The People's Priorities

New Jersey's 16 Senate Republicans serve to protect families; make this state more affordable; create jobs; improve education for all students regardless of their ZIP code; and hold all levels of government accountable.

This caucus urges the Senate Democrats, who at this time determine what legislation is considered, to work with us to adopt the people's priorities for New Jersey, which include:

1. Common-sense reforms to lower property taxes: Eliminating property tax cap loopholes, sick-leave retirement jackpots for public employees that carry a nearly $1 billion property tax burden across this state, and duplicative layers of local government, in part, via civil service reform;
2. A simplified and reduced income tax structure to attract and retain job creators and innovators;
3. A constitutional and balanced state Supreme Court that will interpret the law and not create and uphold costly spending mandates that burden our overtaxed residents;
4. A reformed school funding formula that will more evenly disburse tax dollars for public education throughout the state and mitigate property tax burdens for communities that pay the most;
5. Repealing taxes that are unique to New Jersey and push people away from or out of this state;
6. Ethics and campaign finance reforms at all levels of government that will protect the public from funding no-show jobs, excessively rich contracts for special interests and illegitimate pension payments;
7. Measures to protect and serve the most-vulnerable in this state, including sexually abused children, those who have suffered domestic violence or rape, and cancer survivors;
8. Policies to create equal opportunities for women and mothers in the workplace;
9. Legislation to immediately help residents, businesses and communities that are still trying to recover from Superstorm Sandy, and to ensure New Jersey is best prepared for the next natural disaster;
10. Making government more transparent at all levels.