DeCROCE: PROPERTY TAX CRISIS WILL CONTINUE UNDER GOV. CORZINE'S LATEST PLAN TO CLOSE BUDGET DEFICIT

ASSEMBLY GOP  LEADER ASSAILS GOVERNOR'S PLAN TO AGAIN BLAME STATE'S FISCAL WOES ON PROPERTY TAXPAYERS, NOT POOR GOVERNANCE

    Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce warned property taxpayers to be wary of Governor Corzine's plans to close next year's estimated $8 billion budget gap on the backs of middle class property taxpayers instead of cutting the state's out-of-control spending.

    "The governor's plan for his next budget is painful d‚j… vu for the state's property taxpayers - who have seen their highest-in-the nation bills grow by nearly 20 percent since Governor Corzine took office," DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, said. "There are 1.2 million families who won't be getting needed property tax rebate checks right now because the governor has repeatedly ignored their needs and refused to stand up to the powerful and ingrained political interests that have caused our state's budget to grow by $7 billion since he took office."

    According to the Star-Ledger, Corzine plans to raise property taxes by plugging an $8 billion deficit next year by reducing contributions to the state pension system, reducing state aid that relieves tax burdens at the local municipal and school level as well as continuing an income tax increase he promised would be temporary.

    "Governor Corzine had promised to stop underfunding the pension system, relieve property taxes and eliminate the gimmicks that have put this state in a precarious position," DeCroce said. "It is mind-boggling to think of how many promises to the state's taxpayers he has broken. He doesn't just break promises anymore, he breaks the same ones over and over. Whenever taxpayers hear the governor talk about a temporary tax or sustainable property tax relief, they have been condition to think permanent tax and no relief."

    Noting Corzine's recent public comments, including remarks to the Philadelphia Inquirer, DeCroce said the governor remains consistent only in his refusal to rule out tax increases.

    "If this is what the governor is proposing now, there is no telling what other tax increases he has kept under wraps," DeCroce said.

    DeCroce said Governor Corzine would have been forced to alter his financial policies, which have driven up taxes in the most heavily-burdened state in the nation and driven out families and jobs, if Democratic leaders had the sense to enact an Assembly Republican proposal to limit the state's budget growth to lesser amount between inflation or 4 percent.

    "Unfortunately for New Jersey's hard-working middle class families, Governor Corzine and his allies lack the will to end this viscous cycle of using an unfair disastrous property tax system," DeCroce said. "Until Governor Corzine and the Democratic legislative leaders begin acting on the people's behalf, property taxes will continue to rise, while families and jobs continue to disappear."