Corzine Is Out Of The Mainstream

According to an article in the Star-Ledger:

Over the past four years, New Jersey raised taxes more per capita than any state while piling up multibillion-dollar budget deficits.

Those are some mighty stark facts - facts, not our opinion. The politicians in Trenton can’t raise taxes fast enough to keep up with their unchecked spending. The state of New Jersey has gone through billions upon billions of new spending, but can you name one thing the state has accomplished in the past four years?

Small wonder the director of the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll came to this conclusion based upon a recently conducted survey of New Jersey residents:

"People aren't confident government will do the right thing with revenues they raise," poll director Jeffrey Levine said. "A lack of trust in government makes something like increasing taxes hard to sell."

The Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll found:

Nearly 90 percent think budget savings should be sought by targeting dead wood and unnecessary spending

80 percent opposed a higher gasoline tax

Nearly 75 percent like the idea of a constitutional amendment that would limit state and local spending and return any savings to taxpayers

74 percent are against a boost in income taxes

51 percent support layoffs of state workers to save money

Based upon these findings, is Jon Corzine in sync with the citizens of New Jersey? Corzine has proposed a number of new state initiatives – Corzine universal health care; Edison Innovation Fund; Creation of "urban investment banks; and Enhancing the capacity of New Jersey’s ports.

Every one of these new programs must be financed with taxpayer dollars. Are the people of New Jersey really clamoring for more state spending? The poll findings would suggest otherwise.

That’s the spending side of Corzine’s agenda. How about the his tax policy side? This from the same Star-Ledger article:

Corzine, said he would "do everything to avoid net new taxes." He said he is leaving the door open to redistributing the existing tax burden if a property tax convention or special legislative session recommends it.

There is one sure-fire way to “avoid” new taxes - don’t start new state programs and don’t increase spending on existing ones. Has this concept escaped Senator Corzine?

Corzine’s tax policy should be of little comfort to taxpayers looking for tax relief and not tax shifting. The key phrases in Corzine’s remarks are “avoid net new taxes” and “redistributing the existing tax burden”. Taxpayers are looking for a net tax reduction, not a reduction in local property taxes on the one hand and an increase in income or other state taxes on the other.

Corzine has adopted a tax and spending government template that does not fit the state’s needs or the people’s preferences. The Senator enjoys using the terms “extreme” and “out of the mainstream” for his political opponents – descriptions that more accurately define the Corzine agenda for New Jersey.

Contrast Corzine’s positions with those of his Republican rivals for the Governor’s seat. Approximately 75 percent of people polled favored a constitutional amendment to limit state and local spending and for savings to be returned to the taxpayers. Four Republican candidates -- Schundler, Forrester, DiGaetano and Caliguire -- have proposed plans with those key elements. Corzine points to a constitutional amendment or special legislative session that would redistribute the existing tax burden. Big difference.

“All seven Republican candidates rule out higher taxes to help solve the state's budget woes.” Corzine is “leaving the door open” to tax increases. It’s that open door policy that has us worried.

We often find pundits and bloggers expressing the notion that Jon Corzine, with his financial resources, can't be beaten. If policy postions and ideas matter in this election, we can't see how he can win.