CHIUSANO AND McHOSE: PUBLIC PRESSURE NEEDED TO STOP GOVERNOR CORZINE'S TAX INCREASES

QUINNIPIAC POLL SHOWS STRONG PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO GOVERNOR CORZINE'S POST-ELECTION PLAN TO RAISE THE STATE'S GAS TAX

    A Quinnipiac University poll showing 61 percent of New Jersey voters oppose raising the gasoline tax to pay for road and mass transit improvements reflects that the public is demanding Governor Corzine go beyond his usual schemes of tax increases, toll hikes and borrowing to replenish the bankrupting Transportation Trust Fund, Assembly members Gary Chiusano and Alison Littell McHose said.

     "When faced with a dilemma Governor Corzine uses the same tired cards - tax increase, toll hike or borrowing - in a game that the state's taxpayers lose," Chiusano said. "New Jersey already suffers the nation's worst tax burden, but the governor has said he will raise taxes after the election. Once again the governor's solution to every budgetary problem is to raise taxes instead of lowering expenses."

    Just a week ago, the governor announced he would make permanent the "temporary" hikes in the income tax that he and the Democratic-controlled Legislature enacted in June. This would most likely happen in the lame duck session of the Legislature after the November elections.

    "Just as strong public opinion killed his foolish plan to raise tolls 800 percent just so the state could borrow more, it will be needed again to stop the governor's raid on taxpayers in the lame duck session," Chiusano added.

    Chiusano and McHose, both R-Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon, said the poll shows that New Jerseyans are aware - despite the creative contentions of the Corzine administration - that they are overtaxed.

    "Governor Corzine has proven that he has an endless capacity to raise taxes and borrow money taxpayers cannot afford to repay," McHose said. "People are frustrated that they are overtaxed, yet the governor is already drawing up plans to enact more tax increases after the election.

     "Although the governor has refused to heed our economic warnings and public opposition in the past, we must keep the pressure on him before he pushes through more tax increases that will yet again drive up the costs of every good and service that is manufactured, bought or used in New Jersey," McHose added.