newjerseynewsroom.com

Governor would save $1.1 billion, but break campaign promise

Reacting to a report that he is considering eliminating or scaling back property-tax rebates in his 2010-11 state budget, Gov. Chris Christie Friday came under attack by Democrats who charge he would hurt New Jersey's middle class financially.

Christie is confronting a deficit of as much as $11 billion as he attempts to shape his first budget by March 16. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday that he world save $1.1 billion by eliminating the rebates but he would also be breaking a campaign promise.

"You can't bring the budget into balance without looking at it,'' an unidentified officials who is described as a member of the administration, told the Inquirer.

Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) said he expects strong bipartisan opposition to the idea in the Legislature.

"Governor Christie's pledge not to increase taxes is evaporating with each passing day,'' Cryan said. "It was Christie himself who called reducing property tax rebates ‘a declaration of war on the middle class.'It's clear that Governor Christie's war against the middle-class is now marching forward. It's becoming evident that in Governor Christie's vision, the rich get richer as the middle-class and poor fall further behind."

In his role as the state Democratic chairman, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) also charged that Christie's priorities are not with the middle class.

"No other governor in this state's history has done so much, so soon into their term, to increase the tax burden of New Jerseyans,'' Wisniewski said. "Coupled with the takebacks of local school districts' surplus funds, which are set aside specifically for property tax relief, Christie is landing a one-two property tax punch."

Wisniewski added, "This is part of broader attack on New Jersey's struggling middle-class families. Today drastic fare increases caused by Governor Christie's cuts will be announced by NJ Transit. Working parents who have their children in low cost after school programs will need to find alternate arrangements or quit their jobs after cuts to NJ After 3. For those who have unsuccessfully tried to find work, Chris Christie wants to charge you $200 a month. Obviously he is going back on most of his campaign promises, except for one thing. He has been steadfast in his commitment to giving a huge tax cut to people making over $400,000 a year."

Former Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, reduced rebates in three of his four budgets. Former Gov. Richard J. Codey, also a Democrat, suspended the program for everyone but senior citizens in 2005.

In Corzine's 2009-10 budget, 510,000 homeowners younger than 65 received checks averaging $900 or $670, depending on income. For 500,000 senior-citizen homeowners, the rebates were larger, averaging $760 or $1,300.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM