Will N.J. trade a higher gas tax for a lower death tax?

TRENTON — New Jersey’s cheap gas is a point of pride in an otherwise high-tax state. On the other hand, the Garden State is notorious for its duo of death taxes often landing it a spot on superlative lists like “Where not to die” and “Worst states to die.” New Jersey is just one of two… Read the rest of this entry »

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Wisniewski: “Nothing yet implicates the governor” “We don’t have any proof”

CHAIRMAN QUESTIONS WILDSTEIN’S CREDIBILITY

The purpose of the investigation in not a probe of Christie. The purpose to the change the culture of the Port Authority.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the Democratic Co-Chairman of the joint legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closures last September, almost sounded as if he was defending Governor Chris Christie yesterday morning during an appearance on NBC’s Meet The Press.

In the wake of the media frenzy caused by the released of the letter written by the attorney representing David Wildstein, the former Port Authority official who order the lane closures, that asserted that  “evidence exists” that Christie knew about the lane closures while they were happening,  Wisniewski raised questions about Wildstein’s credibility and said emphatically, multiple times, that there is no proof that Christie was involved in the incident.

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Christie bridge scandal: Despite U.S. Attorney’s subpoenas, N.J. lawmakers press forward

Christie bridge scandal: Despite U.S. Attorney’s subpoenas, N.J. lawmakers press forward (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — State lawmakers leading the legislative investigation of the George Washington Bridge lane closures today said they plan to proceed with their probes even as the U.S. Attorney is dropping subpoenas in the case. State Assemblyman John Wisniweski…

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Only the Dems can make $500 million = $9 billion.

By Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

While pandering to his audience at a recent union rally, Democratic Party leader John Wisniewski said the state should raise the state’s income tax and otherwise “find a way” to pay all of its $3.5 billion pension obligation this year. He said, “It’s about keeping a promise.”

If that’s the case, why didn’t Assemblyman Wisniewski and his party make the annual required pension payments when Democrats controlled the Legislature and governor’s office for eight years?

The assemblyman has proposed raising the income tax on our state’s highest-income earners, also our job creators, as a “solution” to funding the $3.5 billion payment. Democrats admit such a tax hike would only garner $500 million.

Yet they have targeted that $500 million to fund $9 billion worth of programs, which also include property tax relief ($2.1 billion), schools ($1.6 billion), job incentives ($800 million), municipal aid ($445 million), preschool funding ($400 million), Medicaid ($300 million) and nursing homes ($70 million).

Seems Assemblyman Wisniewski is using the same type of warped mathematical calculations used to “balance” the state budget over the past decade — which has led us to the brink of fiscal ruin. Of course, if he can seriously explain how $500 million will fund $9 billion, I’m willing to listen. However, we need the answer by June 30, when a balanced budget is due.

I’m confident the various groups Democrats pander to are smart enough to see through this sham and demand the kind of serious reform that will benefit everyone in the long term. I know our taxpayers do.

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