September 24, 2008 - 1:14pm
News

Shulman ad hammers on what they see as Garrett's 'Karcher problem'

Dennis Shulman in Denver last month.: Politicker photoDennis Shulman in Denver last month.: Politicker photo 

They say there are about two or three enduring storylines in world literature, and over the last year there have proved to be two or three storylines in New Jersey politics..

In the U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett/Dennis Shulman Fifth Congressional District contest, the Shulman campaign argues that it’s the Ellen Karcher story all over again, with Garrett receiving a $41,000 tax break on a piece of land that yields approximately $700 per year in income.

In a television ad that went up today on Channel 5 in the district, Shulman charges that by enjoying the tax loophole, Garrett proves he is just another "corrupt politician."

"Scott Garrett’s property tax shenanigans are a small part of the many ways in which Garrett is bad for New Jersey taxpayers, but good at taking care of himself," said Jeff Hauser, Shulman’s campaign manager. "Garrett consistently plays the corrupt Washington DC special interest game, enriching himself at taxpayer’s expense while breaking federal law by hiding from those very same taxpayers the existence of property likely worth in the millions."

Karcher lost an election last year in part because of a barrage of ads her opponent, state Sen. Jennifer Beck (D-Monmouth), ran against her that highlighted Karcher’s tax break for selling some cordwood and Christmas trees grown on her Marlboro property.

In his failed U.S. Senate run earlier this year, state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris) tried to raise the same issue with former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, who receives the same tax break for minimal farm work.

"He’s got a Karcher problem," Pennacchio complained at the time.

The Shulman campaign said today that they would be running the farmland assessment ad through Election Day.

Garrett campaign spokeswoman Amanda Gasperino issued a statement in response to the Shulman ad.

"Rather than put forth meaningful proposals, Dennis Shulman has regurgitated baseless and untrue accusations," Gasperino said. "The attack is old news and another misleading distraction by the Shulman camp. Even while Shulman attacks open space, we wonder why he has not presented a real energy plan to the people of the Fifth District as Congressman Garrett has? Don't residents deserve actual proposals instead of unfounded political gimmicks?"

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.

Comments

Karcher redux


This Wally Edge post is from October 2007:

Beck Wins Christmas Tree Debate

The winner of the Christmas Tree Debate of 2007 seems to be Republican Jennifer Beck, who criticized Democratic State Senator Ellen Karcher for taking a farmland tax credit on her 8-acre Marlboro home, where she grows Christmas trees. Despite a serious campaign misstep – Beck's opposition researcher thought Karcher only grew six trees when it was really six acres of trees – the Asbury Park Press effectively sided with Beck in an editorial that suggested that farmland tax credits should be used for real farmers, not well-off politicians and physicians who dabble as farmers as a way of reducing their property taxes.

Karcher's problem – perhaps only in New Jersey is this a liability – is that she has set the bar too high when it comes to ethics. As the Marlboro Councilwoman who wore a wiretap and then beat ethically-challenged Co-Senate President John Bennett four years ago, Karcher's political career is based on ethics reform. So when she cuts her own taxes by selling growing trees, she makes her success story a little less credible.

http://www.politickernj.com/beck-wins-christmas-tree-debate-12587

Visit www.GarrettShrubs.com to learn more and view the new ad about Garrett's shrub farm.

09/24/08 2:38 pm

When Shulman gets 35% and Obama 30% in the 5th CD


Will we be spared the ranting of the blind Rabbi?

Vote Column "A" - All the way!

09/24/08 4:18 pm

Isn't this an old story?


Didn't this come up before when Garrett first ran for office? I thought it was debunked and over.

TJ, thanks for the URL. However, when you look at the list of facts, to me there seems to be less "facts" and more digs and "would be" scenarios, no? (the Christmas Tree joke was almost childish).

It claims the "Farmland Would Be Valued Between $300,000 To $2.2 Million If It Was Assessed As Buildable Lots" - but that's misleading. The ad says that Garrett is skipping out on paying $41,000 or so in property taxes, but that assumes that the "lots" totaled $2.2 million - which they do not. There is only one lot and it isn't subdivided according to the page.

That's a lot of "what if's" and "would be's" and hypotheticals here to be making accusations.

Veritas vos Liberabit
"Collecting more taxes than absolutely necessary is legalized robbery." - Calvin Coolidge

09/24/08 4:40 pm

Article Edit


This paragraph contains an error:

"Karcher lost an election last year in part because of a barrage of ads her opponent, state Sen. Jennifer Beck (D-Monmouth), ran against her that highlighted Karcher’s tax break for selling some cordwood and Christmas trees grown on her Marlboro property."

Jen Beck is a Republican, not a D. I know you're quite aware of that fact; editorial mistakes happen.

Please delete this post after correcting the matter.

09/26/08 12:04 am