Posted on 06/20/2004 7:28:47 PM PDT by Coleus
$27.3 Billion, $3.2 Billion more than last year, 13%
They are actually counting on President Bush's economy to carry them through the next fiscal year!
This is right out of an Ayn Rand novel.
The Democratic Party = higher taxes.
those high income wage earners will switch their residency to florida, or figure out other ways to structure their businesses to avoid those taxes.
but you have to give the Dems credit - they stick together when they have power. this tax refund gambit, plus some other "populist" stuff, may well get McGreevey re-elected.
but the soccer moms love it - since the money goes to "better schools", in the form of luxury cars that the NEA members can now afford to buy with their higher salaries.
When you hire a Democrat Governor, and then throw out the republican Senate and Republican house, so that the Democrats own all venues of Government,
What do you expect???
I'm grateful that it's only 13%.......
Bill from Nutley
McGreevey has, since being elected, raised every tax that he could. Ask the people who go to the casinos if anyone wins, and they will tell you NO. Why?, because of all of his taxes. Casinos used to pay about 90% of the money put into them. Now, with the McGreedy taxes, you don't see people winning in Atlantic City. This liberal moron thinks that no one notices, but he is wrong. Many of the people that I come in contact with go to A.C. They know that now they can only pay at a rate of about 85 %. McGreedy is just another liberal who takes everyones' money.
For now though, this pathetic constituency will have to settle for the despicable lying socialist, Jim McGreevey.
If you can, please post or point me to a list of McGreevy's campaign promises. I'm looking and it is tough slogging so far.
Does anyone else want to reach in and tear out the radio when you hear McGreedy's ads for his redistribution of wealth? I am truly amazed that he is going to get away with this. And he talks as if this is the right thing to do.
I'll look around, there may be some fr links about it. Thenderson may be able to help with this one.
Right off the bat he stated that he was going to end the tolls in 7 yrs., then after he took office; he signed a 10-yr. deal with EZ-Pass, what's hypocritical about that, is that he used the Whitman deal with EZ pass as a campaign issue.
He promised that he wasn't going to raise taxes. The first thing he did was to RAISE TAXES. He then went on to say that he wasn't going to raise Income Taxes, so he raise Corporate Taxes which trickled on down to the consumer, then the Casino Tax, which then again trickled down to the consumer.
TRENTON -- Gov. James E. McGreevey's $26.3 billion state budget for fiscal 2005 relies on illegal borrowing and is being rammed through the Legislature without adequate debate, Republicans charged Monday.
Atop the list of budget items opposed by the GOP: McGreevey's proposal to borrow $1.5 billion to fund state government beginning July 1.
"If this budget is passed and signed we will have to decide whether or not we will sue," said Senate Majority Leader Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon/Warren. "This is an appalling proposal. It is the equivalent of mortgaging your house for groceries and it is spectacularly poor governance."
Lance, the Legislature's senior elected Republican, called for Democrats to abandon their self-imposed Thursday deadline for passage of the budget. He said the GOP would likely seek an injunction from the state Supreme Court bringing a halt to the bond sale.
The McGreevey administration maintains after two straight years of austerity packages, the governor finds himself in a position to ratify a 13 percent spending increase.
But in an 11-page decision issued Thursday, the Office of Legislative Services -- the Legislature's non-partisan arm -- said the proposal violates both the state's balanced budget amendment and the debt limitation clause.
State government is barred from bonding to cover its basic operating costs, according to the OLS decision.
One spokesman denied the governor is looking to quickly approve the sale because doing so would allow him to sidestep any legal challenge. Once sold, the high court would not be able to retroactively void the transaction.
"Every legal and financial expert we've consulted with said that this is the same mechanism we've used for tobacco bonds," spokesman Micah Rasmussen said, referring to back borrowing linked to a master settlement with the nation's largest tobacco companies. "The Legislature sets its own timetable. It's not for the governor to be OK with it or not be OK."
Sen. Wayne Bryant, Democratic chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he plans to push ahead with the budget plan and is awaiting a further ruling by Attorney General Peter Harvey.
During its control of the Legislature for most of the 1990s, Republicans routinely failed to introduce budgets until hours before they were voted on.
"We are just trying to do the people's business," Sen. Wayne Bryant, D-5 of Lawnside said of efforts to have the budget approved by Thursday. That would put the Legislature ahead of the June 30 deadline in the state Constitution for a balanced budget to be enacted. Each year lawmakers typically work until the last day.
"Waiting until the deadline just keeps people in a state of panic," Bryant added.
One Democrat lawmaker said he would be willing to temporarily halt the budget proceedings until it is clear whether the bonding is legal.
"If it's right there's no reason to wait. But if we rush and miss things, then I agree we should slow it down a bit," Sen. Stephen Sweeney, D-3 of West Deptford, said. "This bond is one of the centerpieces of (McGreevey's budget) and I would think he had to research it thoroughly."
The bickering came as legislators on Monday also approved another revenue-raising bill McGreevey has pushed for -- his so-called "Millionaire's Tax."
That plan would raise income tax by $800 million for the state's wealthiest 1 percent, or those earning over $500,000 annually. Under McGreevey's plan, the money would be used to raise property tax rebates for 93 percent of homeowners.
Lawmakers also passed separate measures approving lower caps on local government and school boards meant to control property tax increases.
And the illegal $2.8 billion passed to make up for Christie Whitless' 15% income-tax cuts, seems she illegally stole the money out of the Unemployment Trust Fund (federal $$) and teachers' TPAF fund.
Here come more rich, liberal Nazi Jerseyites into Eastern Pennsylvania.
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