CIANJ Joins Business Groups and Individual Taxpayers to Launch NJ Taxpayers Alliance, 10/30/2008

Trenton, NJ – Under the leadership of the New Jersey Taxpayers Association (NJTA), New Jersey civic and business leaders today announced the formation of the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance, a non-partisan, grass-roots organization dedicated to achieving real and sustainable tax reform in New Jersey. Comprised primarily of civic, business and professional associations, the Alliance’s mission is to educate and inform New Jersey taxpayers about sound fiscal policy; provide state policymakers with objective, non-partisan research about the impact of specific tax, regulatory and spending policies; and advocate for the adoption of rational public fiscal policy as it relates to individuals, non-profit organizations, small businesses and corporations.

To date, the following organizations have joined the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance: Americans for Tax Reform, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, Excellent Education for Everyone, GRAND Institute, National Taxpayers Union, New Jersey Gasoline – C-Store – Automotive Association, New Jersey Restaurant Association, New Jersey Society of CPA’s and the New Jersey Taxpayers Association.

“The efforts of the Alliance will help change the climate for business in New Jersey,” said Sal Risalvato, Executive Director, New Jersey Gasoline-C-Store-Automotive Association. “NJGCA members operate small businesses and all efforts to make the economy in New Jersey more vibrant will help small businesses thrive.”

“Alone, any like-minded group does not have the political clout to pressure the Governor and Legislature for the dramatic change necessary to reform public spending, taxation, indebtedness and the inefficiencies of BIG GOVERNMENT,” added Jerry Cantrell, New Jersey Taxpayers Association President. “Together, a broad-based Alliance would have the power to defeat the status quo.”

Driven by the active and intentional transfer of wealth and income from the private sector to the public sector, New Jersey’s Governor and legislative leaders have contributed to one of the worst economic debacles in the State’s history. “Government with its burdensome, systemic tax policies has polarized citizens by shifting wages and benefits from Main Street, NJ to Trenton,” commented Deborah Dowdell, President of the New Jersey Restaurant Association. “We are deeply concerned with the lack of fiscal responsibility exhibited by our State government and are proud to join forces with the NJ Taxpayers Alliance to stand up to forces that are clearly not working.”

John Galandak, President of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey added, “There is an undeniable link between New Jersey’s high tax climate and its near stagnant job growth. We are proud to join the Alliance to help end the systematic political division of New Jersey’s citizens and businesses, and we look forward to standing united in the effort to promote policies that reduce spending, and promote prosperity for individuals and businesses.”

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce, New Jersey residents are the highest taxed citizens in the entire nation. This alarming statistic can be directly attributed to wasteful spending, corruption, mismanagement and inefficient structural practices by New Jersey’s State, county and local governments.

One of the most egregious abuses of taxpayer dollars by New Jersey’s State government is its financing of public education. "Per-pupil spending in New Jersey's public schools (adjusted for inflation) has doubled over the past 30 years,” said Dan Gaby, Executive Director of Excellent Education for Everyone. “New Jersey now spends more per-pupil than any state in America. Yet academic results have not risen in response to that massive spending. Today, state test results, graduation rates, and SAT scores are about where they were in 1978. This has been a disaster for New Jersey students and property taxpayers. We are fully supportive of the efforts of the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance and will work with them for disciplined public spending. Injecting the competition pressure of parental school choice into our public schools will result in both sensible spending and higher academic outcomes."

Tax reform, spending controls and reducing New Jersey’s State debt, in addition to streamlining “BIG GOVERNMENT” and its inefficient structural practices, have been and continue to be the central issues facing New Jersey taxpayers.

Using New Jersey Taxpayers Association’s 10 Point Legislative Proposal, the NJPRO (New Jersey Policy Research Organization Foundation) 2008 study on “Economic Policies and Solutions: Making NJ a Better Place for Doing Business” along with guidance and input from The National Taxpayers Union, the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance is organized around the following policy recommendations:

1.CUT SPENDING
2.REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL OF ALL DEBT BACKED BY THE FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE STATE
3.PROMOTE COMPETITION BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATION PROVIDERS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES
4.IMPOSE NO NEW TAXES, FEES OR SURCHARGES
5.MANDATE STRICT REFORM BY IMPOSING VERIFIABLE COST REDUCTIONS/CONTAINMENT. ELIMINATE ALL EXEMPTIONS TO ANNUAL/PREDETERMINED FIXED SPENDING CAPS
6.ELIMINATE THE HALF-MILLIONAIRE TAX
7.ENACT SINGLE SALES FACTOR BUSINESS TAX REFORM FOR BUSINESS
8.ELIMINATE THE NJ ESTATE TAX
9.CREATE A LONG-TERM PUBLIC/PRIVATE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PLAN
10. ENACT STATEWIDE TORT REFORM
11. MANDATE REGIONAL/CENTRALIZED PURCHASING FOR ALL GOVERNMENT/SCHOOL DISTRICTS
12. CREATE A LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
13. ESTABLISH EXPENDITURE LIMITATION AMENDMENT PROPOSAL(S)
14. ESTABLISH JOINT REVENUE FORECASTING METHODS AND INTEGRITY MEASUREMENT CRITERIA
15. INITIATE PERFORMANCE AUDITS OF STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
16. ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR ALL AGENCY REPORTING AND PERFORMANCE
17. MANDATE TERM LIMITS FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS/OFFICES

“In New Jersey, we are experiencing one of the worst financial situations in the Nation, coupled with a lack of oversight rules, regulations and laws,” concluded Cantrell. “Add to that a documented culture of corruption among elected officials and you can begin to appreciate the fact that if we, the citizens, do not step up to the challenge, no real changes in the form of tax reform will occur.”