Governor’s Race Neck and Neck in High Tax New Jersey
Governor Corzine has caught up in the polls as a third-party candidate acts the part of spoiler for GOP challenger Chris Christie.
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has hit some bumps on the road to re-election — and he’s trying to smooth the way with money from his own pockets.
Corzine’s popularity hit the skids because he ran up the state budget year after year. In 2009, the state received $2 billion in federal stimulus money and the budget was balanced for the first time in years. Still, New Jersey ranks the highest in the nation in property taxes and its public schools have some of the highest spending in the country without consistently good results. Also, the state’s infrastructure has been further neglected during Corzine’s tenure.
Residents have been voting with their feet during the last decade. Since 2000, an estimated 250,000 residents have left the state, along with many small businesses, which are pummeled by the escalating progressive tax rates. By now the largest employer in New Jersey is the state of New Jersey. Those of us who remain continue to struggle with the punishing taxes — now the highest in the country. It’s not just the property taxes; it’s also the state income tax, the sales tax, inheritance taxes, and every other tax you can think of — all increasing.
Things are bad enough that when you pick up New Jersey magazine at the check-out counter, you find that most of the ads in the back pages belong to developers promoting properties in Pennsylvania and Delaware, states that aren’t as punitive with their residents when it comes to taxes. “Come to Bucks County! We’re near Princeton but you don’t get scalped,” they seem to say.
The Republican candidate, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, is running on the tax issue. His campaign motto is “providing real property tax relief.” Christie is calling for reductions in state spending, pension reform, and requirements for public employees to contribute more toward their benefits. In a state where the government is the largest employer, this has negatively affected Christie’s campaign.
Unfortunately, during an October 9 interview Christie said he will “put plans for sweeping tax cuts and spending increases on hold until the economy begins to recover” — whenever that may be.
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Fausta Wertz writes on Latin America, New Jersey, taxation, current events, and the French and Spanish-language media at Fausta’s Blog.
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43 Comments
1. Joe:Well, if Corzine wins, the people will just have to put up with “same old, same old”. I have begun to realize we really do get the government we deserve. Just look at what we are dealing with now.
Oct 30, 2009 - 5:01 am 2. gracie:The third party voters in New Jersey will upset the governor’s race.
They know their guy won’t win this time, they should be looking at the big picture and put their votes with Christie.
Also, perhaps Daggett is Corzine’s shill, knowing it would split the race in his favor.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:56 am 3. janranch:Yes, it could happen..anything to win
Watched Hannidy last night. He had a cross section of NJ voters on a panel. What a bunch of clueless voters. The Me Me Me mentality showed thru loud and clear. The deserve corzine. These people have no idea what to think so they are going with the corupt guy corzine. Christy while probably also a crook is not as big a crook as the incumbant. If I lived in NJ (and I did for yrs.) I’d get my feet MOVING so fast it would make the NJ tax man cringe….. unfortunately no one else in any part of the country could understand a word they are saying.
Oct 30, 2009 - 7:34 am 4. Ruebacca:I heard on the local radio the city Palo Alto Ca pays SEIU janitors 80k a year and benefits up to 110k. Ca pays prison guards 140k and some make 250k with extensive over time. Fire Fighters in Ca retire at 80% pay at 52. Government employees have to relies this can’t continue. Public employees have become an entitled class like the French nobility.
Oct 30, 2009 - 7:51 am 5. Saltherring:Time for productive, unrepresented folks and businesses in all states to vote with their feet. Government doesn’t listen?…walk. Politicians lie?…walk. Public-employee unions run the state?…walk. Leave such states to putrify in their rotting, corrupt culture. When over-taxed, over-regulated businesses leave for greener pastures, coffers run dry. Just ask Washington state governor Christine (The Queen) Gregoire, after Boeing (yesterday) chose to locate their second 787 production line in South Carolina. The culprits? Greedy unions and corrupt/incompetent politicians.
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:11 am 6. Phineas:Good article. I can’t help but think New Jerssey’s problems won’t be fixed until a) the public employees unions are broken and b) there are mass arrests of everyone in government from dogcatcher, up.
New Jersey’s dystopian state reminds me of that (in)famous line from Sports Illustrated: “New Jersey. The land to which all tunnels lead, unless blocked by snow, soot, or the bodies of slain Mafia leaders.”
Sadly, I think California isn’t far behind.
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:40 am 7. masstexodus:Texas is not a bad place to live. And the taxes are a lot lower than in NJ (particularly if one has taxable wage or investment income).
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:49 am 8. paul_unalaska:I chuckled a few weeks back when Corzine brought up Christie’s weight. As of this buzzard has something to tote in the looks/ fitness department.
Corzine, a BALD man with BEARD poking fun of someone else’ image (how many bald, bearded men are there in the U.S., beyond middle-aged driving a convertible? I know, A LOT!). That’s rich!
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:18 am 9. myth buster:This illustrates why even though my dad works for the State of New Jersey, he lives in Bucks County, PA.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:21 am 10. Old Soldier:My fear is that a close election will get thrown to the Democrats by fraud. I have received some very strange mailings this week about voting via mail.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:36 am 11. Sebastian Shaw:The problem with liberals is their only answer is more taxes; however, New Jersey is consumed by its own corruption thanks to the Democrats being in power too long. These two factors–combined with the high unemployment–is making Corzine poison, despite his millions. Money will not buy everyone. I think Corzine will lose badly, but will try to steal the election with the help of ACORN. I want to see Chris Christie win. Does it help Corzine’s poll numbers is virtually the same as the incompetent Governor David Patterson whom Obama encouraged not to run again? Corzine is doomed even if he wins since he will just want more taxes for the government monster.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:54 am 12. David Anfinrud:The bottomline this will be an election to watch. Look what the third party does to getting rid of a tax and spend Democrat Governor.
Oct 30, 2009 - 10:25 am 13. NJ Girl:I know I a fed up with the Republican Party but I want to change it to start listening to conservative views. I know my democrat senators offices hang up the phone when I use the dirty words “US Constitution”.
But it will be a lession for the rest of the country to see what happens. We have to take over the Republican party get rid of these moderates that have destroyed the party over the past few decades. Only by conservative values can we recover from this recession. Not spend spend spend that the current Congress Leadership is demanding and Republican leadership not far behind them.
Take over your state Republican party one district at a time. Restore common sense instead of Spending sense to the Republican party.
This state is such a mess. The most productive and wealthy are moving to other states. The tax burden chases business out and so the government takes up the slack adding more and more state jobs. Those jobs in turn are the votes for the democratic party that continues to choke the populace with higher taxes.
Oct 30, 2009 - 10:27 am 14. Pablo Rodriguez:I live in Cuyahoga County Ohio. We have the very same problems that New Jersey is afflicted with. Curruption and high taxes levied by corrupt County Commisioners. We have issues on the ballot to change County government. Issue 5 is put on the ballot to by the crooks themselves to keep them in office, And issue 6 to change county government immediatly and run the crooked rascals out. I am praying that issue 6 prevails.
Oct 30, 2009 - 12:11 pm 15. Slick:I’ve been living in NJ for 20+ years. My property taxes have gone up an avg. of 15% a year. My town’s public schools have dropped from #59 to #200 something. Why do I still live there? Hopefully, not for long.
I liked Lonegan better than Christie.
Oct 30, 2009 - 12:48 pm 16. whyyeseyec:California has already crossed the `not far behind` threshold #6. The State is beyond repair. The budget is always 6-8 months late and once signed, the legislators in Sa-crap-mento get busy working on what to tax next to pay for next years deficit. No thought to cutting spending. People who can are leaving in droves. Still voters send the same tax and spend automatons back to the capitol every year. There is no explaining `stupid`.
Oct 30, 2009 - 1:20 pm 17. Knotacommie:What New Jersey needs to break with is SOCIALISM. Even the likes Of Christine Todd Whitman was a RINO. Virtually every politician, even the so called “conservatives” leans left. There demonrats like Corslime, Frank the Lout Lautenberg, and the Illegal alien lover Menendez are out and out commies. Want to solve Jerseys problems-GET RID OF THE LEFT , PERIOD. The author had one statement that said it ALL. MORE PEOPLE WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT-HAS ANYONE THERE FIGURED OUT YET WHO PAYS THERE SALRIES AND BENEFITS????? DUH, THE TAXPAYERS, FOOL. NO taxpayers, no taxes, no state employees. I know its IMPOSSIBLE for the stupid lefties to put two and two together, so maybe going hungry might get someones attention.
Oct 30, 2009 - 1:46 pm 18. Saltherring:!6:
Why do California’s citizen’s accept millions of illegals? Crime, theft of public services, gangs, overburdened schools. Why don’t people stand up?
Oct 30, 2009 - 2:01 pm 19. Eric R.:I live in NJ. The Dems have managed to fix this state so that they will stay in power forever, no matter how corrupt they become, no matter how bankrupt the state becomes.
Their punishing taxes and ever expanding state payroll have not only made a large chunk of the population dependent on NJ, county & municipal government – not only the employees & their voting family members, but also large chunks of public pensioners and THEIR families, and — a lot of people forget this — huge swathes of the private sector dependent on government contracts — like construction and engineering firms who live off public works projects.
There are just too many people dependent on the government teat here who will never, ever vote for a Republican that would cut back government.
On top of that, the punishing taxes have pushed a lot of those who are disproportionately punished by them — that is to say the upper class and upper middle class, who are mostly Republican — are increasingly leaving the state, especially when they retire.
The end result is that a modest advantage for Democrats in voter registration 25 years ago is now an overwhelming one.
This state is for all intents and purposes, a one-party state — Socialist today, Socialist forver, and nothing will ever change it.
New Jersey is finished.
NJ is a one part
Oct 30, 2009 - 3:40 pm 20. captmike:Daggett isn’t going to get anywhere near the support that the Quinnipiac University poll suggests.First, Daggett will lose support on election day as most third party candidates do. Secondly, Daggett has a terrible position in the “Nomination By Petition Column”. It’s very hard to actually find his name on the ballot.
Oct 30, 2009 - 3:52 pm 21. Badger:Saltherring: “Why do California’s citizen’s accept millions of illegals? Crime, theft of public services, gangs, overburdened schools. Why don’t people stand up?”
Because that would be racist.
Oct 30, 2009 - 4:05 pm 22. Declan:It pains me to write this but…Corzine WILL be reelected.
I live in Bergen County and truly want to leave. I’ve had quite enough. My spouse wishes to remain as her immediate family all live nearby us (who are all hard-core dems). So, you know how that goes.
Politically, Jersey is an absolute shithole which will continue to decline. I’ve begun researching NoCarolina in the event my wife comes to her senses.
Oct 30, 2009 - 4:39 pm 23. JimGq:The Star Ledger’s endorsement of Daggett is simply a cynical move to draw votes away from Christie. Hell, the diehard dem’s probably constitute most of the people who signed the petition.
Oct 30, 2009 - 5:27 pm 24. Ann:Turnout will be key in NJ. I have already received calls from two Senators on recording reminding me to vote. I haven’t decided who to vote for. I do not like Christie’s plan for health insurance and I am pro-choice…on the other hand…Corzine is bad for the environment and state plan and redevelopment plan…is tax tax tax, spend on state employment, and has allowed COAH to get out of control.
Maybe I won’t vote.
Oct 30, 2009 - 5:38 pm 25. Allenda:Goldman Sachs won’t let Corzy lose.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:17 pm 26. Skipkent:In a place like NJ, how can you even begin to care which candidate is ‘better’ for the environment? Plug the holes in your ship and stop it from sinking, THEN you can worry about touching up and re-painting.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:47 pm 27. AD:A non-vote is a vote for Corzine.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:48 pm 28. AD:Anything but a vote for Christie is a vote for Corzine.
Oct 30, 2009 - 6:50 pm 29. BoMc:He might not be perfect, but what is the alternative?
Seems to me the only thing left to do when the recipients of taxes are the majority is to leave. It would be fun to see what would happen when the only ones they have left to tax are themselves. Usually they then impose absurd taxes (confiscation) on the assets you try to take with you… Oh that’s right, the U.S. does that now! Is anyone paying attention?
Oct 30, 2009 - 7:45 pm 30. Ann:Skipdent…I live in rural horse country in NJ. The environmental insensitivity of the current Gov. could ruin all the good things about living here. Parts of NJ are perfectly beautiful wholesome places to live. New Jerseans are very environmentally conscious. Even conservative Republicans are often environmentally conscious. Witness Christie.
Oct 30, 2009 - 7:48 pm 31. LM:22 Declan – Dump your wife if she won’t move. There are plenty of good women in North Carolina, let her kavetch to her leftie family while you sip mint julips with a southern belle.
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:09 pm 32. LM:24 Ann – Christie’s plan for health insurance is to allow insurers to offer inexpensive catastrophic care policies. When every possible test is mandated/covered, insurance is too expensive for the average person (not to mention guaranteed issue: insurance companies are forced to issue policies to persons already sick, driving up costs for those who are responsible enough to pay for insurance while they are healthy).
Oct 30, 2009 - 8:19 pm 33. Rob H:How stupid are the people of New Jersey? We are about to find out.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:26 pm 34. Elroy Jetson:Fausta,
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:32 pm 35. jerseyj:Do you honestly believe the Star-Ledger endorsed Daggett because of rightous indignation?
They endorsed him because it helps Corzine. That paper is a left-wing rag.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Corzine gets re elected, blinded eyes of the NJ voters it’s so scary.
22 Declan, I’m ready to go but my hubby won’t, maybe we should leave togther.
Oct 30, 2009 - 9:58 pm 36. Marc Malone:#24 Ann – Do you really think Christie’s anti-abortion stance makes a bit of difference? Do you honestly think he would possibly be able to ban abortions in NJ? Could he, perhaps, with the great power of the office of Governor of NJ overturn Roe v. Wade? WTH? Vote your pocketbook. Throw out the taxers!
#22 declan – Grow some cajones. Tell your wife you’re moving out if Corzine wins. She can come with you or not. VA is not that far away. She can still visit family. Tell her about how much more money you will both have after you move! Get the information and do the math. Show her the money!
Oct 30, 2009 - 10:10 pm 37. Ann:Certainly LM…that is also the approach of Bill Frist – a man I admire. If you are an individual though, you may want a decent policy at a decent price. Price is the problem as Christie realizes. One of the problems with individual policies is that they are too expensive for older people or sicker people. Large pools spread the costs with community ratings, etc.
I’m afraid his approach is great for young people but not so great for older people and still leaves people in fear of being sick and unemployed or unable to start a business, etc.
Oct 30, 2009 - 10:20 pm 38. myth buster:31. Get behind me Satan! You place money or even freedom over an intact marriage? What God has joined no man should tear asunder.
Oct 30, 2009 - 10:25 pm 39. Ann:Marc…You are correct. Christie cannot effect
abortion laws. I shouldn’t care but I do.
As a moderate Republican, I have grown tired of the party having no place for me, the litmus tests, the accusations of RINO. I have voted for many, many pro-life candidates but the party won’t include we pro-choicers or run candidates with that stance. And I’ve had enough of it.
Oct 31, 2009 - 5:05 am 40. Ann:OK. Decided. Voting for Christie.
Nov 1, 2009 - 11:24 am 41. NHBuckeye:I don’t live in NJ on purpose. I don’t live in CA on purpose. I don’t live in NY on purpose. I don’t live in MA on purpose. I don’t live in Ohio anymore, you guessed it, on purpose.
If you don’t like it, and voting is irrelevant, then leave. You can get a new job, make new friends, get new doctors, etc. You cannot get your taxes back. You cannot get your freedom back. If you don’t leave, you remain a slave to special interests and outrageously corrupt politicians who love that you are so willing to enslave yourself to them. All these socialist states can’t make it and won’t make it. Why stay?
The same thing is happening with the U.S. If I see a couple of more things happen on the national stage, we are going to start looking for jobs in New Zealand. I can run my internet business from anywhere I want. I don’t have to live in the U.S. I mean, I love the United States, I believe in this country. However the way things are changing, my love and hope are fading fast. And try as I may I can’t do much about it. People love their “free” money. Why be a slave to your government? Get out.
Nov 1, 2009 - 4:43 pm 42. Marc malone:#39 Ann – I get it. I’m Conservative. I oppose abortion. It’s not that we don’t run some pro-choice Pubs. It happens. Giuliani comes to mind. It’s that there are just so few Pro-choice Pubs. If you are one, the problem is that you should probably be a Conservative Dem.
Unfortunately, the Far-left have taken over the Dem party, so you are homeless. It sounds like you should be a Libertarian: Fiscally conservative and socially liberal (absolute minimalist government).
Glad you made your choice. Sorry it is the lesser of two evils. If it’s any consolation, I see Christie as a moderate, but he fits his State, now that they’ve shifted a teensy bit to the Right. He’ll do well for your State, I think, but honestly, I don’t really know enough. I do know that your vote won’t hurt you.
What is important is that it will be an earthquake in Congress if he wins. It may stop the nonsense in its tracks. The Dems will fracture. We may even see Pubs back in power with a bunch of Blue Dogs in key positions, all focused on fiscal discipline. A bit far-fetched, but remotely possible.
Nov 2, 2009 - 2:56 am 43. Ann:Thank you for your comment. Its going to make me think.
I think I’m barely a Repub anymore…but an independant rather than a libertarian. This part of the country has been having a lot of trouble with Repubs like me…or independant suburban women who are well-educated. Its causing a raging debate among Repubs up here. They accuse us of ruining Repubs chances in elections.
The Repubs will spin this election in Washington but I really think it was determined by local taxation allocations.
Nov 2, 2009 - 5:06 pm