Democrats are trying to be clever with words, Save Jerseyans, but luckily they will not be getting away with it. With each passing week, everyday citizens are more and more familiar with the “tool kit” reforms offered by Governor Christie to help municipalities deal with the new Cap 2.0 mandates that were passed earlier this year. With knowledge of the reforms that Democrats refuse to even debate growing steadily, the liberals in the state house really don’t have much of a choice.
One of the key parts of the Governor’s reform package is arbitration reform. This reform would cap arbitration awards on municipal contracts at 2% so as to keep local government books in line with the 2% cap on property taxes. Just a few weeks ago, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver postponed a vote on a watered down poor excuse for arbitration reform bill that would have done nothing but lead towns into bankruptcy. They postponed it because, much like the soon to be lame duck Congress, they cannot even gather enough votes in their own large majorities to pass what they see as important legislation, but know to be a farce.
Well the Democrats seem to be up to some new tricks, and they clearly think that you are stupid. Last week, Democrats introduced A-3434, a bill that unsurprisingly has to do with arbitration. Sort of. This bill is nothing by a ploy to take advantage of a hot button word and attempt to make New Jersey tax payers think that the Democrats actually care about property tax reform. The truth? A-3434 has nothing to do with municipal contracts or property taxes. According to Assemblyman DiCicco (R-Gloucester), the bill merely seeks to “review arbitration issues involving consumers and define what actions are unconscionable.”
Expect to see this more and more. Governor Christie has essentially laid out an ultimatum on the Legislature to get the tool kit voted on. Taxpayers are ready for reform. Municipalities are in need of reform. But the Democrats in Trenton want to play games and hope to earn a few talking points for next year’s state legislative elections. New Jersey Democrats should take note of what just happened in Washington last week and realize that faking the tool kit, and thus going against the will of the voters, will not save their jobs in 2011.
