To save money, Daggett avoids payroll taxes and health insurance for staff

To save money, Daggett avoids payroll taxes and health insurance for staff
Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett doesn't offer health insurance to his campaign staff.
By Matt Friedman | October 15th, 2009 - 11:20am

Independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett is stretching his limited campaign resources by not providing health insurance to his campaign staff, and by paying them not as employees but as independent contractors -- - a move that saves him some money because he does not have to pay a payroll tax. 

Full-time campaign staffers for Jon Corzine and Christopher Christie receive health benefits and are paid as employees, representatives of both campaigns told PolitickerNJ.com.

Daggett's campaign justifies the way he pays employees as a necessary sacrifice given the race's vast fundraising disparities.  According to the latest reports filed with the Election Law Enforcement commission (ELEC), Daggett has raised $1.1 million to Christie's $9.6 million and Corzine's $16.8 million.  He had only $109,000 on hand. 

"Chris Christie is not in Jon Corzine's league and we're not even in Christie's league," said Daggett spokesman Tom Johnson, referring the campaigns' cash totals.   

But paying full-time campaign staffers as independent contractors can bring campaigns into a gray legal area.  Even for full-time employees, Daggett is not required to purchase health insurance.  But he would have to pay payroll taxes that go towards state unemployment fund and the federal Social Security and Medicare systems.  

6 comments
Read more >>

Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: March 18, 2010

Runyan: ‘Different game, same mindset’  A lot of the hardest knocks Jon Runyan took in professional football he didn't see coming, and in that regard, he says the sport is not dissimilar from politics - where an email or phone call blast can drop out of nowhere and potentially...

Wally Edge

Wisniewski's second cheap shot of the week
Democratic State Chairman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) put out a statement today accusing GOP congressional candidate Jon Runyan of “hiding from the press while trying to privately impress party bosses, and taking advantage of thousands of dollars...
Byrne is earliest nominated living statewide candidate, Lautenberg is oldest
The passing of Warren Wilentz means that David Norcross becomes the earliest nominated U.S. Senate candidate currently living.  Wilentz was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1966 against Clifford Case, and Norcross was the Republican U....
The nomination nobody wanted
The national political environment favored the GOP in 1966.  It was the mid-term election of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the war in Vietnam had just begun to divide the nation.   In New Jersey, Republican Clifford Case was...
DiVincenzo backs pension reforms his aide is blocking
Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo issued a press release today urging the State Assembly to pass pension and health insurance reform bills, but did not mention in his 574-word that the person blocking the legislation, Assembly Speaker Sheila...
Runyan, Gooch to announce today
Two Republicans will formally announce campaigns for Congress this evening against Democratic incumbents: John Runyan, a retired NFL star who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, is challenging freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), and Diane...
MORE >

Contributors

Chris
Christie
This is going to be a budget that is going to be unlike any other you’ve probably seen in NJ in at least the last 20 years and maybe... more »
Robert
Torricelli
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get done... more »
Raymond
Lesniak
It's impossible to support consolidation of government services and also support COAH.S1 paints with a broad brush and thus will miss some fine points.  COAH paints with... more »
Jeff
Michaels
Governor Christie seems to have played the rotten fiscal cards he inherited fairly well. As reported by the Star-Ledger, he is proposing to cut school aid by more... more »
Joseph
Vitale
As part of his solution to New Jersey’s current budget deficit, Gov. Chris Christie announced that, effective yesterday, he will not allow any additional parents to enroll in FamilyCare,... more »
Steve
Adubato, Jr.
Do I love Governor Chris Christie’s budget proposal?  Of course not.  Who would?  I’m sure he doesn’t like it, but that’s not the point, is it?  How could you... more »
Charles
Wowkanech
The budget speech given on Tuesday by Governor Christie clearly illustrates his priorities – including disproportionately shifting the tax burden away from businesses and the wealthy, and... more »
Alan
Steinberg
On Rebate Issue, Christie Will Win.  The leading New Jersey Sunday newspapers yesterday confirmed that Governor Chris Christie will propose in his FY2011 budget the... more »
Carla
Katz
You’ve got to hand it to Christie; he calls it as he sees it.  I don’t mean the newly crowned Governor, Chris Christie, but his nine-year-old son, Patrick.  ... more »
Joseph
N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Anyone involved in governing and administrating a town or county in New Jersey understands the economic problems outlined in The Star-Ledger editorials of February 28 and March 1.  The... more »
Gina
Genovese
It is widely anticipated that Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget message, to be delivered on March 16, will show the harsh reality of New Jersey’s bleak financial outlook. No... more »
Donald
Norcross
In keeping with the commitment I made to you in the November election, I am looking at every possible way to cut wasteful government spending and relieve your tax... more »
Michael
W. Kempner
Republican Playbook:  Fear, Scorn & Partisanship -- Instill fear.  Sow uncertainty.   Create doubt.  Demonize.   These tactics may be the unfortunate norm for campaigning, but they are bad – if not... more »
Michael
Patrick Carroll
Our new Governor suffers from no lack of advice.  Much of it, contained in the transition reports, deserves prompt attention.  Obviously, economic prosperity benefits everyone, and – as... more »
Richard
J. LaRossa
I have to genuinely wonder if this legislature will go down as the most taxing legislature in the history of the state of New Jersey surpassing the legislative actions... more »
Dr.
Joseph R. Marbach
Now that  the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this election. First and... more »
Joey
Novick
 March 18, 2010   Stop screaming. You’ll wake up the neighbors.If you're a local town mayor in New Jersey and you think that screaming about the impact Christie’s budget... more »
Murray
Sabrin
Limited government principles and fiscal conservatism are philosophically sound, because they preserve the people’s natural rights and they prevent government from overspending, over borrowing and overtaxing.   For more than... more »
Anthony
M. Bucco
New Jersey is in severe financial crisis because for years elected officials have been able to make irresponsible and short-sighted decisions without any restraint.  Future governors may... more »
Julio
Tavarez
On January 6, 2010, several newspapers published articles with titles like “no more aid for struggling cities”, “Christie will cut state aid” and the like; furthermore, in the body... more »
Rafael
Román Martel
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, you target teachers. That’s not a positive note to start your tenure. You forget that the Teachers’ Union makes decisions on its own, such... more »
Brian
Valentino
On the day of his inauguration, Governor Christopher Christie inherited a gaping $2 billion hole in the state’s budget and swiftly set about the people’s business in meeting our... more »