky investment.
In a shocking demonstration of the New Jersey State Legislature’s willingness to gamble on highly risky bailouts, under the guise of “economic development”, the Board of Morgan Stanley has indicated it would rather take the loss before pouring more money into the project. State legislators who voted for the project demonstrated they have no idea how bad the investment of $300 million of taxpayers is, or simply do not care. New Jersey needs legislators who understand the danger of these risky bailouts, not political hacks bowing to special interests. Once again, the lesson learned is that government should stay out of the private sector.
For the Revel bailout to continue forward would be reckless and irresponsible on a massive scale. Throwing money at Revel would be reminiscent of the $180 million lost on Lehman Brothers by the state pension system as they were on the way out of business.
CALL GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE TODAY AT 609-292-6000. Tell him not to gamble our taxpayer dollars on another risky and reckless bailout!
1. Demonstrate that Graydon remains a community gathering place, eliminating once and for all the argument that “no one goes there.” 2. Restock the Village’s coffers, refuting the complaint that “Graydon always loses money.” 3. Graydon is fun!
Our March 23 meeting PowerPoint slides provide the high points. In the section “Environmental Regulations and the Mystery of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook,” a professional geologist presents his new research on the likely hydraulic connection between Graydon, the aquifer, and the brook. He lists the permits that would probably be difficult for the Village to obtain if they tried to build there—including one required for construction in a flood hazard zone.
Ping-pong and storytime New this summer: ping-pong at Graydon. Lucy Rieger has donated a table; Marcia provided a net and paddles. Parks & Rec would welcome a second table and wants to bring storytime and related activities back to Graydon. If you have a spare ping-pong table or if you are a current or retired teacher interested in leading storytime (modest stipend available), please call Deputy Director Nancy Bigos at (201) 670-5560 to discuss details. Say that Preserve sent you.
