In July 2008, gas hit $4 a gal, what happened?
Sussex County Watchdog
Remember the mass starvation that occurred? The displaced masses? Thousands died.
No. That's right, it didn't happen. And it didn't happen in October of 2012, when the price per gallon again flirted with the $4 mark. And it won't happen when the price per gallon goes to $2.15 cents, due to the 23 cents per gallon tax increase.
Despite what the petroleum lobby (AFP) and the foul-mouthed followers of the Tea Party tell you, it won't be the end of the world. In fact, the roads and bridges that had to be closed because there was no money to repair them will now get done, and the world will run a little smoother.
The $8 million dollars in road repaving money promised by the state TTF to Sussex County will now be sent. That means the county won't have to raise our property taxes next year by $100 to cover that $8 million. A 105-year-old bridge in Byram will be replaced. Dozens of other projects in townships and boroughs that would have been paid for by increases in local property taxes will now be funded by the increase in the gas tax.
In New Jersey, the killer tax isn't the user tax on gasoline and diesel, it is property taxes levied by county and local governments and school boards. New Jersey has the highest property taxes in America and because of it, we have the highest foreclosure rate too. It is foreclosure that is the breaker of families and the bringer of misery.
All the energy brought to stop a tax increase was aimed at the wrong tax. The gas tax hadn't been raised -- not even adjusted for inflation -- for 28 years.
28 years ago, what did your property tax bill look like? What is it today? Did you pay more every year? Didn't it just go up again this year?
The petroleum lobbyists at Americans for Prosperity ignored the very real property tax/ foreclosure problem and instead focused our attention on the gas tax because that is a tax on the product they sell. We can at least understand that.
But the Tea Party doesn't have that excuse. Led by a foul-mouthed national candidate and populated with a legion of rude, foul-mouthed Facebook warriors, the Tea Party is not someone your Mom would let date your little sister. They are just in it for someone to hate. It's the anger not the reason that matters.
Some examples:
An X-rated Tea Partier...
After announcing his intent to run as the Tea Party candidate for State Senate against Republican Steve Oroho, Kevin Mazzoti talks Trump to a voter:
Kevin Mazzoti I'm disappointed in you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Who do you think you are? Are you the one sucking xxxxx off?
An Obama supporting Tea Partier...
A Facebook exchange between Franklin Mayor Nick Giordano and a constituent:
CONSTITUENT: Don't talk conservative when you brag about voting for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama Mayor.
Franklin Mayor Nick Giordano: Yup cause I vote best candidate at the time not by party.
A two-faced Tea Party "hero"...
As a Freeholder, Gail Phoebus lobbied the Legislature to pass the gas tax to fund the TTF, then lied about it as a candidate, and voted against what she had lobbied for as an Assemblyperson. (Sussex County Freeholder Minutes, November 25, 2014)
A lost Tea Partier on Facebook...
Someone who lives hours outside the district, makes his obligatory threats:
I have been a life long member of the Republican Party.
Now I look forward to repaying you this favor at the ballot box in November.
A flip-flopping Tea Party "king"...
Assemblyman Jay Webber lectured other legislators on the importance of adopting a tax restructuring plan that included an increase in the gas tax and the phase out of the estate tax -- then turned around and joined Marxists in attacking the plan he told others to support. (Star-Ledger op-ed by Jay Webber, October 14, 2014)
A Tea Partier melts down on Facebook...
At this time, I want you to know that I am going to be spending all my time and energy (outside of working hours) campaigning, writing, and calling everyone I know to VOTE YOU ALL OUT!!! (and it doesn’t matter if you are not in my district). Not one incumbent should be re-elected.
...The burden of the transportation infrastructure costs will now be carried EXCLUSIVELY by the people who travel to work every day.
Yes, by everyone who drives. It is supposed to be. It is a user tax -- the fairest form of taxation, according to Ronald Reagan. Remember him?
...let me remind you that the roads and bridges are used by delivery people, EMT/Rescue personnel, fire trucks, mail delivery vehicles, package delivery, food delivery, telephone and utility (gas/electric) personnel, doctors and nurses who go to work, x-ray and medical technicians, teachers, etc. Now, remember, that people who do not drive utilize these services every day. Are they paying for the transportation costs? NO because they do not drive. The burden of the transportation funding needs to be carried by every citizen of this state.
In other words, New Jersey property taxpayers should subsidize the out-of-state drivers who use our roads. By-the-way, 30% of those who use our roads are out-of-state drivers. Wow...
Reader Comments (6)
Legislators delivered one of the largest tax increases in history through a Rahm Emanuel technique of creating a crisis. Legislators wouldn't even require the waste and inefficiency of the DOT and NJ Transit to be addressed. They just threw more money at the problem.
Not only that, but the law is designed to institute future tax increases without a public discussion and legislature vote. Should revenue forecasts not be met, the tax will automatically rise. And let's recognize that the doubling of gas tax revenue over the past 2 decades was not enough because of the waste which now will continue.
What we have here is bad policy. It fails on every level except the fear mongering level.
Stop the lies. The TTF was out of money. Fact. Over and out.
TTF was out of money for the same reason Lehman Brothers, Fannie Mae and here in Sussex County, Sunlight General failed. It was overleveraged and is poorly run. It's time we end the bailouts and instead, sober up and demand acountability. Fix the DOT, NJ Transit and Port Authority before taking our money and throwing down the hole.
You should sober up. The TTF was out of money for the same reason your freeholder campaign was. No income.
You attack the people commenting on a personal level shows you have no other argument. Sad the people are pissed and you attack, attack attack.
No Bill, but the emotion and hysteria gets old after awhile. Harvey is well known to us. He has contributed many stories. The people are pissed? Wait until "the people" elect Clinton, a Democrat Senate, and it is now looking like the House may go too. People are no longer evidence-based, it is all about how they feel, and for that reason, the future is going to be very difficult.