NJ Property Tax Relief – Where Have We Heard That Before?

Assembly Approves Tax-relief Measure was the headline on January 30, 2007

Despite Republican criticism that it was a rush job in an election year, the state Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would give most households a 20 percent tax credit and impose a 4 percent cap on local tax increases.

Property Tax Relief Plan Wins Approval was the headline on June 22, 2004.

Legislators yesterday approved Gov. James E. McGreevey's property tax relief plan that combines bigger rebate checks - paid for by higher income taxes on the wealthy - with caps on school and local government spending [2.5 percent] and a constitutional convention to revamp the funding of schools, counties and municipalities.

Many Republicans blasted the plan as a shell game intended to boost McGreevey's poll numbers but delaying work on the state's property tax problems. Democrats contend it fairly provides tax relief now and creates a framework for systemic change later.

Maybe the Republicans have a point. We’re beginning to see a pattern here.