There are 7 Republicans and 2 Democrats on the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders.?? But last week, three of those Republicans (Alex Marino, Will Pauls, and John Risley) voted with both Democrats to propose a new county tax.
It will add $3 to the cost of recording every deed, home equity loan, certificate to open any business or non-profit bank account, etc. with the County Clerk.?? Roughly 83,000 documents are filed each year. Democrats expect the new tax to take in about $250,000 each year.
This new tax is a bad idea for a whole lot of reasons.?? Here is why those three Republicans should wake up and reject this new tax at their meeting next Tuesday, June 17, in Pleasantville City Hall.
First, we don?t need it. Democrats say this new tax will help ?homeless veterans? and ?those still homeless from Hurricane Sandy?.?? But Atlantic County government already spends roughly $2.6 million each year on food, housing, health care and cash for ?the homeless?.?? Most of this money comes from state and federal grants.?? Private charities like the Salvation Army, collect and spend even more.
Democrats admit they have no idea how many veterans or Sandy victims in Atlantic County are homeless. ???But they say, start the tax now, and figure out if anybody needs it later.?? Freeholder Colin Bell said we should also start collecting the new tax now??in case we lose state and federal funding in the future?.
Second, although Democrats say ?nobody wants to be homeless?, the said fact is that many choose that lifestyle, and will be ?homeless? no matter how much we spend on them.
Third, the $250,000 collected each year from this new tax will quickly become a slush fund to help elect and re-elect Democrats.?? The qualifications to be on the proposed ?County Homeless Trust Fund Task Force? to dish out the money are cleverly designed to give Democrats control of the money?even if though the County Executive and most freeholders are Republicans.
When ?community organizers? for ?non-profit? organizations are paid with government money, they often advance political agendas that continue or increase their funding.?? That is why so many of them get the people they serve registered to vote, and then organize them to vote for Democrats on Election Day. You can see the far-left political agenda of many popular local ?charities? on websites or Facebook pages of groups like ?Build One New Jersey?.
Fourth, if we really do need more money for the homeless in the future, the freeholders can quickly and easily decide how much money is needed and add that amount to the regular county budget.?? When you earmark a tax for a specific purpose there is no connection between how much is collected and how much is needed. ?Anyone who worked for the government knows how quickly officials invent new reasons to spend ?extra? money in their budgets.
Fifth, if Republicans are to shortsighted and/or spineless to stop this new tax, they can?t stop any new tax proposed by Democrats. Today, Democrats say, ?Someone who buys a $300,000 house can afford an extra $3 to help the homeless?.?? Tomorrow, they will say ?Breast cancer research is also a worthy cause??? Why not a new $3 tax on new cars for breast cancer research???? In 1966, Republicans caved in on a ?temporary? 3 cent sales tax to cut property taxes.?? Now with a Republican Governor, we still have Democrat Corzine?s ?temporary? 2006 sales tax of 7 cent sales tax of 2006 because ?it?s only a penny?. ?Republican deals with Democrats put a double 14% tax on motels, a $3 tax on casino parking, and $9 to park at the airport.?? They said ?it was just a few dollars? and ?besides, out-of-state folks will pay most of it?.
This attitude chased tourists elsewhere, killed good factory jobs from Linden to Millville, and is crippling our economy today.
Instead of adding yet a new ?small tax? on ?somebody else?, Republicans should be working to get rid of all the ?small taxes? on ?somebody else? they already caved in on. Where there is liberty, all laws are simple and apply equally to everyone.?? All taxes are low and affordable for everyone.?? Where there is liberty, there is also prosperity.?? That is the message of New Jersey?s motto, ?Liberty and Prosperity?, since 1776.