NJLP Reacts to Hunterdon County Proposed Tax Increase

On Monday, April 14, the Hunterdon County freeholders drafted a proposal to increase property taxes, in order to make up for the budget deficit. Despite the dissent, the freeholders have supported their decision. Matt Holt said, “the tax rate doesn’t mean a damn thing, people. It’s what you raise in tax levies that matters.” The New Jersey Libertarian Party (NJLP), however, has reacted to this proposal as another questionable decision by government.

“If someone's property value goes down, you don't increase their taxes so you get the same amount of money out of them,” said NJLP State Chairman, Sean Colon. “Using that logic we should increase taxes on people making less than they did last year so that we could squeeze the same amount of money out of them.”

The NJLP finds this twisted logic to be one of the problems with New Jersey government. It does not make sense for the county to generate the same revenue, when families’ situations are adapting to the current economic situation. Citizens are cutting back, while the government continues to squeeze every last penny from their limited incomes. Furthermore, the NJLP also questions whether or not the county will decrease taxes, when the market picks up again.

“And what happens when property values go back up?” said Colon. “Is the county government going to decrease the property tax rate when the market recovers?”

New Jersey has never been known to lower taxes. So, the NJLP is doubtful that the taxes will decrease when the economy improves. They criticize the government's actions to tax their way out of these harsh economic times. The Libertarians believe the problem cannot be solved by taking the little income that citizens have left.