State Issues
Trenton Antics
This is a guest column written by the mayor of Bogota. It appeared in the November 12, 2006 edition of the MorristownDaily Record. The article is entitled: Hello shared services, bye-bye small-town feel. An interesting perspective on the high taxes in New Jersey.
Mayor Steve Lonegan of Bogota
Can We Survive Any More Assistance from Trenton?
Take heed from this warning issued by the New Jersey Taxpayers Association. Its significance will shock you.
State Mandates, but does State Pay? THIS IS A MUST READ!
Corzine's Attack on Small Towns
In light of Governor Corzine's attempt to force the small towns to consolidate to form inefficient larger towns, a brochure was sent to all the residents outlining his plan. The response to that has been unanimous and to the point: we do not want to merge. We are happy with our community just the way it is, and we are determined not to let the governor or any other state official force us into an undesirable consolidation.
◆ Bergen Record's Response to Photo
◆ Trends Supports Riverdale vs. Corzine
◆ The Governor's Big Lie
◆ Corzine's Broken Campaign Promise
◆ Small Town Mayors Vow to Fight Aid Cuts
◆ Morris Towns Rage Against Aid Cuts
◆ Governor Snubs Riverdale
We'll Never Give Up
Governor Jon Corzine has placed the small towns of New Jersey as his target of blame for the high taxes we are suffering under in our great state.
Mayor's Comment on Corzine's Plan
Shame on Republicans
Republican State Senators have cosponsored a resolution that would mandate the elimination of small towns. This proposed legislation blames the high local property taxes on the inefficiency of small towns. Legislators who know better, or who should by way of their office, when making such statements are promulgating outright falsehoods. We are using this forum to challenge them and demand they document such allegations.
Republicans have joined with Democrats in the New Jersey State Senate to introduce SJR13, which would form a commission recommending and forcing small towns to merge against their will. The commission will determine which towns must merge.
SJR 13 states, "The high property tax burden affecting New Jersey residents has its source in the multitude of local government units, currently 566 municipalities, operating in the State." This is a statement that no one in the state has proven to be true. We find it non-factual, pejorative and downright insulting. This is an attempt by legislators to cover-up their own profligate spending and borrowing and a myriad of regulation impositions. The state is the cause for the high property taxes at the municipal level, but they are attempting to shift the blame to the small towns away from themselves. As far we have been able to determine, the total property taxes raised to support the municipal share of all the combined towns having a population less than 5,000 residents do not equal the total state aid given the City of Newark!
STOP THE NONSENSE
The billionaire Democratic governor has been clamoring for the destruction of the small New Jersey towns and these Republican senators, including Senator Tony Bucco(!), have gone over to the Dark Side by giving Corzine exactly what he wants! If Bucco et al want to do something constructive then they should introduce legislation breaking up the cities of 100,000 population or more into smaller, more manageable communities without all the ensuing corruption. Every former mayor of Newark elected since 1962 has been indicted for crimes while in office! Read SJR 13 for Yourself