Stender and Green: “Stop Us Before We Tax Again”

I am reminded of fictional movies and unfortunately, in some cases true life accounts of serial killers who leave messages at the crime scene that state, “Stop me before I kill again”. It’s a cry for help from a pathological mind that cannot control its insatiable lust for killing. It is no doubt a crude analogy, but after reviewing the voting records of NJ Assembly members Linda Stender and Jerry Green since 2002 I thought if I traveled down to the State House in Trenton (the crime scene), I would find a note scrawled in the collective handwriting of this dynamic duo that simply states, “Stop us before we tax again”.

It seems that Stender and Green have never met a tax they didn’t like. In fact, there are over 100 separate taxes that they have raised and the staggering totals come to $6.4 and $8.6 BILLION respectively! Is it any wonder that New Jersey continues to have the worst tax climate in the nation as these two serial taxers continue to rubber stamp just about every tax and spend initiative that Governor Jon Corzine puts in front of them?

I refer you to two interesting, (and completely depressing) articles that were printed in the September 23 edition of the Star Ledger. The first one could be found on page 3 and was entitled Jerseyans are Pinched Hardest to Pay Property Taxes. The Tax Foundation, a non-profit group that analyzes census data, reports that New Jerseyans put 7% of their paychecks toward property taxes—highest in the nation. Six of the nations 10 most expensive counties are right here in the Garden State.

Equally troubling was the lead article found in the Business section of the Ledger that proclaimed, Jersey Ranks 50th, Again, for Tax Climate. Once again it was the Tax Foundation presenting the ugly data that stated, “For a second year in a row the Washington D.C. based group has ranked the state—as having the nation’s least business-friendly tax policies.” Is it any wonder that New Jersey’s unemployment rate has reached 9.7%–tops in the region—as businesses continue to flee the hostile tax and regulation climate here? What business in their right mind would even consider relocating to New Jersey when the likes of Corzine, Stender and Green continue to create and then increase tax after tax after tax?

Well, my good friends in the 22nd Legislative District, don’t count on Assemblywoman Linda Stender and Assemblyman Green to lose their insatiable lust for taxing any time soon. And if you re-elect them (again) expect more of the pathological addiction to taxing and spending that has just about ruined our state. It’s in your hands come November 3: Stop them before they tax again!