State Candidates on Notice
By Patrick Short
Patrick Short , former Middletown Township Committeeman
The races for State offices this year are going to be exciting and I can’t wait for the truths, half-truths, or no truths be told. Who knows how one will vote this year. The water is very rough. One side remains angry. The other side who hung too close to Christie’s coat tail is very vulnerable.
To get my vote:
Reform Property Tax: Remove school tax from property tax. Flawed formula to think, as one ages, one’s income will keep pace as property tax increases. Make the tax responsibility shared among all residents, not just the property owner. Base school tax on earned income to increase the pool by adding those that earn income but do not own property. Dedicate a sales tax to catch income that is not documented or reported and only is exposed when goods/services are bought. Then, level the playing field. Eliminate Abbott Districts. Make all Districts compete for funding based on need. Hold Districts accountable for how effectively the funds are used before evaluating the needs for the upcoming year.
Address Illegal immigration: Must establish path to citizenship for those like Carlos Larios. BUT, on the flipside, must change the law where a baby born in the US must have at least one US citizen parent to become an immediate US citizen. With this leverage removed and the line drawn, illegal immigration must be enforced. Sanctuary cities must obey the established law and Businesses that employ illegal immigrants, after the line is drawn, should be heavily fined; perhaps certification not renewed.
Support Monmouth Park Sports Betting and Slots: Fools and more fools to think one will travel only to two places, that happen to be at the opposite ends of the State, to gamble when one easily crosses to PA and NY race tracks to make a bet or play the slots. The risk of economic impact, and loss of jobs and tax revenue is too great. Don’t let Monmouth Park be another Ft Monmouth.
Repatriate foreign profit tied to US investment and job creation: American companies have more than a trillion dollars in profits made overseas after foreign taxes have been paid but won’t bring the profit back to the US because the 35% US tax would apply. Why build a facility in the U.S. when it can be built in Ireland at 17% tax rate. We must bring these businesses back to the U.S. and change the tax rate to a flat rate or a sliding scale based on the amount invested and the total number of jobs created. Companies are spending profit but not in the U.S or NJ. Advocate for change and then promote “Why not NJ” to capture the business.
My vote will only be gained by solutions not flowery talk.
Patrick Short if a former Middletown Township Committeeman
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Wow!
Perhaps if politics could regain the civility we had (a long time ago), people on all sides could actually start talking to one another to come to reasonable (and effective) compromise to actually accomplish good.
I would add to these suggestions as espoused by Mr. Short, establishment of a county wide school system, to eliminate levels of bureaucracy and create economic efficiency to reduce costs, and a charge to parents for the use of the school (safety, security, sports) only while their child is in the school system.
We must also look at why we still have an ancient agrarian economic role model for the school year. Today, the children do not go home to help out in the fields or need the summer off to bring in the harvest. We must embrace a 21st century educational model where schools need to be open longer hours and for longer periods than currently exists.
We also need a cooperative effort with business to ascertain their needs in the labor market to better educate students for those jobs or trades available in the near future. Yes, we also need to restore respect for those who work with their hands, whether carpenter, plumber, electrician or the other trades, as these jobs will always be needed. Shouldn’t we also be training students some of these basic skill sets as future homeowners will need this knowledge?
However, any school funding formula must restore equal treatment – each student would receive the same amount of funding, regardless of the school location. Also, choice must be allowed for parents to choose where they want to send their children (which would provide competition between providers to make the system more accountable for the results).
Government control of education has only created a bureaucracy which seems unable to be held accountable for its work product, the actual education of the students (the future of this community, this state and this country).
We must do better!
If democrats, independents and republicans could somehow forget their party labels and actually talk to one another and come up with serious suggestions for improving outcomes, we might actually be able to accomplish shared goals. Enough with the politics of personal destruction!
Art, good job in publishing Pat’s comments.
What this guy thinks? Isn’t he the guy who lied when he said the township committee doubled their salary? Please spare us the lectures from self-serving democrats. Notice he said nothing about his tax happy, socialist candidate for governor.