(TRENTON) – Assemblyman Paul Moriarty on Monday said Gov. Chris Christie’s $2.76 billion property tax increase will hit middle-class and poor New Jerseyans hard while the wealthy enjoy a tax their break.
Moriarty noted the Christie plan features $2.8 billion in lost property tax relief – $1.5 billion in school aid for this and next fiscal year, $407 million in municipal aid for next fiscal year and $848 million in direct property tax relief for 2010.
Moriarty sponsored legislation to restore property tax rebates for more than 600,000 senior and disabled residents, but Christie vetoed it and Republicans failed to override his rejection.
“Gov. Christie once said taking away property tax relief from people in a recession is the wrong decision and was an assault on the middle-class, and I couldn’t agree more,” Moriarty said. “Unfortunately, Gov. Christie is now leading the charge on a massive property tax increase that will disproportionately hit working class New Jerseyans hard while millionaires benefit. I cannot support these property tax increases.”
Moriarty predicted Christie’s budget will result in laid-off teachers, police and firefighters, higher classroom sizes and higher taxes.
“I wholeheartedly agree that we need to slash spending, but budgets are about choices, and so far the only choices Gov. Christie is making is to take away property tax relief for seniors and families,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty noted:
· 468,000 senior homeowners earning less than $100,000 received $1,295 in property tax relief in 2009, but will receive nothing this year under Christie’s plan.
· 36,000 senior homeowners earning between $100,000 and $150,000 received $763 in 2009, but will receive nothing this year under Christie’s plan.
· 278,000 non-senior homeowners with incomes below $50,000 received $892 in 2009, but will receive nothing this year under Christie’s plan.
· 230,000 non-senior homeowners with incomes between $50,000 and $75,000 received $670 in 2009, but will receive nothing this year under Christie’s plan.
· 108,000 senior tenants with incomes below $100,000 received about $700 in 2009, but will receive nothing this year under Christie’s plan.
“The facts speak for themselves – middle-income and working New Jersey families are about to get slammed with billions of dollars in lost property tax relief,” Moriarty said. “Property taxes are the leading concern in our state, yet for working class New Jerseyans, the worst is yet to come under Gov. Christie.”
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