Dear Editor:
Assemblyman Ruben Ramos has opposed a bipartisan plan to cut your Hoboken, Hudson County and NJ state taxes. The NJ Senate passed a bill by a 25-14 vote to enact pension and health care reform that would require, on a sliding scale, greater pension and health care contributions by our public employees. Ruben’s Assembly easily passed it by 46-32. This is called bipartisanship. For those of us in the private sector, we could only dream of paying what this legislation calls for. It calls for police and fire personnel to pay 10 percent of their salary towards their pension, up slightly from the 8 1/2 they now pay. Healthcare co-pay ranges from 3-35 percent, depending on salary levels; 35 percent kicks in at $95,000. Pension reform will save taxpayers $120 billion over the next 30 years, according to the governor, and health care reform will save taxpayers $3.1 billion over the next decade.
The genesis of this bill comes from Republican Gov. Christie’s “toolkit.” This bill was supported by Democratic leaders Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Oliver and affects almost everyone. If you are a homeowner, this bill will reduce your local and county property taxes. Renters such as me pay NJ income taxes. This bill will reduce those taxes as well. NJ is the highest taxed state in America and has a deep, structural fiscal imbalance due to reckless spending by both parties over the past 10 years.
In the past decade over $70 billion in wealth has left NJ. The biggest reason is high taxes. Of over 3000+ counties, Hudson County is the 8th highest taxed in America. This law is a first step in reigning in our out of control budgets. Some no doubt feel the legislation doesn’t go far enough, while others will believe it is too harsh, but something must be done to keep and attract individuals and businesses to our state. NJ used to have over 20 US House Representatives. After the recent census we will drop to 13. Companies, like citizens look for low operating costs as well as location. This bill will enhance Gov. Christie’s efforts to lure new business which will hopefully lower our high unemployment rate of 9.3 percent.
Texas has low taxes and has created 37 percent of all new jobs over the past 2 years. Their income has been growing higher than every other state over the past 20 years. Before my usual socialist opponents respond, Texas’ median income is $56,000 a year. Median income is not average. It means middle class Joe Six Pack. Texas’ unemployment rate stands at 8 percent.
Ruben opposed this bill because it originally contained a provision that restricted out of state health care. The Assembly bill he voted no on removed this provision. The Senate has already ready cured the original provision and has been signed by Gov. Christie. If you believe as I do that Ruben is out of touch with his own party, then all taxpayers should remember this when you vote for assemblyman this November.
Scott Siegel
Vice Chair, Republicans of Hoboken