ROONEY RANTS: Don’t Blame Trump For Trenton’s Inability to Cut Property Taxes!

It’s always easier to react than think these things through, Save Jerseyans, especially when you’re part of the problem.

Exhibit A: the New Jersey-based reaction to President Donald Trump‘s plan to eliminate state and local deductions (as part of a global tax reform package) which could increase New Jersey residents’ average tax bills by more than $3,500.

Democrat reactions have been predictable and boorish. Chris Christie is among the proposals’s early high-profile Republican skeptics despite having proposed something similar during his own presidential run. I’m a skeptic, too, if for no other reason that it’s frankly far too early to pass judgment on the President’s plan. We don’t even know the thresholds for the new proposed income tax brackets.

What we CAN say? Sitting here today?

NO Trenton politician has a right to lampoon the impact of the President’s plan on property tax deductions UNLESS he or she has actually done something to end New Jersey’s worst-in-America property tax nightmare

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said it best during this spring’s ongoing budget deliberations:

School funding has been a problem that Democrats have been unwilling to address for years. Thankfully they are now talking about the inadequacies of the formula, but they can’t have it both ways. They have to man up and admit that their solutions will result in massive billion dollar tax increases or they need to accept that we need to come together to solve this problem which will unfortunately involve picking winners and losers. But, we as legislators are the folks whose obligation it is to tell the truth. We need to accept that and start doing our jobs.”

Acceptance is step #1.

Action is the only acceptable next step.

I sure as heck didn’t agree with state Senator Steven Oroho (R-Sussex) on the gas tax, but he was undeniably right earlier this week when he called for a special legislative session on property taxes in light of developments down in Washington, D.C.

“We can’t wait any longer,” said Oroho this week. “As state officials, we don’t have any direct control over what Congress and the President may do. As such, we are calling upon our congressional delegation to fight to preserve the property tax deduction. However, it’s another wake-up call that we cannot wait on property tax reform. And as part of any special session on property taxes, school funding reform needs to be at the top of the list.”

Summing up O’Scanlon’s and Oroho’s remarks?

It’s time for Trenton to take responsibility for the sad fact that New Jersey taxpayers are positioned to lose out from a simpler, flatter tax code. 

Trump didn’t make those decisions.

George W. Bush didn’t do it, either.

The entrenched Trenton Democrat majority “built this.”

There are a number of plans on the table but they’ve been routinely and yes, RECKLESSLY ignored by Democrat legislative leaders while hard-working people continue to suffer.

If/when Washington acts, folks, there will be no one to blame for heftier federal income tax bills in the Garden State other than the Democrats like Steve Sweeney, Vincent Prieto and their owned-by-the-public-sector-unions caucuses who failed to act.

Tell your friends! They deserve the truth ahead of yet another round of legislative elections this fall.

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Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8390 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.