Garden State Patriot

The amount of money New Jersey taxpayers pony up is bad enough, but this ought to just make you angry.

DeCROCE GRILLS EDUCATION COMMISSIONER
ON QUESTIONABLE SPENDING BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS  

TAX DOLLARS USED TO FUND CLOWN SCHOOL, FLYING LESSONS, TRIPS TO RESORT DESTINATIONS – EVEN BRASS APPLES 

            As school districts throughout the state grapple with budget cuts resulting in layoffs, school closings and reduced funds for extra curricular activities, some continue to spend tax dollars on questionable and frivolous items, such as trips to resorts, gourmet meals and gifts for teachers.

            At today’s hearing by the Assembly Budget Committee, Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce will question State Education Commissioner Lucille Davy about instances of questionable spending practices and why they are still seen despite her previous assurances that improvements would be made.

            “At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet and denying themselves even simple amenities, it is outrageous that some school districts believe that they are entitled to travel and eat at places that most people only dream about,” said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic.  “In today’s economy, one has to question why we are spending taxpayer dollars on things that have no educational value.  People who cannot pay their mortgage or utility bills will understandably be upset when they learn of the ways money is being squandered.”

            DeCroce said an examination of vouchers from a sampling of school districts that were obtained under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) demonstrate a need for stronger monitoring of expenditures by the state, which has provided billions of dollars in state aid, with the largest share going to Abbott districts.

            “While there is some good news that conditions have improved in a few areas, the bad news is that there are still school districts spending taxpayer money on trips to places like Miami, Palm Springs, New Orleans, and Orlando,” continued DeCroce.  “And they are staying at posh hotels such as the Four Seasons and Royal Sonesta.  Apparently certain districts haven’t heard that everyone is tightening their belts, and that they must do the same.

       “Far too many students in these districts are still lacking in the basic skills such as reading and math,” said DeCroce. “What this analysis indicates is that we must have even greater oversight and accountability to guarantee that the billions of dollars we spend on education are spent wisely and in the classroom.”

            Beginning in February, Assembly Republicans submitted OPRA requests to 11 school districts throughout the state. Three districts – Willingboro, Tenafly, and Hoboken – were non-responsive to the initial and follow up requests. Two districts – Teaneck and Pemberton – did not exhibit instances of wasteful spending.  However, numerous examples of highly questionable spending were evident in Camden, Newark, Cherry Hill, and Plainfield.

             “At a time when most districts are being forced to drastically reduce spending, it is incumbent on those receiving additional funding to recognize their responsibility for budgeting wisely,” continued DeCroce. “Unfortunately, we are still seeing too many instances where that lesson has not been learned.  For several years we have heard that oversight would become a high priority within the DOE.  These examples of waste suggest that this issue still is not being vigilantly monitored. ”

            Some notable examples of imprudent spending occurred in Newark, where $25,000 was allocated for eight students to take flight lessons, and $1,400 was spent for a workshop on Clown Arts. At this seminar students were taught balancing, juggling, and the history and challenges of clowning.

            Taxpayers are also paying $10,000 just to film each installment of the Newark School Superintendent’s monthly cable television show, and that teachers in Newark can be compensated at the doctorate level as long as they have obtained a Masters Degree and 30 additional credits. Actual completion of the course work is not required.

            And while Camden was purchasing engraved bells to ring on the opening day of school in 2007 and buying insulated lunch bags and brass apples for its teachers, Plainfield was spending taxpayer dollars to send students to a dude ranch in New York.

(more…)

As if the news for New Jerseyans couldn’t get worse, it does. The latest tax revenue projections indicate that the state’s take will be even lower than expected. Here’s the scoop from NJBiz:

MONROE — Gov. Jon S. Corzine will soon drop another budget bombshell as a “frightening” revenue shortfall imperils the state’s spending plans, New Jersey Chief Counsel William J. Castner Jr. said this morning.

Reduced sales tax collections and other revenue retreats driven by the weak economy already spurred Corzine to propose spending cuts and tax hikes, but the latest projections indicate the state’s revenue flow will shrivel even more.

“The governor will likely make a formal announcement [about further budget revisions] soon,” said Castner, who addressed about 50 business owners today at a New Jersey Chamber of Commerce breakfast held at Forsgate Country Club. “The revenue numbers that are coming down the pike are frightening, and all options will be on the table.”

He declined to detail the latest revenue shortfall, but Castner did say the state is “committed” to spending cuts and to taking other steps to rein in the budget, which currently stands at $29.8 billion.

The plan for the year beginning July 1 already shaves about $3 billion from the current budget — but increases employer payroll taxes, suspends property tax rebates for households making more than $75,000 and institutes a one-year income tax increase on individuals making more than $500,000.

“We’re aware of the financial challenges facing the state, but we don’t want to see the administration raise taxes and plug the budget gap on the backs of business owners,” said Jim Leonard, legislative lobbyist for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

“Businesses are already facing tax hikes in the form of increased state unemployment insurance and the loss of the personal property tax deduction,” which may be used by sole proprietors, limited-liability partnerships and other business structures, he said. “We would like to see a re-evaluation of all budget programs. Nothing should be exempt” from possible spending cuts.

So, here’s the bottom line. New Jersey taxpayers are tapped out. The well has run dry and we can’t afford what Corzine wants. And it’s time for him to face reality and cut the size and scope of our state government.

Of course, I will not be holding my breath. Castner’s statement that ”all options will be on the table” tells us all we need to know – Corzine will continue to stick it to the New Jersey taxpayer while protecting his precious government workers. Unfortunately, this is about the only thing NJ taxpayers will be able to take the bank.

{UPDATE} Budget is another $1.5B-$2B short

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude! and Red County.

Hammering a few more nails into the Corzine coffin, the nonpartisan nonprofit National Taxpayers Union is the latest to rip the Gov’s anti-middle class budget proposals. They rightly point out that despite the Governor receiving his bailout from Washington, to the tune of $17.5B, he still plans to raise taxes on the middle class and NJ businesses.

(Alexandria, Va.) — The 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU) has urged lawmakers in New Jersey to reject the tax increases in Gov. Jon Corzine’s FY 2010 budget. Advocating on behalf of its 10,000-plus members in the state, NTU argued that New Jersey’s tax climate is one of the worst in the country as is, and putting further expansion of government on the backs of taxpayers will only worsen the recession in the Garden State.

“Gov. Corzine is punishing taxpayers for a problem he helped cause,” NTU State Government Affairs Manager Joshua Culling said. “Rather than coming to terms with the consequences of big government, he seeks to continue the tax-and-spend policies that got New Jersey in the economic mess it’s in. Conspicuous among them is that staple of dishonest budgeting — temporary tax hikes.”

The budget aims to “temporarily” raise the top personal income tax rate to 9.75 percent for a year, making it the third-highest in the country. It would also hike the cigarette tax, already the nation’s second-highest, another 12.5 cents per pack. A 4 percent “temporary” corporate business tax surcharge would be extended, and the excise tax on alcohol (excluding beer) would be increased 25 percent.

“Even though New Jersey is receiving $17.5 billion in stimulus funds from Washington and has already exported its massive cost of government to federal taxpayers across the country, Gov. Corzine is still intent on a slew of tax hikes,” Culling continued. “It’s as if he’s actively pushing residents out of the state.” 

It’s no wonder Corzine is already claiming to be “reconsidering” his proposals to eliminate property tax rebates and the property tax decuction.

By the way, for a good laugh, go to Facebook and tell Big Jon what he should do to balance the budget. I’m sure he’ll listen.

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude!

“We all have to share the responsibility of keeping our financial house in order,” Corzine said in his noon address to a joint session of the Legislature. “The unprecedented circumstances of our national economic crisis requires choices we might not otherwise make.” –Governor Corzine

This is a really rich quote from our incompetent Governor. Make no mistake, he’s making it clear here that he felt New Jersey’s bloated state government and out of control spending before the economic downturn wasn’t a problem. He’s had to come kicking and screaming to make the cuts to balance the state’s budget.

And his priorities do anything but share responsibility. No, the Governor’s plan just sticks it right to the already beleaguered New Jersey taxpayer.

Inexplicably, Corzine is proposing to eliminate the property tax reduction for homeowners, effectively raising their taxes during the height of one of the worst economic downturns we’ve suffered in our lifetimes. He is getting rid of the property tax rebate for all but a select few.  Then there are cigarette and alcohol taxes.

He’s raising the payroll tax on business which will only further hurt industry. This in a state that hasn’t created jobs in 10 years and is already has the worst in the nation climate for business.

Honestly, if this isn’t the last straw for Corzine in New Jersey then I have no idea what it will take. He refuses to address New Jersey’s bloated, bureaucratic and inefficient government. Instead, he makes it clear that his priority isn’t the everyday Jerseyan; it’s his constituency of special interests (i.e., government workers and unions). It’s just a disgrace. Enough is enough!

Here are some select reactions to the Governor’s budget proposals from several Republican leaders:

Assembly Republicans

Lonegan Response

Rottino & Caruso Response

Tom Kean Statement

Alex DeCroce

NJ Biz Article

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude!

My latest from CWA!

With the Inauguration taking center stage on Tuesday, this little tidbit seems to have flown under the radar. On CNBC’s Squawk Box, Governor Corzine said that New Jersey may receive as much as $4 BILLION in ‘economic stimulus’ over the next 2 years. That’s $4,000,000,000.00. Just last week the Governor announced that he would be seeking at least $300M for FY2010, but somehow this figure has multiplied more than tenfold - across 2 years - in a mere matter of days. 

Heck, Obama’s Oval Office chair isn’t even warm yet but our groveling Governor is acting as if it’s a fait accompli. However, I have the feeling our fellow Americans, who are still stewing over the trillion dollar TARP fiasco, might not take so kindly to this news. At the least, it will add more fuel to the fire of a Governor’s race in New Jersey that is already expected to be quite heated.

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said the Garden State could receive close to $4 billion in federal stimulus money over two years to help pay for education and health care.

Appearing on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Tuesday, Corzine called the federal stimulus package being advanced in the House “quite substantial,” but warned that it won’t be a blank check.

“We ought to take this time and make sure we’re reforming government, so it’s not just a bailout,” Corzine said.

Well, sorry to break it to you, Governor, but it is a bailout.

This notwithstanding, how can this even be called a stimulus? Throwing money at education and health care will do little, if anything, to create jobs. In fact, let’s face it. The only job that’s at issue here is Corzine’s.

Suffice it to say, this year’s Governor’s race is going to be one to behold. Most assuredly, Obama will finally make his way to this state – one which he has heretofore had little use for – to bail out Johnny completely by trying to drag him over the finish line in November. Dare I say: ‘Bring it on!’

Yesterday, Governor Corzine delivered the annual ‘State of the State’ speech before the state legislature. Not surprisingly, the Governor’s address was long on rhetoric and short on substance. Senator Tom Kean put it best in reacting to the speech:

There’s no doubt that these are extraordinary times for New Jersey. However, our governor used hyper-partisan rhetoric to try to persuade state residents that our economic problems began last year with the housing crisis and the stock market collapse.

“In truth, they began six years ago when Democrat Governor Jim McGreevey decided the best way to win re-election was to borrow, tax and spend the earnings of the middle class rather than exercising fiscal discipline during an economic downturn. Governor Corzine wholeheartedly endorsed those job-killing policies and is an enthusiastic advocate of many of them today. He’d rather use a pension gimmick that will cost property tax payers hundreds of millions of dollars than to reopen the budget and, at last, set the state on the right course toward lasting growth and prosperity.

Make no mistake. The state’s small business climate was ranked last in the nation long before the Dow plunged. New Jersey began losing private jobs three years ago, not three months. In 2007, New York’s rate of private sector employment growth was 12 times that of New Jersey, while Connecticut growth was eight times higher, Massachusetts growth was seven times higher, and Pennsylvania’s was six times higher.

Governor Corzine did nothing to reverse those policies until polls showed that voters were demanding that he take action in the face of a national recession. Then he adopted measures that he ridiculed when Republicans proposed them in the Common Sense Plan they introduced in May and June. However, he has left many job-killing measures in place, including a $62 million utility tax increase that costs every family and business desperately needed resources during this recession.

Both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature are now committed to finding real, long-term solutions to this state’s economic problems. The governor talks tough, but he hasn’t come through. On the economy, on ethics, on transparency in government, we urge the governor to conform his actions to his rhetoric.

Simply put, at a time of economic crisis the Governor is proving that he lacks the leadership skills and fortitude to honestly address the state’s fiscal mess and stand up for taxpayers. He is doing everything in his power to deflect blame and get himself re-elected.

Frankly, New Jerseyans deserve far better than this. Come November they ought to send a clear message that we have had enough. It’s time for Corzine and the Democrats to go.

Fellow blogger ‘Kempite’ of the Politics 24/7 blog has an excellent commentary up at NJ.com regarding Corzine and his proposed budget ‘cuts.’ Recommended reading for sure. And as a Led Zeppelin fan anything that includes references to airships is certainly going to also pique my interest!

The Daily Muse over @ In The Lobby paints a vivid picture of the current budget woes the State faces. Any way you slice it, it’s bad news for New Jersey taxpayers who can’t have any faith that Governor Corzine will act in their interests.

Daily Muse: OFF THE TABLE

Wonder why spending is out of control in New Jersey and our taxes are the highest in the nation? Then check out this post from ‘A Blog For All’ which tells us a bit about just how New Jersey government works.