I just sent the governor this message. Thought some people might like to read it. I highly doubt that I will hear back from anyone in Trenton.
The Honorable Jon Corzine
Office of the Governor
PO BOX 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
July 17, 2006
Dear Govorner Corzine:
I had been hoping that you would bring something new to the state. Instead, it seems that it's more of the same in Trenton.
An unbalanced budget is nothing new in New Jersey politics. Shutting down the state - while written into the state constitution - was new. It smacked of a political ploy to force dissenting legislators to fall in line with what you wanted or else look bad in the public eye for letting the state shut down. The spat didn't hurt the politicians in Trenton at all - it hurt the common New Jerseyian who wanted to enjoy the state parks while the state was shut down. It hurt the people who drive in to Atlantic City to spend money. The common New Jerseyian got the short end of the stick.
So now we have a 7% sales tax, and sales tax now applied to a lot of other items that were once not taxed. So where does this money go? Well, supposedly half goes into property tax relief, but it doesn't go to the tax payer, but to local municipalities - all who face their own budget crises. There is no incentive for the municipalities to put this money back in the commoner’s pocket. This money is just a windfall for local politicians. In fact, property tax relief is cut! How does this help us?
Obviously you are aware that New Jersey has one of the highest property tax rates in the United States. We also suffer from years of pork-barrel politics, where the special projects of individual lawmakers are stacked upon the back of hard working New Jerseyians. The sad thing is – New Jerseyians don’t see any benefit from it.
We had EZ Pass rammed down our throats, costing tens of millions of dollars to implement. Then, we rip out toll plazas to fix congestion problems. While I find that the new configuration of the toll plazas is far superior to what we had, I can’t help think of all of the money that was just thrown out to do it. We still have a DMV that is inept and inefficient. The solution to New Jersey’s budget crisis is not to raise taxes, but to take a good, long look at what the money is being spent on, and audit every department. I am confident that by cutting back government spending, we could have brought the state finances back in control.
There are several things that really offend me. First is the $300 million in extra spending rammed through by Democratic lawmakers late in negotiations, without any sort of opportunity to get feedback from constituents. This money went to find primarily Democrat sponsored projects, and chiefly went to municipalities that are controlled by Democrats. The second is the total lack of regard for the common citizen you seem to show for the people of New Jersey. Not once in any of your speeches or media interviews did you express regret for the situation that the populace of New Jersey is being put through. If you look at the Governor’s Office website, there is not a single word to show how you will make the ambitions in your “message” come true: “ This administration will embrace the values that bind us together – equality, opportunity and fairness. And, we’re going to make New Jersey a better, more affordable place to live, to work and to raise a family.” Right now all I see are higher taxes, less affordable housing, less incentives for businesses to be in New Jersey, and not much of a future for my family. Governor Corzine, what are you really going to do for us?
I make a decent salary by working in Manhattan. I live in Ocean County, one of the few affordable places in the state. I have to commute two hours each way to find work because the tech industry in New Jersey is largely dead. After paying my bills – what bills I can afford to pay – I am seldom left with more than $100 in my bank account. This is after I have trimmed all of the “fat” out of my own budget. Somehow I am supposed to support my family on that? I know that you have a Wall Street background and are used to making much, much more than I do. I am sure that you worked very hard to make that sort of money. I work very hard to make my money too – unfortunately New Jersey is one of the only states that $65,000 will keep you near the poverty level.
It’s time for politicians in Trenton to stop voting with their own interests or the interests of their political party first. It’s time for the people in Trenton to actually work at doing their jobs – making New Jersey a safe, affordable place for people to live in. Everything else is just fluff.
Read the local papers – the populace is furious with. Nobody has any faith in you or any of the other legislators in Trenton. I don’t think there ever has been a time that so much rage has been directed at Trenton. Speak to us – tell us that you understand our plight. Come up with ways to put more money back in our pockets. We have homes, families, mouths to feed, and our own dreams. Trenton needs to wake up to that. Stop feeding the special interests, stop working for your political parties, and fix New Jersey in a way that is fair for the people who matter the most – your constituents.
Yours Sincerely,
Benjamin Ruset
The Honorable Jon Corzine
Office of the Governor
PO BOX 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
July 17, 2006
Dear Govorner Corzine:
I had been hoping that you would bring something new to the state. Instead, it seems that it's more of the same in Trenton.
An unbalanced budget is nothing new in New Jersey politics. Shutting down the state - while written into the state constitution - was new. It smacked of a political ploy to force dissenting legislators to fall in line with what you wanted or else look bad in the public eye for letting the state shut down. The spat didn't hurt the politicians in Trenton at all - it hurt the common New Jerseyian who wanted to enjoy the state parks while the state was shut down. It hurt the people who drive in to Atlantic City to spend money. The common New Jerseyian got the short end of the stick.
So now we have a 7% sales tax, and sales tax now applied to a lot of other items that were once not taxed. So where does this money go? Well, supposedly half goes into property tax relief, but it doesn't go to the tax payer, but to local municipalities - all who face their own budget crises. There is no incentive for the municipalities to put this money back in the commoner’s pocket. This money is just a windfall for local politicians. In fact, property tax relief is cut! How does this help us?
Obviously you are aware that New Jersey has one of the highest property tax rates in the United States. We also suffer from years of pork-barrel politics, where the special projects of individual lawmakers are stacked upon the back of hard working New Jerseyians. The sad thing is – New Jerseyians don’t see any benefit from it.
We had EZ Pass rammed down our throats, costing tens of millions of dollars to implement. Then, we rip out toll plazas to fix congestion problems. While I find that the new configuration of the toll plazas is far superior to what we had, I can’t help think of all of the money that was just thrown out to do it. We still have a DMV that is inept and inefficient. The solution to New Jersey’s budget crisis is not to raise taxes, but to take a good, long look at what the money is being spent on, and audit every department. I am confident that by cutting back government spending, we could have brought the state finances back in control.
There are several things that really offend me. First is the $300 million in extra spending rammed through by Democratic lawmakers late in negotiations, without any sort of opportunity to get feedback from constituents. This money went to find primarily Democrat sponsored projects, and chiefly went to municipalities that are controlled by Democrats. The second is the total lack of regard for the common citizen you seem to show for the people of New Jersey. Not once in any of your speeches or media interviews did you express regret for the situation that the populace of New Jersey is being put through. If you look at the Governor’s Office website, there is not a single word to show how you will make the ambitions in your “message” come true: “ This administration will embrace the values that bind us together – equality, opportunity and fairness. And, we’re going to make New Jersey a better, more affordable place to live, to work and to raise a family.” Right now all I see are higher taxes, less affordable housing, less incentives for businesses to be in New Jersey, and not much of a future for my family. Governor Corzine, what are you really going to do for us?
I make a decent salary by working in Manhattan. I live in Ocean County, one of the few affordable places in the state. I have to commute two hours each way to find work because the tech industry in New Jersey is largely dead. After paying my bills – what bills I can afford to pay – I am seldom left with more than $100 in my bank account. This is after I have trimmed all of the “fat” out of my own budget. Somehow I am supposed to support my family on that? I know that you have a Wall Street background and are used to making much, much more than I do. I am sure that you worked very hard to make that sort of money. I work very hard to make my money too – unfortunately New Jersey is one of the only states that $65,000 will keep you near the poverty level.
It’s time for politicians in Trenton to stop voting with their own interests or the interests of their political party first. It’s time for the people in Trenton to actually work at doing their jobs – making New Jersey a safe, affordable place for people to live in. Everything else is just fluff.
Read the local papers – the populace is furious with. Nobody has any faith in you or any of the other legislators in Trenton. I don’t think there ever has been a time that so much rage has been directed at Trenton. Speak to us – tell us that you understand our plight. Come up with ways to put more money back in our pockets. We have homes, families, mouths to feed, and our own dreams. Trenton needs to wake up to that. Stop feeding the special interests, stop working for your political parties, and fix New Jersey in a way that is fair for the people who matter the most – your constituents.
Yours Sincerely,
Benjamin Ruset
I also get frustrated by NJ and do my own share of complaining. But nevertheless, I just get tired of all the negativity and complaints I hear after awhile.
