Cherry Hill Courier Post Wants Rebate Checks

In an article this week in the Cherry Hill Courier Post, the writer was promoting the retention of rebate checks for NJ residents due to the lack of reform of the property tax system in the state.

At a New Jersey Business and Industry Association policy forum with 250 business owners in Woodbridge Tuesday, a few Democratic state lawmakers suggested that property tax rebates could disappear entirely next year. The state is facing a projected deficit of at least $8 billion for the fiscal year that starts in July.

If rebates become extinct in 2010, it will demonstrate just how miserably and completely the state Legislature failed in its half-baked attempt to lower our highest-in-the-nation property taxes. Lawmakers put on a big show in 2006 with their special committees and came up with a raft of recommendations for changing the way things work in New Jersey. The centerpiece of their plans was not a massive reduction in the size of government at all levels, which would have lowered property taxes permanently. It was rebate checks.

Gov.-elect Chris Christie said while campaigning that even though rebate checks aren't the best way to do tax relief, he's determined to keep them because they're the only help overtaxed homeowners get in New Jersey.

What puzzled me about this article is that it has no writer listed which would suggest it is editorial. But it isn't labeled as such. So I guess we can call it 'editorial news'. And while the article brings up some points worth considering, it draws a conclusion that Christie should reflexively re-instate the Property Tax Rebate.

We at NJTaxRevolution are always proponents of the reduction of taxes for New Jersey citizens. However, if this system were to be re-instated, it also needs to be seriously re-examined. For example, this program in the past did not provide tax rebates for a significant number of people who actually PAY PROPERTY TAXES while providing REBATES TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES. And unless Christie intends to completely overhaul this program, he would be much wiser to address the core problem of out-of-control property taxes right after he looks at the state's spending apetite.

Read the entire article here.

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Letters from readers...or trolls....whatever.

We recently received the following communication to our email at njtaxrevolution.com:

r u contingent of the Republican Party? ... similar to Dems: "Victory ’09, a project of the NJDSC” (Democratic State Committee).

Regardless, any explanation for Daggett's surprisingly low tally, far lower than pre-election polls? Two-thirds of my property taxes go to the school system which, in turn, is mostly labor cost.

Wasn't Daggett the only major candidate to propose a specific, workable remedy? If so, any indication that property tax cut tied to municipal fiscal restraint (CPI cap) would garner support tho Daggett's candidacy was rejected?

Lastly, where's the best source (website) to find gov.-elect Christie's property tax plan.
Thanks in advance for any info and insight.

The first thing I would like you to know is that the email came from someone who resembles someone really close to the Daggett campaign. But that is neither here not there as the points he brings up are worth discussing.

First, as to njtaxrevolution.com being an arm of the Republican party. If you trace our history we started this web site around the time of Jon Corzine's sales tax hike. We finally had enough. Jake and I have full time jobs and are software guys. We have zero formal affiliation to the Republican party or the Libertarian Party who both link to our site. However, given that we are conservatives, it is obvious that our audience are mainly Libertarians and Republicans. We receive no outside funding from anyone. Our opinions are our own. And our editorial agenda is made clear on our site.

Regardless, any explanation for Daggett's surprisingly low tally, far lower than pre-election polls?

Frankly, I do not believe that Daggett had a surprisingly low tally. If you asked me before the election, based on the polls I would have had him between 6-8. Why? Daggett only surged in a very limited set of polls and in none of the polls that we consider the most trustworthy did he ever crack 12. Recognize that there are media outlets in this state that wanted Chris Daggett to do well. Why? Because they wanted to support the incumbent and Jon Corzine never cracked 42% in any legitimate poll. That means that he could not win without a split election three ways and the third candidate needed to get 9% or more.

When you couple Daggett's real core support (probably around 3-5 when you consider the last minute 'open to change' respondents) and his ballot position, he performed within the margin of error.

Wasn't Daggett the only major candidate to propose a specific, workable remedy? If so, any indication that property tax cut tied to municipal fiscal restraint (CPI cap) would garner support tho Daggett's candidacy was rejected?

We have no idea whether or not Daggett's remedy here was workable or not and neither does he. To declare that property taxes are too high and it is all about school salaries and fiscal restraint is somewhat questionable. There are many budget busters in every town and municipality in this state including:

- Abbott school redistribution
- Growth within formerly rural towns resulting in major capital expenditures
- Redundant spending on town infrastructure
- Too many municipalities and too much government infrastructure
- COAH requirements that force density on towns that don't want it

I will support the NJEA here (I know, shocker) and not allow the schools to be blamed for every property tax ill. There are some loose spending towns however there are also many towns that try their best but the budget is distorted by expenses outside their control through historical practices.

Lastly, where's the best source (website) to find gov.-elect Christie's property tax plan.
Thanks in advance for any info and insight.

I suppose this is a snark as a result of waking up and finding your candidate didn't win so it is forgiven. We went public on our opinion here as to the strategy in the Philadelphia Daily News. Jon Corzine spent 24 million dollars to attempt to defeat Chris Christie. It is clear to us that the Christie campaign made a specific decision to provide "just enough" information to avoid Corzine's negative advertising machine which twisted almost every moment of Chris Christie's life knowing that he didn't have the funds to fight back to every single attack. Specificity was not the Christie campaigns friend and you can thank Jon Corzine for that.

As a matter of fact, we can thank the New Jersey Democratic party for the lack of any real campaign for any statewide office. It wasn't that long ago that Frank Lautenberg campaigned without actually showing up anywhere or saying anything. Even our normally Democrat friendly newspapers trashed him for that. But he did it because he knew he could get away with it. We at NJTaxRevolution would love it if all candidates would stick to the campaigns instead of mud fights. But that isn't NJ is it.

As to the gentleman who submitted this email, I really respect your enthusiasm and am glad you are fighting for your beliefs and trying to make New Jersey better. Whether you supported Daggett, Corzine or Christie, I love the knowledge that this writer exhibits in his letter whether or not I agree with it. We need a lot more people in this state like him.

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PPP: 72% think Daggett cannot win

Despite the response from folks at the campaign when we wrote that Daggett cannot win, a poll released today from Public Policy Polling suggest that New Jersey voters see it the same way:



One point I would like to make. If the Corzine or Christie campaigns were anywhere near as attentive as the Daggett campaign, I don't think that this race would be perceived as negatively by the public. We have already commented on the "let them eat cake" attitude of Christie's (formerly McCain) campaign staff. And it has been clear all along that Corzine wasn't even going to run a real campaign. His scorched earth strategy has been about as enlightening as the cardboard cutout campaign run by Frank Lautenberg (hide out for 6 months showing up in public just to convince people he wasn't dead). At least the Daggett folks are out there trying to do the best for their candidate.

Read the poll results here.

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Shocking news: NY Times endorses Corzine

(Tongue placed firmly in cheek) In a breaking news development today, the New York Times has endorsed Jon Corzine. The endorsement is unique for its sophmoric cheap shots on Chris Christie and Christopher Daggett while attributing "pragmatic" ideas to Corzine. And for his small ideas, Corzine apparently deserves another four years.

Here is my issue with this endorsement and Corzine in general. Our state is sufferring from rot deep within the core. The political system is a patronage mill monolith that will not be changed by a get-along-to-go-along politician like Corzine. We already have seen the lengths he will go to coddle unions and spread money around to keep people quiet about the ethical lapses he perpetuated to get it done. In all, he is a small man, with small ideas and absolutely zero leadership.

As for issues, the state had financial problems during good times. And when the economy went south, the state has taken a hit FAR greater than it should have. New Jersey has been bleeding jobs for 10 years due to its practice of driving business out of the state to friendlier business climates. And what are the top issues being talked about by Jon Corzine? Abortion, Christie's weight, mamograms and George Bush. And the voters of the state let him get away with it.

I guess the bright spot is that at least in this election, the Democrats actually let their candidate campaign unlike the last senatorial campaign when Frank Lautenberg was not allowed to be seen or engaged in public.

The joke is on the average New Jersey voter because they keep letting Corzine and the Democrats get away with providing no plan, no leadership and mudslinging. I was thinking the other day that deep down given the current trajectory of the state, I know that my family has to leave New Jersey. It really isn't a question of whether but when. No responsible person would sit idly by while the Democrats continue their quest to turn New Jersey into Michigan.

This state needs something different. I don't know that Christie is perfect but he has shown leadership as Federal attorney taking on the rot. I KNOW that Corzine will not even try. He isn't a leader and never will be. The New York times is right:

Mr. Corzine is hardly the perfect politician. Most New Jersey voters find him astonishingly inarticulate, and his credentials as a former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs do not seem as impressive as they did before the financial meltdown in 2008. He has poured lots of his personal wealth into this race, far too much of it for biting — and sometimes juvenile — attacks on Mr. Christie.

Only in New Jersey would this represent a incumbent candidate's shining achievements worthy of an endorsement by the "paper of record".

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US News: Apologize and explain yourself Jon!

In an interesting article in the US News and World Reports, blogger Peter Roff sounded a refrain often heard here at NJTaxRevolution regarding Jon Corzine:

In a new attack ad the Corzine campaign began airing this week, Christie is shown in slow-motion, emerging from a sport utility vehicle as the announcer talks about how the former U.S. attorney once "threw his weight around" to avoid some traffic tickets.

Whether or not there is any truth to the underlying charge—and Corzine has his own problems where traffic law infractions, speeding, not wearing a seat belt and, for that matter, personal ethics are concerned—the ad clearly pokes at Christie's waistline as though that somehow disqualifies him to be New Jersey's next governor.

In Jon Corzine's New Jersey, the property taxes are the highest in the nation. The state is nearly bankrupt. Close to 50 elected officials of both parties we recently arrested as the result of a corruption probe. And Corzine himself has yet to explain how the actions he took while a Wall Street high flier as co-CEO of Goldman Sachs failed to contribute to the recent financial crisis.

Rather than address all or any of those things, or present a reasonable case to the voters as to why he deserves another four years in office, Corzine is asking them to choose between the fat guy and the thin(ner) guy.

Indeed. Read the entire post here.

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Lonegan finally details his plan. And its solid!

I just received a copy of the so called Republican News which is a Lonegan campaign publication. Up until now, it has been a complete turnoff. Why? Because it was full of negative attacks on Christie but no positive Lonegan news worth reading.

This edition he explains how his tax plan will work. Frankly, it is worthy of discussion. For example, instead of perpetuating a tax situation that taxes the most productive in New Jersey, Lonegan's plan taxes everyone equally and the net result is a tax reduction for most if not all suburban households. Not a bad concept. He also lays into the Abbot schools situation which is frankly the main reason local property taxes are out of hand.

If you receive the publication,check it out. In the spirit of openness, I am still leaning Christie's way. But I think Lonegan's positive story is compelling and worth paying attention to. I wish he had started it earlier.

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Lonegan versus Christie

I have made a point not to comment on the emerging challenger's race for New Jersey Governor. The reason is that I like both candidates for very different reasons and I would like to see them trully highlight their ideas and plans. But, as this is New Jersey, that is apparently not going to happen.

Down in the polls since the beginning, Lonegan has been running a slew of negative attack adds against Christie. He also seems to have support from some very thinly veiled front organizations that have a small list of achievements but great attention to this race-including running negative adds on Lonegan's behalf.

My gut feeling right now is that Lonegan is a real turn off. His polling may tell him he is doing the right thing but as a conservative, he is showing a liberal's complete lack of class. Instead of attacking Corzine and the mess that Democrats have created in this state, he is firing at Christie and firing in typical Jersey low form. And now Christie is replying in kind.

Note to Chris and Steve: Clean it up. Direct your fire at Corzine. And let's hear the meat, not mudslinging.

UPDATE: Jake here. I couldn't agree more. I respect Lonegan, but he needs to clean up his act and stop using scare tactics that will hurt conservative efforts down the road.

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