HAMMONTON BLOG

Over and over when defending his policy positions, Governor Christie has said this is what I was elected to do'.  I must have missed the election  where people voted for a Governor to impose the single biggest property tax increase in state history. 

Throughout the campaign he promised New Jersey voters he would restore more property tax rebates, and increase funding for everything from higher education to beach replenishment.

Today not only did he go back on those promises, but he told New Jersey's already stressed middle class to drop dead

During every recent budget, no matter how difficult, a priority was placed on education, property tax relief and healthcare for New Jersey's children.  This budget has one priority, and that is to shift this state's tax burden from the top income bracket to the hard working middle class.

Above is my statement on the Governor's budget address yesterday.  Needless to say we have a lot of work ahead of us.  I think it is abundantly clear that Chris Christie's number one priority is making life easier for New Jersey's wealthiest 1%, while increasing taxes, fares and stress on our middle class.

Yes we have a tough budget year ahead of us that should call for shared sacrifice, but make no mistake - the Governor's plan overwhelmingly puts the burden on the backbone of New Jersey and our party. 

Whether they are seniors on a fixed income who rely on their property tax rebate and their prescription drug assistance,  a family with two working parents who rely on state funded after school programs for their young children, or the half a million commuters who use New Jersey Transit every day, this budget is a dangerous tax increase on those that can least afford it.

Meanwhile those who are least affected by cuts will also be getting a huge tax cut, which the rest of us will be paying for.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you can cut the budget by hurting towns and school boards.  Chris Christie is taking the easy way out.

My Democratic colleagues and I in the legislature have been faced with worse budget situations for many years now.  We made sure to always put a priority on what matters most for New Jersey's families: education, healthcare and property tax relief.  In one fell swoop, Governor Christie has gutted all three of these areas in the budget. 

Today I made some of these points as I debated my counterpart Republican State Chair and Assemblyman Jay Webber on WNYC's Brian Lehrer show.  You can listen here http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2010/03/17/segments/151828.

Throughout the budget process we will keep you informed of the yet unknown consequences of Governor Christie's budget. 

Here are some talking points about the budget proposals we have heard so far:

§  Cutting the earned income tax credit will hurt vulnerable families and turn the clock back on a program that Ronald Reagan called the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job-creation measure to come out of Congress.

§  Despite his promises to invest in higher education, the Governor's cuts will mean higher tuition bills and fewer classes.

§  No one is disputing the weakness of our current economy, but it is a nationwide and international recession that can not be blamed on New Jersey tax policy

§  Christie's plan will bring big property tax increases, hike income taxes on the working poor and tax struggling hospitals while giving the rich a tax break.

§  Gov. Christie, in his own words, declared war on the middle class by eliminating 2010 property tax relief for those who need it most, then slashing it for 2011. 

§  The ultimate impact of Gov. Christie's plan will be tax increases on the middle-class and poor while wealthy residents enjoy a major income tax break. 

§  Gov. Christie's $45 million hospital tax increase is extremely worrisome, with so many hospitals important to their communities struggling to make ends meet.

§  Gov. Christie's plan to increase income taxes on the working poor while eliminating middle-class property tax relief for 2010 is especially troublesome. 

§  Gov. Christie is more of the same, breaking promises and smacking middle-income New Jerseyans in the face with tax hikes as he gives the rich a tax. 

§  Gov. Christie should simply do what he says, but it's apparent we cannot count on this governor to keep his word. 

§  Gov. Christie calls for shared sacrifice, but nothing is being shared here the rich get a tax cut while hard-working New Jerseyans get hit with tax increases. 

§  Democrats in the Legislature are ready to continue cutting spending and reforming government, but we cannot cut blindly without considering the impact on the middle-class, poor and the most vulnerable members of our society.