"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance

 and a people who mean to be their own governors

 must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Stop New Jersey’s Death Spiral

New Jersey taxpayers should heed Jeff Faria’s words and take action now! November’s elections may be a done deal, but that does not mean the democratic process ends. Contact your representatives in the state’s Assembly and Senate and tell them you want meaningful spending cuts now, before it’s too late! Find your representatives' names and contact information here.

Corzine's win means that voters don't see the danger ahead, and we can't blame them for being in denial over our situation. But that also explains why no real change is forthcoming.

So until meaningful opposition presents itself, meaningful budget cuts will NOT happen, no matter how obviously bloated our government's payrolls are. Instead of cuts, business-destroying sales taxes are on the way. Our most mobile (often our best-off) citizens aren't going to sit and be fleeced, not with the option of New York or PA nearby and looking increasingly competitive.

Here comes a whole new level of pain, as the wealthy and mobile continue to bail and the tax burden gets driven down to lower economic stratas. You'll see gas taxes, clothing taxes, incomes taxes, and sales taxes hiked.

This cycle of government spending and empty 'reform' promises will continue until the system finally collapses.

Unfortunately, by then it's too late, and cuts won't end the death spiral.



10 Comments:

At 5:19 PM, Blogger Justin J. Rivera said...

Just as they did in California, New Jersey Voters Need to start asking how much more of this they are willing to take. No matter how many times the head of the dragon changes it's the same thing over and over again. How much longer are New Jersey Democrats going to get a free pass to bankrupt the state. It's becoming beyond rediculous! I totally agree with enlighten that we need to make our voices heard by our respective legislators. I'll do Enlighten one Better.
In tribute to a great turning point in our history, The Boston Tea Party, I urge everybody who blogs on this site that when they write to their legislators to include a single teabag in their letter.
I got this idea from Rush Limbaugh's first book; "The Way Things Ought To Be."
One of his callers from Massachusetts urged others from his state to fight the legislature over raising taxes to give themselves payraises.
I was reading this while President Bush was trying to get his first tax cut passed back in 2001 and all that then Senators Toricelli and Corzine could do was say nothing but bad things about it so I gave this method a try.
Not only did I get letters back from each of them but they both eventually voted for the tax cut. I'm in no way trying to imply that I alone pursuaded these to political hacks to do the right thing for the nation but sending strong messages like this DO have an effect. Especially when it's done by many people. We didn't except unfair taxation from the British and we damn well shouldn't take from our own Governor and legislature!
So when you write to your Governor and your respective Assemblymen and State Senators be sure to have a teabag in hand to let them know that enough is enough!

 
At 6:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

AMEN! What we should do is take up arms and have a real revolution. John Adams wouldn't have stood for this.

 
At 6:57 PM, Blogger Jeff Faria said...

I appreciate the sentiment re tax rebellion. Unfortunately, I have to say that my experience has been that there is no heading off the bottoming-out process now that it is well underway. The Democrats are complacent, focused on consolidating power and moving up in rank. It's appalling that (aside from occasional rhetoric) no real proposals to cut government spending have been advanced. None. Just tax raises. But the taxpayers and voters have not shown themselves ready to reject the party despite scandal after scandal (this is partly Republicans' fault).

It should be noted that there ARE honest, decent Dems in Hudson County. Tony Chiappone for one. You may have noticed that his is not one of the names that gets tossed around much in local political circles. The players can't abide an honest man, he just doesn't fit in.

It's possible that the state as a whole can't be persuaded to vote Republican in any situation short of what they call in stock trading a capitulation. (Or, even if they could be so persuaded, it's possible that the Republicans themselves are incapable of fielding electable candidates.) In situations like this where one party is so entrenched, it is possible that a Democratic splinter group can form. (Remember that Glenn Cunningham had begun consolidating one in Jersey City before he passed away.) Such a group may make quiet peace with Republicans and go out after disaffected (but Democratic) voters. This at least gives Democratic (urban) voters a choice they can accept.

In Hoboken we have muni (council) elections coming up this year. Already some heretofore loyal party backers (don't ask - for all I know, they'll get bought out) are making rebellious noises. It's a start. There is much disaffection here in the power brokers' very backyard that they are too busy kingmaking to hear. This would be a good place for Republicans to see where they fit in and whether or not they can work with splinter Democratic rebellions to break the back of this suffocating patronage.

This nurturing of small but meaningful rebellions would require foresight and leadership on the part of Republicans. (Which I am not by the way - registered as Independent.) Failing that, I am forced to reiterate that these macro-trends do tend NOT to get headed off once they are in play. We are more likely to lead toward a bad end and bottom out. That's human nature as I have seen it, much as I wish I could say otherwise.

If we get a perfect storm - a national economic slump with a corresponding stock market decline (it does not have to be a full-blown recession, just a stall will do), no federal tax cuts, no lowering of interest rates, no reigning in of federal spending, continued theft, incompetence and mismanagement of Jersey's bloated government (well, that at least is a given), no school spending reform (ditto), and the end of the current building cycle (which is almost certainly somewhere near, except in Katrina-ravaged areas) - it's going to be a rapid slide downhill. The resulting sharp falloff in housing prices would be the sobering tonic you're looking for in this forum, but it is bitter medicine indeed.

 
At 8:40 PM, Blogger Justin J. Rivera said...

I totally agree that both parties have dropped the ball in New Jersey. Electing Republicans is one thing but electing a Republican in New Jersey that acts and legislates like a real Republican is a different story. I've actually stated this on enlighten a few times.

As far as Republicans getting their foot in the door in Hudson County goes, the County Committee first needs to undergo a major overhaul starting with the departure of Jose Arango as chairman. All Mr. Arango has done in his tenure as Committee Chairman is put up a GOP ticket in June to throw to the wolves come Election Day. There are others on the comittee as well who help keep the vote down because the Democratic machine gives them Municipal and County jobs. Ask any Hudson Republican Candidate over the last four years what the Arango led County Committee has done for them leading up to Election Day and they'll tell you that they did absolutely NOTHING!

One name that has been knocked around for the next Committee Chairman is Joe Mendez. I would really like to see that happen. That would be a huge step in the right direction. Whoever it is, if they're serious about taking on the County Machine then they have to be completely unified, organized and able to raise adequate funds. Taking on a County Machine that has been in power for decades is a very stressful, expensive task.

On a state level I would Really like to see Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan become Chairman. Mayor Lonegan is a tough no nonsense conservative who stands up for his beliefs and makes no apologies to any of the cream puff moderates or liberals(what's the difference?) that find him offensive. A true leader can't be afraid of offending people.

I really don't believe that the people of New Jersey are looking for some political philosopher. They're just looking for someone with grapefruits big enough to make all of th right moves. Making them see that it can only be done by a Conservative Republican would only be a really big added bonus!!

 
At 9:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just wrote to my state senator and assemblymen to call for meaningful spending cuts NOW. It felt good to do it, but I am probably pissing in the wind, because my senator and assemblymen are deeply mired in the political swamp.

One has to try, though.

 
At 9:50 PM, Blogger Enlighten-NewJersey said...

Jim,

May you be one of the 2.6 million New Jersey income taxpayers who will write to let the politicians know enough is enough.

 
At 8:09 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wrote to my reps in Trenton also asking them to cut spending to the bone, before thinking of raising taxes.

This tax situation in New Jersey will never stop. It is a transfer of wealth from the smaller,richer suburban towns to the larger poor inner cities. Once the cities realized they could steal your money by simply voting no ones money was safe.

 
At 9:03 PM, Blogger Jeff Faria said...

I just got a hit from this post, now over two years old. The bottoming-out process is underway, though we are still nowhere near the bottom. The state is looking to tax anything it can, the deficit is expanding, and unions are demanding that cuts be made ELSEwhere. In Hoboken, state hospital cuts mean a scheme to pump money into a local hospital taken over by the city is about to leave taxpayers with an enormous bill. I imagine time bombs like this are ticking all over New Jersey.

Businesses are leaving and will NOT come back due to taxes and corruption. The state has sprung into action by launching a marketing campaign that claims that corruption in NJ is a fairy tale. In other words, we are still deep in the 'denial' stage.

WHen it all collapses, the people in this 'room' can rightly say: I told you so. Hopefully, of course, they have relocated by now, or at least sold their homes and are renting until after the hammer comes down.

 
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At 10:21 PM, Anonymous Edwin said...

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