A common excuse from “Governor” Jon Corzine and his rubber-stamping, anti-taxpayer Democratic Legislature is that they should not be blamed for Property Tax Increases because the “State of New Jersey does not calculate Property Taxes”.   All three District 37 incumbents, State Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle repeatedly claimed this exemption during their debates in 2007 and the incumbents’ surrogates on the website: www.bluejersey.com accused their Republican Challengers of being “ignorant” and “thought it was sad that the Democratic Incumbents had to explain to the Republican Challengers how state government worked” in the previous Assembly Election.   What is missing in the New Jersey Democratic Party’s refusal to take personal responsibility for the fact that Property Taxes have exploded during their disastrous eight year reign, is that regular State Aid to ALL of District 37’s municipalities has been drastically reduced during this time, which in turn, has forced the local municipalities to either increase property taxes and/or slash local services.  An examination of state aid from the New Jersey State Government during Democratic rule to Rochelle Park is contained below:property taxes raised under Corzine 21.20%; under Democrats 53%; average 2008 property tax bill $6.000; average property tax relief lost $1,033. In comparison the average property tax bill in 2005 was $4,951; in 2001 $3,921. State aid change from 2007 to 2008 was $220,695 or minus 19.70% (Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services website). The numbers for Maywood are as follows:property taxes raised under Corzine 19.40%; under Democrats 50.80%; average 2008 property tax bill $7.765; average property tax relief lost $1,179. In comparison the average property tax bill in 2005 was $6,501; in 2001 $5,148. State aid change from 2007 to 2008 was $174,933 or minus 11.90%  When Property Tax Relief through State Aid from the New Jersey State Government is cut to Local Municipalities, it puts upward pressure on Property Taxes. THIS STATE AID TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES IS DETERMINED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE.  So YES, they ARE responsible for the exploding Property Tax Problem, even if they do not technically “calculate” Property Taxes. Wojciech SiemaszkiewiczRepublican candidate for Assembly in District 37http://www.takebackbergen.com/