By Erica Jedynak
Last week in Trenton, hundreds of advocates met to testify before four Assembly Committees to discuss solutions to poverty. Food stamps, minimum wage, and ironically, a gas tax were all topics of the day. Democrat leadership have committed to revisit these issues in the coming weeks and months.
When we are discussing how to improve well-being for the most amount of people, we have to consider economic freedom and the burdensome tax climate in New Jersey. New Jerseyans should be able to keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets. Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Tax Foundation reported that Americans spend more in taxes than they do on food, housing, and clothing combined. That statistic alone should be disturbing enough for pause.
This is particularly concerning with talk of a constitutional amendment on pensions, which would likely cause tax hikes and cuts to services for the most needy and vulnerable of our society. It also goes without saying that raising the gas tax by as much as 25 cents per gallon – a regressive tax which hurts low-income individuals the most – is an idea that needs to be rejected.
If we really want to help those in poverty in New Jersey, spending more money or creating another government program will not work. New Jersey has done plenty of that for decades and yet today things are arguably worse than ever. Conversely, those in poverty will be helped when taxes are lowered, the state gets its fiscal house in order, our business climate becomes more welcoming, and above all, people are able to pursue their dreams in New Jersey with minimal interference from Trenton.
Americans for Prosperity submitted testimony at all four hearings last week:
- Assembly Human Services Committee
- Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee
- Assembly Women & Children Committee
- Assembly Housing & Community Development Committee
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If we really wish to take on poverty it is “Imperative” that we remove Vincent Prieto from Trenton. Sadly, it’s these same hearings that he is using as a “smoke-screen” for his spend and tax policies!
This article is improperly titled. It should read: “Trenton CREATES Poverty.”