Two Items from the Star-Ledger

Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, made some interesting points in this op-ed on Sunday. Here's the conclusion:

At its root, the message from Tuesday's election was not that the state's fiscal house needs to be put in order, but that voters' fiscal houses -- their property tax bills -- need to be put in order.

It's undeniable that property tax reform is tied to the state's fiscal soundness. But leaders who continue to talk about the state budget and "financial restructuring" separately from property tax reform show they really did not get the message of Tuesday's election.

---

Check out Rob Gebeloff's Stat Attack column about The Hidden Open Space Tax Hike:

But here's a little secret about local open space taxes: In dozens of towns, local voters who approved paying their penny-rate open space tax have seen their actual open space tax bill double -- and in most cases, nobody asked their permission.

Worth reading. And again, a reason to distrust people who hide a 50% budget increase behind the words, "We need that extra half a penny."

---