NJ Lawmakers consider Taco Bell Tax - Losers

I can barely comment on this one. The article is here.

Even in this state and given everything that has continued to occur with poor decisions by the Governor and legislators. But now, my only conclusion is that these people are so out of touch that they are not recoverable. How can you proceed from their normal script that we will 'soak the rich guy and give money to the little guy' to 'ok, the little guy is a loser and we will tax him too'.

sorry. This one is way too over the top. Wake up New Jersey.

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Disenfranchising Voters - the Supreme Court states the obvious

The Supreme Court made an obvious decision yesterday that asking voters for identification does not cause an undue burden or restrict a voters right to participate in the democratic process in this country. New Jersey needs to pass legislation requiring that voters are legitimate residents and eligible to vote and requiring proof thereof. This state does not have a good record regarding ensuring that legitimate voters make it to the polls (does anyone still remember Corizne's operators paying for votes with cigarettes a few years ago?) and ineligible votes are not cast.

Of course, key Democrats immediately cried 'voter disenfranchisement'. I have some news for these people. If you are walking around with no identification today, you have far more serious problems than voting. As a matter of fact, I seriously doubt that anyone could produce a legitimate non-id carrying voter who would be hurt by laws like these (the Supreme Court said as much in the Indiana decision).

The real issue here is the use of lax rules to encourage voter fraud in cities. This encouragement comes primarily from the Democratic party. So the people really hurt in this process are legitimate voters who have their votes cancelled by individuals who should not be voting either in this state or in any state. That is the dirty little secret behind voter identification laws and those who oppose them.

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NJ Rain Tax - You can't make this up(Rain Tax)!

Just when you think our politicians can't get more disfunctional, they come up with this:

Senate Bill 1166 proposes another tax to be levied on property owners. It will impose a municipal "fee" calculated on the average rainfall runoff. With this new source of funds, local authorities will be set up "to assess the potential impact to the environment of nonpoint source pollution." Just what we need: more bureaucracies and a tax on rain. The governor demands less spending and politicians like Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, the bill sponsor, respond with business as usual.

And the real question in play:

What will it take to get Trenton to stop fiddling with our lives, forcing us to leave our state, crippling our ability to attract business and, at the same time, taking care of themselves and their political buddies?

Read the entire article here.

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New Jersey - The Corruption State

Newsday today reports on New Jersey's corrupt political culture and the massive number of indictments and convictions of public offials in the past few years:

Since 2002, 128 public employees in New Jersey have been convicted on federal corruption charges. About a third of those were elected officials, including state lawmakers, mayors and town council members.

Those numbers back up New Jersey's reputation as a corruption hotbed, fueled by TV shows like "The Sopranos." Experts say the state's labyrinth of local boards, commissions and councils has created fiefdoms where fraud and abuse flourish.

This amounts to a lot of work the federal government to prosecute. What strikes me however is the complete lack of local and state prosecution of corruption. With the number of both local and state police jurisdictions around the state, it seems that if public corruption is being ignored that our entire justice system in NJ is only serving to provide traffic enforement and to protect citizens from the recidivist drug and criminal culture in our cities.

New Jersey's federal corruption arrests in 2007 included:

_ Six former mayors, including James, who was convicted of steering cut-rate city land to a one-time mistress.

_ Assemblymen Alfred Steele and Mims Hackett, Jr., charged with trading public influence for bribes. Steele pleaded guilty in October. Hackett has pleaded not guilty.

_ State Sen. Wayne Bryant, charged with steering millions to a medical school in exchange for a no-work job worth tens of thousands of dollars every year. He has pleaded not guilty.

_ Five Pleasantville school board members convicted of steering public contracts in return for bribes.

Of New Jersey's 150 public employees facing federal corruption charges since 2002, 49 held elected office, including 18 mayors, 15 councilmen and six state lawmakers. All but 20 defendants pending trial were convicted by plea or by jury. Two officials charged in 2005 died before they were tried, according to an AP analysis of U.S. attorney arrest announcements.

Federal. Always Federal.

Read the entire article here.

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NJ legal climate dropping like a stone! Patronage vs Business.

From Fox Business:

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today announced that New Jersey's legal climate has dropped nine spots to number 35 in Lawsuit Climate 2008: Ranking the States, an annual assessment of state liability systems conducted by Harris Interactive, a leading national market research firm.

"New Jersey's legal system is headed in the wrong direction," said Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, "largely as a result of the plaintiff-friendly bias in a handful of trial courts, particularly in lawsuits aimed at pharmaceutical manufacturers."

It is somewhat amazing that New Jersey is trending anti-business in every possible category. Additional taxes, piling on for insurance, family leave and now a poor legal climate. And worse yet, the negative legal climate is directed the way of one of the last remaining industries still in the state, Pharmaceuticals. But is it fair?

New Jersey has also gained a reputation for allowing "junk science" to be admitted into the courtroom, dropping from a rank 13th to 35th in the handling of technical and scientific evidence.

Does anything not think that these legal issues are not the result of political patronage?

Read the entire article here.

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Forget taxes for one night-Flyers win!!!!

Tonight, in the midst of a the Democratic primary, the Philadelphia Flyers played game 7 of their first round playoff series against the Washington Capitals. As a long time fan (I grew up in Bucks county) I was sick the entire game. The game went to overtime tied 2-2 and the Flyers won courtesy of a Lupol goal off a rebound 6 minutes in.

South Jersey and Philly sports don't get better than that! Congrats Flyers!

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Is This Guy Getting a Pension?

Read about this guy first. Note this:

Nanni retired from the Port Authority after 20 years of service. As part of his sentence he will forfeit hold any future public office in New Jersey.

It only mentions that he's forfeiting future public office. What about his pension? Are we taxpayers still paying for this thug's living expenses?

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It's Primary Day in Pennsylvania-Get out and vote!!!!

While we mostly concern ouirselves with New Jersey and Federal issues, it is often hard to ignore our neighbor just across the Delaware. Frankly, I believe that many in South Jersey are much more closely aligned with Philadelphia than the Northern parts of the state (essentially NYC suburbs). I would also venture a guess that the Southern part of the state would probably rather pay taxes to Harrisburgh than Trenton (just a hunch but it would certainly be a hell of a lot cheaper).

The Democratic primary in Pa has been quite entertaining. From Obama's preacher to Hillary's Bosnia whopper to Obama's stinker debate that was all the moderator's fault, it has had all the plot lines. It will be interesting to see how the votes get cast.. Pennsylvania is a very complex state to predict. Many a statewide politician has gone to bed a winner and woken up to see the final results completey reversed.

Forget about the pundits, this state could go either way.

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Hamilton Township Residents Revolt - Elections apparently don't matter

From today's Trentonian:

HAMILTON — A taxfighters’ showdown is in the wind. You can’t see it in the bounce of tumble weed, hear it in the jangle of spurs or smell it in the nervous sweat.

But you can sure feel the heat of its anger as you read of its coming in The Trentonian’s BackTalk.

BackTalk has been flooded this week with dozens of reactions to the state’s invalidation of taxpayers’ stunning rejection Tuesday of the Hamilton Township school district’s $170 million budget.

Every single BackTalker expressed outrage that the state Department of Education would disrespect such a fundamental form of hometown, American democracy.

It was as if nearly 6,000 votes, pro and con, vanished in a digital nanosecond at the behest of bureaucratic fiat.

The story line is simple. The township has experienced some of the highest tax increases in the state due to poor fiscal management. There was a school budget election. The residents overwhelmingly turned it down and wanted deeper cuts. The state has now nullified the election.

Welcome to the state of New Jersey. If you can't beat 'em, cheat 'em.

Read the entire article here.

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Where does the average citizen sign up for a few state jobs?

The Asbury Park Press has started a multi-part series on the practice in New Jersey of politicians and patronage employees double dipping (having more than one state job, a practice that is illegal in most state including New York). In an article entitled More Hold Multiple Jobs in the State, the paper outlines the effect of this practice:

The ranks of highly paid double dippers — government employees with two or more public jobs that paid more than $100,000 together — swelled by 20 percent last year, despite calls to end the practice, Gannett New Jersey has found.

A review of pension enrollment data found that:

A total of 853 highly paid double dippers were in the state's largest public employee retirement fund last year, an increase of 20 percent from 2006 to 2007.

Those same multiple-job holders had a collective salary of $107.8 million, also up 20 percent from 2006. They held an average of 2.8 jobs each and had an average pay of $126,000 in 2007. All totaled, there were 6,271 multiple-job holders — including one woman with 12 jobs — pulling down $354 million in salaries.

This practice has long been ethically suspect as these are not positions that are advertised and open to any applicant around the state. These jobs are pure patronage and those who held multiple positions are actively gaming a flawed system as insiders.

Does this practice make you angry? You will get angrier if you follow the information provided by the paper below:

To view salaries for all employees, and a searchable list of multiple-job holders, visit www.DataUniverse.com and click on "What's New." DataUniverse is the Asbury Park Press' public records site on the Web.

Gannett New Jersey has found numerous examples over the years of independent contractors, mostly lawyers, receiving far better government pension benefits than full-time government employees. By cobbling together multiple part-time posts, some multiple-job holders can amass an annual public salary that eclipses the amount New Jersey governors are entitled to under state law.

And with higher salaries come higher pension payments upon retirement

Go to the site and follow the NJ Employee link. Then select the "multiple job holders" report. And then feel the steam come out of your ears....

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Adults in office - Hamilton Township

Finally, a government entity in the state showing some adult leadership and attacking the problem of out of control spending. From today's Trentonian:

HAMILTON — The township plans to lay off 30 municipal employees, demote 20 more and eliminate 10 positions through attrition — all to save taxpayers a total of $3 million, the administration announced yesterday.

As expected, most of the layoffs are coming from departments dealing with the slumping housing market so municipal services are not expected to be seriously curtailed. The demotions, officials said, are geared to reduce the number of higher-paid supervisors.

And how did the township get into a situation where they had to take measures like these? The previous administration (Democrat) completely mismanaged the budget leaving the township 16 million dollars in debt. The voters threw them out in the last voting cycle. The new administration (Republican) decided they were going to have to grit their teeth and fix the problem:

Both Guhl and Mayor John Bencivengo expressed regret the layoffs are necessary.

“Workforce reductions are the most difficult and painful aspect of a chief executive’s duties,” Bencivengo said. “It is, in fact, a last resort. Unfortunately, our financial circumstances dictated this action, and what’s more, it is something that Hamilton taxpayers are demanding.”

Though more layoffs occurred in areas related to construction, the “reduction in force” plan touches every municipal department, except police, officials said.

Compare this course of action to the current legislature in New Jersey. They kicked off the year adding a half a billion dollars to a budget already 3 billion in the red. They now add a new tax for Paid Family Leave. They have proposed adding taxes for tolls, gasoline and new universal health care that the state cannot afford.

One of these days, the people of this state will wake up and realize that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with local politics. And on that day, when they realize what the politicians in this state have done, I hope they throw them all out. And better yet, if we ever get an Attorney General in this state, maybe, just maybe indictments will follow.

Read the entire article here.

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General Petraeus and the Senate - Maybe a cardboard cutout would be better

As I watched the Senate Armed services committee meeting with General David Petraeus testifying to the panel, I am struck by the lack of seriousness of some of the senators especially the chairman. As he attempted to get the General to give him a soundbyte that he was looking for, it was clear he wasn't going to give up. So he proceeded to testify to a conclusion that General Petraeus did not draw.

The entire process (possibly with the exception so far of Senator McCains respectful questions and actually listening to answers) suggest that maybe the panel should get a full sized cardboard cutout of Petraeus to testify. In that way, the panel can blather on to their hearts content and the General can get back to work in Iraq.

I see no difference here between the silly MLB seroid hearings and this hearing. And the sad thing is that if these non statesmen were doing their job, they wouldn't be sleeping when others are speaking (Martinez), they would listen not go fishing for headlines (Levin) and they would ask relevant questions and not testify themselves.

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Rocky and Pennsylvania, Hillary, Barack and Real Life!

In Philadelphia the other day, Hillary Clinton used Rocky as a backdrop for her campaign. First off, Rocky is supporting John McCain. But the main issue is that
the real Rocky's this year are the Philadelphia Flyers and the Sixers!

I was at the Flyers game Friday night. I watched the Flyers play their best game of the year. I listened to the Rocky theme being played on the way in to the arena. And as I sat behind the Devils bench, I watched the reaction of a team frustrated by the excellent play by the underdog.

If Hillary and Barack want to impact Philly politics, they should do the real work the campaign should have told them before they commented on Rocky. Go to South Philly and weigh in. Ginos or Pats. Wiz or Swiss Cheese. Then we'll know.

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Taxing Porker of the Month - Bill Baroni(R-14) and the Paid Family Leave Tax (watch out John McCain)

For his support of the Paid Family Leave Tax, Bill Baroni get's this month's Taxing Porker of the Month Award. As a Republican, Mr Baroni claims to support good government, claims to be against corruption and excessive spending by Trenton. The strange this is that Mr Baroni has unbelievably large support from the unions of this state such as the NJEA (the largest public employee union in NJ) as well as several trades unions. Given the undue influence unions have in bloating the state budget, one has to question their love of Mr Baroni.

People in New Jersey wonder why Republicans do not get traction in this state despite the large number of people who in many other state would be pre-disposed to be conservative or right of center politically. It is because the Republican party in New Jersey looks too much like the Democratic party in New Jersey. And Bill Baroni is a perfect example.

I think that John McCain may want to re-evaluate Mr Baroni's position in his campaign in the state of New Jersey. It is hard to claim you are against government waste and support lower taxes when your campaign chairman in the state is for both!

Of course, it Mr Baroni somehow realizes that his constituents (who in Hamilton have been severely hurt by their representatives over the post 8 years and pay some of the highest taxes in NJ) are more important than the lobbyists for his union friends, we will happily rescind his pork skin. But I am not holding my breath.

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Stop the NJ Paid Family Leave TAX! Act now and contact your legislator!

The legislature of the People's Republic of New Jersey (the United States first Socialist/Communist State) will be bringing paid family leave back on Monday. From an article in the Daily Record:

After several fits and starts, an effort to bring a paid family leave program to New Jersey may clear its final legislative hurdle Monday.

A vote on the measure is scheduled in the Senate, where Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and budget committee chairwoman Sen. Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex, are sponsors. If approved, Gov. Jon S. Corzine is expected to sign the bill shortly.

When speaking of the need for the program, the governor frequently refers to having his children around him when he recovered from a near-fatal car crash a year ago this week, saying people shouldn't have to choose between work and caring for family.

I am often brought to absolute tears laughing at our current Governor. His reason for supporting paid family leave (PAID as in PAID FOR BY HIGHER TAXES) is that when he got hurt speeding in a state owned vehicle without his seat belt, he had his children by his side. Of course, Corzine's estimated net worth is in excess of 600 million dollars according to the New York times. But what about the family he wants at his side?

1. Son Joshua works in commercial real estate in San Francisco
2. Daughter Jennifer runs a tea shop in Manhattan
3. Son Jeffrey goes to NYU

So Mr Governor, tell me how paid family leave would have helped your children be by your side when you were hurt? And why should the people of New Jersey have to pay for them to be there?

This entire bill is a bad joke that being perpetuated by Democrats attempting to buy votes in the next election. Too many voters in this state think about these benefits, hold hands and sing songs and skip through the meadow happily. That is until the next tax bill comes and they scream bloody murder. Here is an idea for the Democrats who want this bill so bad. Cut state workers by 10% and you will have plenty of money to pay for it.

It's time to hold your elected representatives accountable. Go to this link to find your legislator and let them no - STOP PAID FAMILY LEAVE TAX!

Senate and Assembly members be warned. You have seen various groups marching on Trenton in recent days. The citizens of this state have told you to stop spending and get your fiscal house in order. If you want to avoid the coming rout (REMEMBER FLORIO), you had better get serious soon.

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Obama's 'Special Interest' Problem

Here in New Jersey, you can't turn on the tv or radio without seeing or hearing an Obama advertisement. The candidate's most common theme is his anti special interests pitch. He claim that he is going to change the tone in Washington because he doesn't take money from lobbyists and special interests. But is his standard stump pitch true?

Truth is probably in the eye of the beholder. For example, in the Democratic primaries unions are well represented but not considered special interests apparently. This is despite the fact that over the past 25 years many unions have morphed almost completely into lobbying organizations for their members. The AFL-CIO building in Washington DC is far bigger and busier than many of its counterparts for business on K street. The building's sole purpose is as a center for advocacy in our nation's capital. But Democrats decry 'big business' lobbying on one hand while pretending that union lobbying isn't the same thing.

Obama may get away with this pitch in the more liberal primaries. But he won't be able to hide in the general election when his massive union support is exposed. Especially when some of the unions in question have played a major part in many of the big issues of the day. For example, how can you talk about inner city education problems without discussing the stranglehold the teacher's unions have on the system which rewards teachers for failing schools filled with failing students.

At some point, when we get past all the flowery oratory, the real questions will be asked. Probably not by fawning journalists at CNN or MSNBC but they will be asked. I look forward to Obama's reply.

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Bizarre world clock

Follow this link. http://www.chippynews.com/worldclock.htm

What saddens me is that one of the most active parts of this clock is the abortion meter. It's far worse than immigration or even the marriage count. Shame.

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You can't make this up - Rebates no but Free Healthcare YES

In a stunning example of institutional incompetence, a state audit panel discovered that the administrators of subsidized healthcare in New Jersey didn't bother to do their job. From Kaisernetwork.org:

NJ FamilyCare, a subsidized health program in New Jersey, did not verify eligibility for all of the program's beneficiaries, and more than 873 people with annual gross incomes more than $85,000 received benefits through the program, according to a report by State Auditor Richard Fair, the Bergen Record reports. Uninsured children and parents in families with annual incomes below 350% of the federal poverty level are eligible for the program. According to the three-year audit, state Department of Health and Senior Services officials sought to check applicants against the state's wage, disability and unemployment records to verify income, but the records did not have data on self-employment and rentals, interest or dividends.

So just to put this in perspective. If one of these individuals applied for the Federal Economic Stimulus funds, they would not receive it as they make too much money. But in the state of New Jersey, they can receive free healthcare? We wonder why the state is broke and Democrats want to raise taxes?

The real question, is who will be help responsible. I bet noone.

Read it all here if you can stomach it.

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Farmers Expose Corzine's Fake Budget Cuts.

In an NJHerald.com article yesterday, it seems clear that farmers have figured out the scam that Corzine is perpetuating in regard to the budget.

One squealing piglet wore a T-shirt Tuesday that delivered their message succinctly: "Cut the Pork, Not the Department of Agriculture."

Angered by the governor's proposal to eliminate the popular department, more than 1,000 farmers, nursery operators and supporters — many riding tractors or hauling landscaping equipment — rallied in front of the state Capitol.

While the protest was not short for symbolism, it represented an opportunity to expose Corzine's plans for what they really represent.

Sen. Steve Oroho, R-24, said he found it "appalling" that Corzine wants to eliminate the Department of Agriculture while continuing to pay for attorneys to analyze other parts of his budget proposals. While cutting the department would save about $500,000, Oroho said in a statement that a "politically connected" law firm was paid about $9 million to study Corzine's proposal to raise fees on New Jersey toll roads.

So, in case we are aren't getting it. Corzine eliminates a very small department to save allegedly 4 million. Of course the 4 million is not the savings as it represents the entire budget of the department whose mission will still need to be accomplished. The net savings is likely a half a million dollars.

At the same time, Corzine is paying an outside law firm 9 million taxpayer dollars to study ways to extract more taxpayer dollars via his toll tax plan. Corzine refuses to address real money saving efforts and instead keeps picking fights with small constituencies to make press about how he has tried to do his job in cutting spending but can't get it done. It is politically cynical. If he wants a fight, he should go after the teachers unions and the public employee unions which are the cause of our bloated state budget. But he doesn't have the guts for that. How could he?

He is literally in bed with the unions. Or was.

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