Choose From $1.3 Billion in Republican Savings
Today’s newspapers indicate that Governor Corzine is considering a $60 million tax increase on electricity and other utilities. The proposal is reportedly part of last minute budget negotiations between the Governor and a Democrat-controlled Legislature.
Senator Phil Haines, R-District 8, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee says it’s a slap in the face to all taxpayers for governor to even consider such a plan:
“After all the talk of spending restraint, it is unbelievable that the Democrat-controlled Legislature is seeking to take more from people every time they turn on their air conditioning or flip a light switch.”
Republican legislative leaders presented the Governor and Democrat-controlled legislative leadership with a well researched budget plan that identifies $1.3 billion in common sense savings. It allows the State to restore property tax relief, provide transportation funding without raising taxes or tolls, and amply finance essential services. The plan also details structural reforms to the state budget process, reforms the government pensions and benefits systems, and sets forth an economic growth plan that will create thousands of jobs in New Jersey.
The Democratic proposal will drag down an already struggling economy, Haines said: “Taxes on electricity aren’t just bad for regular folks paying utility bills – they play a major role in driving businesses out of state, ultimately hurting our economy.”
The Republican proposal scales back the huge increases (up to 20%) that Governor Corzine proposes to give to certain school districts that his own auditors have found riddled with waste and corruption, firing two-thirds of patronage employees who provide no essential services to taxpayers and reforming government purchasing and benefit policies to force the state to match the best practices in the private sector and in other, better-management governments.
“We have put a common-sense, fiscally responsible proposal on the table. It’s been ignored. Instead, the governor thinks it OK to boost utility taxes during a heat wave and an energy crisis. Governor, abandon your plans to raise taxes on the overburdened taxpayers of New Jersey,” Haines concluded.
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