Is it Time to Resign from the Middle Class?
I want to resign from the “Middle Class.” The chosen political football of our day. Suddenly the “Middle Class” is being courted with near hysteria by politicians of all party stripes. Democrats have been puffing themselves as the only friend and defender of the “Middle Class”. Now the Republican Governor has plopped himself down into the ring with his “Christie Middle-Class Reform Agenda”. So you are to choose: the Republican version, “Christie loves the Middle Class passionately, and on their welfare doth he meditate both day and night”, or the Democratic version, “Christie hates the Middle-Class and doth contrive relentlessly to hurl them headforemost into the Lake of Fire.” And unhappily, the Middle Class will no doubt buy into one or the other versions of this political tripe.
The Christie Middle-Class Reform Agenda
After Two Years Of Delay And Inaction, It Is Time For The Legislature To Move Forward On Governor
Christie’s Common-Sense Reforms To Improve The Lives Of Middle-Class New Jerseyans
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TAX RELIEF FOR NEW JERSEY FAMILIES
Governor Christie Has Proposed A Bipartisan Compromise To Provide Tax Relief For New Jersey Families:
Under Governor Christie’s Plan, New Jersey Taxpayers Will Be Able To Claim An Income Tax Credit Of Up To 10
Percent Of Their Property Tax Bill.
o The 10 Percent Credit Is Capped At $10,000 Of Property Taxes Paid And All New Jersey Homeowners
With Up To $400,000 In Income Will Be Eligible For Relief.
o Renters Will Receive A $200 Year In Property Tax Deduction, Up From $50 Under Current Law.
This Plan Will Provide A Savings Of $775 For The Average Family.
o To Ensure Additional Relief To New Jersey Job Creators, Net-Profits From A Trade Or Business (Federal
Schedule C) Will Not Be Counted Against The Income Tax Cap.
o These Changes Will Deliver Tax Relief To Nearly 80,000 Additional New Jersey Families.
Governor Christie’s Bipartisan Tax Relief Also Increases The Earned Income Tax Credit To 25 Percent Of The
Federal Tax Credit:
This Means The Average Eligible Family Will Receive A $550 Annual Benefit.
o The EITC Increase Will Be Fully Implemented For Taxable Year 2013 To Provide Immediate Relief To
Struggling New Jersey Families.
o It Will Also Make New Jersey One Of The Most Generous Programs In The Country.
New Jerseyans Have Been Waiting 79 Days For Middle-Class Tax Relief
COMMON-SENSE ETHICS REFORM TO MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE ACCOUNTABLE
Governor Christie Has Proposed A Rigorous And Far-Reaching Overhaul Of New Jersey’s Ethics Laws To Ensure
The Highest Standards Of Integrity And Good Government:
A New, Detailed Annual Financial Disclosure Statement From Both The Executive And Legislative Branches.
A Full Ban On Dual Office Holding That Ends Grandfathering
A Ban On Dual Employment For All State, County And Local Officials And Employees
An Effective Conflict Of Interest Standard For Legislators
Pension Forfeiture For Convicted Public Officials
Forfeiture Of Campaign Funds For Convicted Public Officials
Prohibition On The Use Of Campaign Funds For Criminal Defense Costs
Prohibition On “Wheeling” On Campaign Funds
Uniform Public Contracting Standards
Extend Pay–To–Play Limitations To Labor Unions
Shadow Government Reform
New Jerseyans Have Been Waiting 736 Days For Ethics Reform
AN END TO THE COSTLY PRACTICE OF SICK LEAVE PAYOUTS FOR GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES
Governor Christie Urged The Legislature To End The Practice Of Distributing Cash Payouts For Sick Days For
Government Employees:
Governor Christie Conditionally Vetoed Legislation That Would Cap Sick Leave Payouts At $15,000.
Democrats Second Proposal To Cap Payouts At $7,500 Would Cost to New Jersey taxpayers A Minimum Of $3.25
Billion.
Accumulated Sick And Vacation Payout Liability For Municipalities Statewide Is Currently $880 Million.
New Jerseyans Have Been Waiting 643 Days For An End To Sick Leave Payouts
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS BY CLOSING LOOPHOLES IN THE PROPERTY TAX CAP
Governor Christie Has Called On The Legislature To Prevent Municipalities From Increasing User Fees As A Way
Of Circumventing The 2% Property Tax Cap:
This Legislation Will Apply To Funding For Traditional Services That Were Previously Included The Local Budget.
New Jerseyans Have Been Waiting 121 Days For The Closing Loopholes In The Property Tax Cap
SHARED SERVICES AND CIVIL SERVICE REFORM TO HELP REIN IN THE COST OF
GOVERNMENT
Governor Christie Conditionally Vetoed Democrats’ Empty ‘Reform’ Bill And Called On The Legislature To Give
Municipalities Greater Flexibility In Order To Remove Barriers To Sharing Services:
The Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization And Consolidation Commission Determined That Civil Service Seniority-
Protection Rules Are Among The Most Significant Barriers To Shared Services Between Municipalities.
The Civil Service Opt Out Would Be The Most Comprehensive Way To Address The Barriers To Shared Services
Posed By Civil Service Seniority Rules.
New Jerseyans Have Been Waiting 587 Days For Shared Services And Civil Service Reform