Posted by
Professor Pitt Daddy on Friday, July 07, 2006 9:48:20 AM
Well, it looks like the Democrats of New Jersey have agreed
that what New Jersey really needs is a jump in the sales tax to 7%. I live
across the river in Pennsylvania, but commute every day into the Garden State
to enjoy the high standard of living that all these taxes buy. Gloucester City
(just south of Camden)… the shining light of America. Let's take a look at what
brilliance was used in this controversy.
First, when the governor shut down
services, he shut down massive sources of revenue - the lottery, horse racing
and the casinos - costing the state millions of dollars which would be needed
to help cover the multi-billion dollar deficit. This is the equivalent of you
deciding that you would stop going to work to figure out how to pay your bills.
Second, a big chunk of the additional 1% sales tax will be
"earmarked" to "help cut property taxes". The politicians in New Jersey have been talking about
cutting property taxes so long that every time they say it, a counter should
change similar to the population counter in New York City. They never actually cut the property tax, mind you, but it sure sounds good.
So what will that 1% new tax do? Even if it somehow reduces property taxes,
it will take money from even more New Jerseyians, the ones that can't afford to
buy a house and live in apartments. These are some of the same people that the New
Jersey government is paying in their various welfare programs. They will give
them the money and then take back another 1% of everything they give them. Welcome to Socialism.
How did they get into this predicament? Or… to use the Left's favorite issue...
whose responsible for all this (they don't really care about fixing problems,
they just want to affix blame). It's the people of New Jersey who continue to
vote the same big spenders into office. And if they really think that the
additional taxes will help pay down deficits, I have yet to see a politician
that can't spend a new tax faster than you can say Ted Kennedy.
New Jersey is the symptom of what a Socialized state will do. It will shift the
card in 3 card monte as fast as it can, hoping the players lose track. Check
back in 2 years and see if there is any substantial change to the property
taxes... and check to see if actual revenues went up or down. Personally, I
think I'll open a shop across the river in Delaware (0% Sales Tax) to make
money on all the New Jersey residents trying to use their hard-earned cash for
themselves.