June 17, 2010

ADDIEGO/RUDDER: DEMOCRATS WASTING TIME INSTEAD OF GIVING VOTERS CONTROL OF PROPERTY TAXES ASSEMBLY SHOULD VOTE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON MEASURES THAT WOULD ALLOW VOTERS TO LIMIT PROPERTY TAXES AND STATE SPENDING

Saying Democratic Legislatures and Governors wasted the last decade on failed fiscal policies, Assembly members Dawn Marie Addiego and Scott Rudder, both R-Burlington, said the Legislature should instead commit to voting on proposals to give people control over New Jersey government's excessive taxes and spending.

"Democratic legislative leaders are about to miss another opportunity to provide the constitutional control of property taxes and state spending that is so desperately needed by everyone in New Jersey," Addiego said. "If Democrats do not act on these proven methods of relief, then the state's property tax problem, which has grown out-of-control under their watch, will only continue to soar."

Rudder and Addiego said they will support on Monday an Assembly Republican procedure that will force two measures, ACR-130 and ACR-131, out of committee to be voted on by the full Assembly in early July, which would allow sufficient time to place both measures on ballot in November.

The proposals ask voters whether property tax and state spending increases should be limited to 2.5 percent annually.

If a similar cap, which was successful in curbing property taxes in Massachusetts, were in place since 2001, the state's average property bill could be $1,600 less than it is today.

"There are few days left to get these measures out of committee in time for November's election, but there Democratic leaders have refused to post them for a vote," Rudder said. "Instead, they have scheduled more votes on a tax increase that only perpetuates the problems of the past instead of confronting them for the future. Property taxpayers cannot afford to waste any more time."