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My small business has closed down, I have let go 13 employees and we are leaving the state in May because business AND proporty taxes are too high for survival. We don't have enough money to afford the mortgage and taxes. These taxes are largely PROPERTY and BUSINESS TAXES, which keep increasing year after year after year. The proporty values have dropped because of the recession and because nobody wants to buy a hightly taxed house in NJ right now. The public education system in NJ bases growth on the ability of property owners to shoulder every increase in taxes dished out, in addition to relying on state aid which is almost totally out of funds. NJ IS NEARLY BANKRUPT, with businesses and private property owners leaving the state and taking BILLIONS of revenue dollars with them. Revenue has dropped signifciantly, and continues to bleed money as people and businesses leave NJ. The plan to give those with over $400,000 a tax break might help some employers stay here and create jobs. MOST jobs are in the PRIVATE sector, not the public sector, and there is a declining source for any more harvesting of property owners and businesses to provide outrageous public funds. In simple words, THE WELL HAS RUN DRY. I personally pay $2300 per month for private healthcare for my small family, PLUS another $1000 per month in property taxes. Thats a total of nearly $40,000 per year just for healthcare and property taxes!! Why am I ALSO paying for FREE health insurance for public workders and 5% raises every year out my tax dollars?? Don't lay them off, let the teachers help each other keep their jobs by cutting the crazy yearly increases and free healthcare for some of them and for the administrators who REFUSE to even discuss this problem. THE NJEA should encourage school workers to contribute the 1.5 % chump change toward their FREE health benefits, or to give them a year off from dues payments so they can stay even. The union is not helping the children. We the people, are disgusted and fed up with being abused by this system, which is so out of control. We are moving from NJ and will probably never return. The dollars lost from families like us will have to be replaced by other enlsaved tax victims if you want to maintain your rich public lifestyles. Try replacing your income and benefits in the private sector. In today's economy, you will find 1000 appliants for every decent job available, and even if you qualified in the private sector, you would most likely foot at least 50% of your yearly medical costs. Also, there are very few jobs available now paying 40 or 50 thousand bucks a year. Property owners are disgusted and looking for permanent change in this oppressive, anti-business, anti-family environment. If NJ does not help business thrive without these ridiculous taxes, there will be no jobs added, and finally, no schools if businesses leave NJ taking the jobs and tax money with them. Foreclosures are mounting, and property owners are finding that the high property taxes are turning buyers away before they even get in the door to see how the kitchen and bathrooms look. John Q. Public Mad as hell.