The governor’s property tax failure:
· New Jersey property taxes increased 4.1 percent in 2010.
· This is the highest increase since 2007.
· The average property tax bill is now $7,576.
· The 2010 increase represented a nearly $1 billion jump in the overall property tax levy – from $24 billion to $25 billion.
· This increase comes after the governor cut school aid by $1 billion and municipal aid by $446 million.
· This is a direct link to the data: http://www.state.nj.us/dca/lgs/taxes/10_data/10taxsummary.htm
· This governor just delivered the highest property tax increase in four years.
· He alone is responsible for that through his own policies.
· It’s worth noting that this increase doesn’t even show the impact of the Christie school activity taxes imposed on children and parents throughout our state just to join after-school activities.
· The governor has failed to make true property tax relief for working class New Jerseyans a priority and we’re starting to see the damage.
· Gov. Christie is simply making matters worse with his anti-working-class policies.
· His vetoes of civil service and sick leave payout restrictions call into question his commitment to reform.
· The 2010 property tax increase had nothing to do with the so-called tool kit.
· The 2 key tool kit items – the 2 percent cap and arbitration reform – take effect this year and were, by the way, approved as Democratic compromises.