MIDDLE CLASS RESISTANCE FORCES CORZINE TO DROP ILL-ADVISED ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION

enator Marcia Karrow, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding Governor Corzine's announcement that he is withdrawing his proposal to eliminate the property tax deduction.

"My colleagues and I are relieved that the public forced Governor Corzine to retreat from his ill-advised scheme to eliminate the property tax deduction. The property tax deduction helps keep New Jersey families in their homes.

"Middle-class New Jersey needs to keep up the pressure to force the governor to restore property tax rebates as well. The average property tax bill in the state is now more than $7, 000. The property tax rebate program is critically important to families struggling to pay their tax bills.

"A Rutgers economist put the cost of Corzine's budget at $ 1, 700 to $2, 000 for a family making $80, 000. Even with the governor's retreat it will still cost that same family $1, 300 to $1600.

"The governor abandoned the middle class in his budget proposal. During the budget hearings that will begin soon my colleagues and I will ensure that middle class New Jersey is protected. The values and principles that made New Jersey a first-class location to raise a family and start a business must be defended, not trampled on by the governor and his allies in the Legislature. We will remind Governor Corzine again and again during the budget process, that middle class earnings are not his personal piggy bank.

"It took the governor 5 weeks to walk away from his 800 percent toll increase and 10 days to retreat from the elimination of the property tax deduction. We have until June 30 to force him to restore the rebates."

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