Monday, May 13, 2013
But Community Affairs chief says systemic reforms, cuts in total tax rate are key.
Assembly Democrats last week assailed Gov. Chris Christie for an 18.6 percent increase in net property taxes over the past three years, but Christie’s community affairs commissioner said long-term savings and cuts in overall tax rates are more important. Community Affairs commissioner Richard E. Constable III told the Assembly Budget Committee that the 2.4 percent growth in property taxes in 2011 and 1.6 percent rise last year were the smallest statewide hikes in 20 years and an improvement over an "increase of 70 percent in the 10 years before Governor Christie took office." But Democratic committee members disputed Constable’s view, citing a New Jersey Spotlight analysis showing that net property taxes -- the net cost of property taxes …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
New program is shadow of former funding, with deeper cuts to come in second year.
The state expects to spend $100 million in the coming fiscal year to fund projects to preserve open space and farmland, at least $50 million shy of what New Jersey traditionally spends annually on the popular program. In the fiscal year following that, the funding will drop off even more dramatically, with only $40 million -- at most -- available to fund open-space preservation, parkland projects, and buyouts of flood-prone properties, according to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. The total does not include $250 million in federal funds that may be available to help buy out flood-prone properties in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Martin said. The steep decline in funding reflects the exhaustion …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
GOP lawmakers says proposal’s too expensive, not needed because people can cast absentee ballots.
Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have created a system for early voting in New Jersey, which Democrats saw as needed to expand voting opportunities but the governor deemed unnecessary. Inspired by the state’s chaotic 2012 presidential election held in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the bill, S-2364and A-3553, would have permitted voters to cast ballots in person at designated polling locations as early as 15 days prior to an election. It was sponsored by and supported by only Democrats. All Republicans in both the Senate and Assembly opposed it, and given the composition of the Legislature, it is impossible to override a veto without GOP support. In his veto message, Christie said New Jersey voters have been able to …
Friday, May 10, 2013
But Motor Vehicles chief says new contract pushes off privatization option for three years.
Stung by their inability to block the privatization of the State Lottery, Democratic members of the Assembly Budget Committee yesterday assailed the Christie administration for considering privatization of motor vehicle inspections. Raymond P. Martinez, chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, acknowledged that privatization was one of the options explored by Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), a Lexington, Mass.-based consultant hired in 2011 to advise the MVC on best practices and assist in negotiations over a contract extension with Parsons Corp. Since 1998, Parsons has operated New Jersey's hybrid system of centralized MVC inspection lanes and private garages that inspect 2.3 million vehicles a year. "Our goal …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Governor tells New York Post that Lap-Band procedure was done at the urging of his family. An NYU doctor made house calls to Christie's Mendham home to not draw attention to the surgery.
Gov. Chris Christie underwent stomach-shrinking Lap-Band surgery in February, he confirmed to the New York Post on Monday night while refuting speculation that he was slimming down for a White House run in 2016. Christie quietly had the Lap-Band -- or laparoscopic adjustable gastric binding -- procedure done in a New York hospital, telling the paper that he agreed to the surgery at the urging of his family after turning 50 in September. The governor insisted that the Lap-Band was not inserted to help him lose weight in the run-up to 2016. "I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, 'I have to do this for them, even if I don’t …
Christie rebate cuts cause 22.4 percent increase in net property taxes that hits those making under $150,000.
Net property taxes in New Jersey rose 22.4 percent in Gov. Chris Christie's first three years in office, compared to just 6 percent in Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine's last three years in office, a New Jersey Spotlight analysis shows. Christie, who has made attacks on “Corzine Democrats” a centerpiece of his reelection campaign, has been touting his record of holding down overall property tax increases. But when Christie’s rebate reductions are factored in, his property tax record is not so clear-cut. While Corzine doubled average property tax rebates from 2006 to 2009 and provided rebates to families earning as much as $250,000, Christie sharply cut the size of rebate payments and limited eligibility for non-seniors to those earning $75,000 …
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Tuesday, May 7
The Township of Lawrence was named a 2012 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. This is the 17th year Lawrence has earned the national designation. Lawrence achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. “Everyone benefits when elected officials, volunteers and committed citizens in communities like the Township of …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Money to go to balancing the general state budget rather than building houses for low- and middle-income residents.
Defying several attempts at killing it off, the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing met for the first time in more than two years on Wednesday to begin the process of taking at least $142 million in funds dedicated to low- and moderate-income housing to help balance the state budget. COAH, which has few friends in the Legislature, was reorganized out of existence in 2011 by Gov. Chris Christie. The council voted 4-1 to ask municipalities to send proof of their plans to spend any money that had been dormant in their affordable housing trust funds for four years as of July 17, 2012 and transfer the remaining, unspent money to the council by May 22, according to the resolution. The resolution also gave its acting director approval to …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Christie cites families, wife -- and Jon Bon Jovi -- in explaining new position on ‘Good Samaritan’ bill.
From a governor who rarely changes course after stating his views on a bill, Chris Christie’s decision to sign a measure granting immunity to those who aid drug overdose victims was nearly unprecedented. It took dogged lobbying from the families of residents who died from overdoses, as well as urging from New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie, for the governor to embrace the “Good Samaritan” bill. The effort also received an assist from celebrity rocker Jon Bon Jovi, whose daughter survived an overdose. The bill (S-2082) protects both overdose victims and those who are with them from arrest for drug possession. It also offers immunity to those who administer an opioid overdose antidote, naloxone. Christie had issued a conditional veto of…
Friday, May 3, 2013
Mercer, Princeton, TCNJ, Rider, Thomas Edison and Princeton Theological Seminary will all receive funds.
The state will provide more than $95 million for construction projects at the six colleges and universities located in the county, the county announced. The money is part of $1.3 billion in funding that the state is providing for 176 higher education capital construction projects, including $750 million from the Building Our Future Bond Act that New Jersey voters approved in November. “This infusion of funds for construction projects on our local campuses is great news,” said Brian M. Hughes, Mercer County Executive. “Mercer County already has one of the most highly skilled and educated labor pools, and this funding will help the county draw in and retain the brightest of the bright. Collectively, Mercer’s colleges and universities …
Chief Wahoo
10:30 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
Damn you math , why do you curse Christie so ????? more ›