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The state has been circling the drain for some time now. At this point we can see the little whirlpool and the gurgling sound is getting louder as the last pieces of garbage are sucked into the underworld. This is the absolute worst state for businesses, hands down. It also has one of the highest if not the highest tax burdens in the country. You combine that with the state telling people who pay the most money in the country to live in what was once a nice community that they have to import the trash from other parts of the states and let them live there for free, and people with the means will just leave. Oh yeah, and crime is getting out of control with almost no penalties for violent crime and no way for decent people to defend themselves. You really can't run a state into the ground any harder than this. California eat your heart out.
Nailed it on the dot . This state is following Detroit footsteps.
I'm happy that this story gets some national attention. Maybe the people who run the government of NJ can now be put under a microscope, and start being forced to explain what it is they can do to correct this situation, which has been mounting for decades. Maybe the voting public will also wake up, and start retiring these life long ineffective career politicians in Trenton, and replace them with some new blood.
Yea, from some hack from Georgia State University. Is that still a commuter's college?
Just read the article, we are last because we have budget problems because we behind on pension contributions. So if we just cut pensions, we would be ok, right?
We gave Panasonic $100M to move a few miles down the Turnpike. Those dang teachers made NJ do it!
And they pledged to create an ASTOUNDING 20 jobs a year. ALL HAIL THE JOB CREATORS!
Panasonic received a $102 million Urban Transit Hub tax credit in 2011 from the state while it explored moving from Secaucus to an out-of-state location. Among other conditions, the electronics giant pledged to create 200 new jobs over the next 10 years.
Jon Whiten, deputy director of New Jersey Policy Perspective, said, “We’re all for job creation and economic development, and we’re glad to see Panasonic stay in New Jersey, but we have to look at the costs as well. Was it worth $102 million in taxpayer dollars to simply move the company’s 800 jobs 10 miles down the road?”
Jeff Tittel, president of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said state incentive programs don’t create jobs, they “just enrich developers and corporations at the expense of taxpayers.”
1.) Raise public employee retirement age to 62 minimum, or no benefits until you hit 62, if you retire early then you wait until 62 to draw your retirement check.
2.) Consolidate all police under the State Police eliminating a lot of overhead. Same for Fire & Paramedics.
3.) Consolidate and modernize public schools. You have one school system that is an award winning system serving 300 students with a 9 to 1 student/teacher ratio bordered by another that is in the pits serving 2000 with a 20/1 ratio.
4.) Eliminate the corporate income tax, property tax on all goods and other stuff that is an accounting nightmare. Corporate taxes are dead through corporations pitting one state vs. another for jobs and tax breaks which leads to the Panasonic situation.
5.) Property tax overhaul to 1% of value of the property.
6.) Legalize drugs at least weed and tax the crap out of it.
7.) Bring the consultants in to consolidate state services and update technology.
8.) Privatize a lot of state jobs, my favorite one are toll ticket/money changers making 60k a year, you could outsource this and save millions.
9.) Reform drug laws and commute sentences of low level offenders, saving money.
10.) Raise the sales tax on everything but food to balance the budget.
11.) Lottery & Gambling reform open Casinos & card rooms in Northern Jersey.
12.) Reduce pensions to where the current amount in the plans is 100% funded, underfunded pensions problem is solved overnight. Sure some public employees will cry but tough.
Consolidation will never happen in NJ. People in NJ will rail against and moan about taxes, but everyone gets awfully quiet when consolidation is brought up.
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