CORZINE AD BACKUP

Title: Getting Ready
Type: :30 TV
Date launched: 10/28/05

AD SCRIPT BACKUP

ANNCR: Can Doug Forrester change New Jersey?

He says he's going to lower property taxes. But he raised property taxes 200 percent.

Under Forrester, West Windsor's Tax Rate Increased 200 Percent In Four Years. Between 1979 and 1983, when Forrester served as mayor and councilman of West Windsor, the town's tax rate increased 200 percent. The New York Times reported that, during Forrester's tenure, he and the Township Committee increased property taxes from 38 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.19. As the Star Ledger reported, "the tax rate did triple." [West Windsor Budgets, 1979-83; New York Times, 5/26/05; Star Ledger, 6/2/05]

"Property Taxes Indeed Increased 200 Percent" Under Forrester. In October 2005, the Trenton Times reported, "One thing is clear - property taxes indeed increased 200 percent during Forrester's West Windsor Township Committee tenure." [Trenton Times, 10/17/05]

CORZINE AD BACKUP

Title: Getting Ready
Type: :30 TV
Date launched: 10/28/05

AD SCRIPT BACKUP

ANNCR: Can Doug Forrester change New Jersey?

He says he's going to lower property taxes. But he raised property taxes 200 percent.

Under Forrester, West Windsor's Tax Rate Increased 200 Percent In Four Years. Between 1979 and 1983, when Forrester served as mayor and councilman of West Windsor, the town's tax rate increased 200 percent. The New York Times reported that, during Forrester's tenure, he and the Township Committee increased property taxes from 38 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.19. As the Star Ledger reported, "the tax rate did triple." [West Windsor Budgets, 1979-83; New York Times, 5/26/05; Star Ledger, 6/2/05]

"Property Taxes Indeed Increased 200 Percent" Under Forrester. In October 2005, the Trenton Times reported, "One thing is clear - property taxes indeed increased 200 percent during Forrester's West Windsor Township Committee tenure." [Trenton Times, 10/17/05]

ANNCR: He says he’s signed a no new taxes pledge. But he just admitted he’s getting ready to raise taxes.

Forrester Said He Was Considering Raising Taxes In A Second Term. In October 2005, Forrester indicated that he was considering increasing taxes in a second term. Speaking to an audience at the Boricua summit in Newark, Forrester said, “I may come back to you four years from now and say, ‘You know what, we’re going to do something different, we’re going to have to do this,’ you know, x-y-z with regard to taxation, but I’m saying for four years we need to hold the line.� The Trenton Times subsequently reported that “Forrester said his oft-stated vow not to increases taxes is valid for his first term.� [Boricua Puerto Rican Agenda Summit, 10/15/05; Trenton Times, 10/18/05]

ANNCR: He says he’s on our side. But his tax plan gives big breaks to the wealthy that will mean deep cuts in education and health care.

Doug Forrester’s the problem. Not the solution.

Forrester’s Plan Gives A New Tax Break To The Wealthiest Households In New Jersey. In October 2005, the Asbury Park Press reported that, under Forrester’s plan, “[p]eople earning $200,000 or more would see the largest and fastest benefits because they currently get nothing but would be included in Forrester's plan.� The Bergen Record had previously reported that Forrester’s plan “includ[es] up to $5,000 in yearly property tax credits for households earning more than $200,000 a year, which receive no benefits under the current rebate programs or Corzine's proposal.� [Asbury Park Press, 10/16/05; Bergen Record, 9/30/05]

Forrester Proposal Would Give Over Half A Billion To The Wealthiest Five Percent. Despite Herb Jackson’s calling Forrester’s assumptions “flawed� and Tom Moran’s saying Forrester is “playing politics with the numbers,� according to Forrester’s own projections, over four years, Forrester’s plan would give $569 million to the wealthiest five percent of homeowners – 100,000 households. The Star-Ledger reported that Republicans “do not dispute� that estimate, under which the 100,000 wealthiest taxpayers would receive $200 million in the fourth year alone. [OLS Memo, 4/6/05; Trenton Times, 7/21/05; NJN, Reporters Roundtable, 9/23/05; Star-Ledger, 6/3/05; Calculations using OLS data and Forrester’s assumptions; Star Ledger, 10/9/05]

Observers: Forrester Would Have To Make Cuts In Programs Like Education And Health Care. Observers have concluded that Forrester would have to make cuts in popular programs. In an October 2005 ad watch, the New York Times wrote, “Given the fact that Mr. Forrester has pledged not to raise property taxes, and does not seem inclined to tackle the thorny issues of school financing that academics say is at the heart of the state's high property taxes, it is hard to see how he could avoid at least some cuts to various programs, like education or health care.� Also in October, the Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran wrote that Forrester would “have to cover the cost with deep cuts in popular programs, like public schools and health care. Look at the budget, and you see that's where the money is.� [New York Times, 10/4/05; Star-Ledger, 10/28/05]

Forrester’s Plan Would Cost Far More Than He Admits. In estimating the cost of his plan at $6.4 billion, Forrester cited an OLS report dated April 2005. The Bergen Record reported that OLS’s analysis “assumed property taxes will rise by about 3 percent a year.� However, according to a list furnished by the Assembly GOP, the average annual increase in property taxes over the 20 years from 1984 through 2004 was far higher – 6.5 percent. In September 2005, Bergen Record columnist Herb Jackson questioned the OLS study, saying, “They [Republicans] told OLS to assume property taxes only grow three percent, and they don’t – they grow at seven percent. So the numbers are automatically flawed based on the input that OLS was told to use.� [Asbury Park Press, 8/30/05; OLS Memo, 4/6/05; Bergen Record, 7/14/05; Assembly GOP Tax Blueprint; NJN, 9/23/05]

Forrester Hasn’t Said How He Would Pay For His Proposal. In June 2005, when Forrester was using a lower cost estimate than the $6.4 billion he adopted in August, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Forrester “has not specified where he would get the $2.7 billion to enact his plan, other than that he would find wasted money in the state budget.� In September 2005, the Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran wrote, “don't count on that cash just yet. Forrester hasn’t said how he’d pay for this [property tax] program.� In October 2005, the Courier Post reported, that “Forrester offered no specifics about where he would find the money to pay for his plan.� [Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/9/05; Asbury Park Press, 8/30/05; Star-Ledger, 9/16/05; Courier Post, 10/1/05]