SoulCrusher said:I'm very happy to hear that. NJ 101.5 is doing what News 12 New Jersey and NJN fail to do - present a no holds barred, unbiased view of the issues that affect this state. Both stations (well, definitely NJN) receive funding from the state budget and would never have the guts to speak out against Gov. Corzine's scheme to eliminate the middle class, and I for one am thankful that there's an outlet that's enlightening people out there and shining the spotlight on the corruption that runs rampant in this state. I was unable to attend because I couldn't get the day off, but I did listen and fought for the cause in my own way. Kudos to all at NJ 101.5 for a job well done.
raydofan said:This is biased, by the way.
The 'coverage' by NJ 101.5 is biased. Sorry I wasn't clearer.Starscream said:raydofan said:This is biased, by the way.
The thread, or your own post?
raydofan said:I'm all for rabble rousin', but how is Corzine scheming to 'eliminate the middle class'? What kind of toll hike are we talking about? Why are there holes in the budget?
This is biased, by the way.
SoulCrusher said:Gov. Corzine wants to borrow over $30 billion in bonds in 2008 and plans to pay it back over time by turning over control of the state toll roads to a new state entity known as a "public benefit corporation" which will raise tolls by 50% plus the rate of inflation in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022, with further increases continuing
800% more than they do today.
Do you think the average person will be earning 800% more to compensate for this ridiculous increase? Must we rank as having every single tax being the highest in the nation? Do we really want to have our children and grandchildren paying the price because our legislators were inept? Yes, the state has substantial debt and something needs to be done, but when you figure interest on the bonds we are taking out and all the employees on the PBC (we're talking several six figure salaries along with pension and insurance that will be totally free), how much debt will actually be paid off?
This will destroy the middle class because: 1) The commuters will be paying a lot more to drive to work every day. 2) Delivery truckers who use these roads will increase their costs to retailers who will then pass it on to the consumer.
In addition, there will be people who can't afford to pay for these astronomical tolls who will move to the free local roads - this will lead to significant wear and tear on the roads, pollution, and more accidents.
Who's on board with this plan? The only people speaking in favor of it are: 1) Corzine's cronies. 2) Union members afraid of possible pension and insurance reform. 3) Wealthy businessmen who will not be affected in the least by this plan's implementation. 4) Lobbyists like Bob Franks who stand to gain something if the plan passes (i.e. a high ranking position on the PBC).
What's wrong with the plan? For starters, it's another tax for the overburdened residents of this state. The plan creates new debt and the potential for Corzine to pass money along to his cronies (Let's not forget his Chief Of Staff, Brad Abelow, was a former Goldman Sachs employee). Small business will suffer from the inevitable increase in operating expenses. Some delivery truck companies are contemplating a move to Pennsylvania due to the toll increases. There's a lot of wasteful spending that needs to be stopped (i.e. Luxury vehicles on the taxpayers' dime with free gasoline and EZ Pass driven by Corzine and other state employees, free pension and insurance to all state employees, $8 billion dedicated to new school construction that went nowhere, over 600 school districts (and superintendents) in the 47th largest state in the country, etc.). Previous legislators promised that the tolls would be removed once the highways were paid for - now we're treating the tolls as a revenue source for the next 75 years? Worst of all, Corzine is using fearmongering tactics (such as threatening major cuts in funding to universities and hospitals and ending property tax rebates) to garner support for his plan. Everyone with even a minor interest in state politics knows that Corzine can make more effective, less harmful spending cuts than that. We generate plenty of revenue from several different sources - the level of debt we currently hold only indicates that we are spending much more than we take in. And the only thing that our "financial genius" Governor can think of is either new taxes or tax increases. Before you know it, they're going to send state employees to every driveway in the state with their hand extended looking for money.
I am thankful that we have a form of media that is speaking out against this absurd plan, which only proves that Corzine either doesn't know or doesn't care about the citizens of this state. If he had a clue and understood where New Jersey stands compared to other states, he would proceed with the only logical solution to our fiscal crisis: Cutting spending with no new taxes.
raydofan said:There are options for people: 1) Carpool. 2) Mass transit.
SoulCrusher said:AMraydio: When I was younger and less informed, I tended to lean Democratic. After all, that was the way my family voted, and I always believed that issues affecting the middle class were at the top of their platform. While I have leaned independent in recent years, I registered as a Democrat so that I could vote for Jon Corzine's opponent for Governor two years ago - I knew that he was bad news, just a clueless limousine liberal that bought his way into the U.S. Senate and would probably do the same (and did) as New Jersey Governor.
While Democrats are mostly at fault for our financial status,
we can't forget that former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and her pyramid scheme bond plan that somehow gained approval played a large part in accounting for the current state debt.
That said, it's good to see that pretty much all Republicans are speaking out against this plan, and I applaud their efforts in making the public aware of its myriad flaws. And while I would love to see people like State Senators Dick Codey & Ray Lesniak, and U.S. Representatives Rob Andrews & Rush Holt voted out of office tomorrow for supporting this plan and other new taxes, I live in highly Republican Ocean County - they don't represent this region. But we sure gave Corzine the business when he came to Toms River to tout his plan - I'm proud of that. I almost think that this plan was devised to attack the Republican-leaning parts of the state and its tourism industry.
raydofan: To answer your questions: Gov. Corzine's asset monetization report uses four 50% toll increases and a 3% inflation rate to indicate that a toll on the Garden State Parkway currently costing $.35 will cost $2.70 in 2022.
Carpooling is not an option (employees all from different parts of the state)
and neither is mass transit (limited bus routes and no rail service in southern Ocean County).
If Corzine had the British agency that he hired to draw up the monetization plan (at a cost of over $800,000) produce a report examining the effects on highways over time it would have, I can guarantee that everything I said would happen.
I know people that try to avoid one .35 toll - can you imagine how many people are going to avoid tolls when they're eight times that much?
Increased traffic, especially on Route 9 which is largely one lane through much of the state, combined with 18 wheelers taking to the roads, will result in traffic, pollution and more accidents.
There are currently 43 (yes ... 43) people that have been appointed to Corzine's "steering committee" to influence people to support the plan. The committee includes the executives from Horizon Blue Cross / Blue Shield and Verizon New Jersey, presidents of several state universities, and lobbyists like Bob Franks and Hazel Gluck.
I would be willing to bet that many of these people were either coerced into supporting the plan with threats of higher taxes, or are on board due to possible personal gain from the plan. And my opposition to the toll plan has less to do with "Boo-hoo, I have to pay more for tolls" and more with the fact that we are creating another branch of state government that will result in even more of a burden on the state and cannot be trusted with all of the money coming in (it's also worth noting that the PBC will not be subject to the Open Public Records Act), and the fact that in a matter of years we will be paying $8 for a gallon of milk and $6 for a loaf of bread because delivery companies will have to raise their costs to retailers so they can turn a profit. The taxation cycle will continue since we will not accomplish our goal of reducing debt with this plan, and people will leave the state in a hurry. Hope that clarifies the issue at hand.
SoulCrusher said:raydofan said:I'm all for rabble rousin', but how is Corzine scheming to 'eliminate the middle class'? What kind of toll hike are we talking about? Why are there holes in the budget?
This is biased, by the way.
Gov. Corzine wants to borrow over $30 billion in bonds in 2008 and plans to pay it back over time by turning over control of the state toll roads to a new state entity known as a "public benefit corporation" which will raise tolls by 50% plus the rate of inflation in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022, with further increases continuing every four years for at least 75 years and up to 99 years. By 2022, tolls are estimated to cost about 800% more than they do today.
Do you think the average person will be earning 800% more to compensate for this ridiculous increase? Must we rank as having every single tax being the highest in the nation? Do we really want to have our children and grandchildren paying the price because our legislators were inept? Yes, the state has substantial debt and something needs to be done, but when you figure interest on the bonds we are taking out and all the employees on the PBC (we're talking several six figure salaries along with pension and insurance that will be totally free), how much debt will actually be paid off?
This will destroy the middle class because: 1) The commuters will be paying a lot more to drive to work every day. 2) Delivery truckers who use these roads will increase their costs to retailers who will then pass it on to the consumer.
In addition, there will be people who can't afford to pay for these astronomical tolls who will move to the free local roads - this will lead to significant wear and tear on the roads, pollution, and more accidents.
Who's on board with this plan? The only people speaking in favor of it are: 1) Corzine's cronies. 2) Union members afraid of possible pension and insurance reform. 3) Wealthy businessmen who will not be affected in the least by this plan's implementation. 4) Lobbyists like Bob Franks who stand to gain something if the plan passes (i.e. a high ranking position on the PBC).
What's wrong with the plan? For starters, it's another tax for the overburdened residents of this state. The plan creates new debt and the potential for Corzine to pass money along to his cronies (Let's not forget his Chief Of Staff, Brad Abelow, was a former Goldman Sachs employee). Small business will suffer from the inevitable increase in operating expenses. Some delivery truck companies are contemplating a move to Pennsylvania due to the toll increases. There's a lot of wasteful spending that needs to be stopped (i.e. Luxury vehicles on the taxpayers' dime with free gasoline and EZ Pass driven by Corzine and other state employees, free pension and insurance to all state employees, $8 billion dedicated to new school construction that went nowhere, over 600 school districts (and superintendents) in the 47th largest state in the country, etc.). Previous legislators promised that the tolls would be removed once the highways were paid for - now we're treating the tolls as a revenue source for the next 75 years? Worst of all, Corzine is using fearmongering tactics (such as threatening major cuts in funding to universities and hospitals and ending property tax rebates) to garner support for his plan. Everyone with even a minor interest in state politics knows that Corzine can make more effective, less harmful spending cuts than that. We generate plenty of revenue from several different sources - the level of debt we currently hold only indicates that we are spending much more than we take in. And the only thing that our "financial genius" Governor can think of is either new taxes or tax increases. Before you know it, they're going to send state employees to every driveway in the state with their hand extended looking for money.
I am thankful that we have a form of media that is speaking out against this absurd plan, which only proves that Corzine either doesn't know or doesn't care about the citizens of this state. If he had a clue and understood where New Jersey stands compared to other states, he would proceed with the only logical solution to our fiscal crisis: Cutting spending with no new taxes.