Corzine Advisory Reports Call for Tax and Spending Increases
New sales taxes cut from proposal:
Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday released 19 reports from his transition team's policy advisers on some of the toughest issues facing the state, but stressed they are only suggestions, not the agenda for his administration.
The final report from budget advisers drops some of the most controversial suggestions from an earlier draft: a proposal for phasing out the state pension system; sales taxes on clothing, internet purchases and other services; and a gasoline tax increase. It does call for closing "illogical loopholes and exemptions" in sales and income taxes. The final report does still call for layoffs and cuts in pay for non-union state workers,
Another panel, which studied energy issues, said raising the gas tax should be "seriously" considered. A group that looked at transportation issues was silent on the gas tax, but warned that the state's Transportation Trust Fund is going broke and needs a new funding source.
The property tax report echoed Corzine's campaign goal of increasing property tax rebates by 40 percent over four years. It called for enacting long-term solutions through a special legislative session and a constitutional convention. The report said the convention should not address spending because that would "doom" the effort by entangling it with hot-button issues.
The higher education transition report asked Corzine to back a proposal to borrow billions for expanding and improving the state's colleges.
A report on revitalizing communities offered a strategy for the state's school construction program, which has been stalled since officials announced last year they had used up the $8.6 billion allotted to the program. The advisers said Corzine should retool the program as a 14-year project, seek a new round of borrowing for high-priority projects to be built within four years, and spread the remaining projects over 10 years.
Another transition policy group recommended giving the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs responsibility for protecting the state's military installations from Pentagon budget cuts.
New Jersey Government; New Jersey Taxes; New Jersey Budget
Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday released 19 reports from his transition team's policy advisers on some of the toughest issues facing the state, but stressed they are only suggestions, not the agenda for his administration.
The final report from budget advisers drops some of the most controversial suggestions from an earlier draft: a proposal for phasing out the state pension system; sales taxes on clothing, internet purchases and other services; and a gasoline tax increase. It does call for closing "illogical loopholes and exemptions" in sales and income taxes. The final report does still call for layoffs and cuts in pay for non-union state workers,
Another panel, which studied energy issues, said raising the gas tax should be "seriously" considered. A group that looked at transportation issues was silent on the gas tax, but warned that the state's Transportation Trust Fund is going broke and needs a new funding source.
The property tax report echoed Corzine's campaign goal of increasing property tax rebates by 40 percent over four years. It called for enacting long-term solutions through a special legislative session and a constitutional convention. The report said the convention should not address spending because that would "doom" the effort by entangling it with hot-button issues.
The higher education transition report asked Corzine to back a proposal to borrow billions for expanding and improving the state's colleges.
A report on revitalizing communities offered a strategy for the state's school construction program, which has been stalled since officials announced last year they had used up the $8.6 billion allotted to the program. The advisers said Corzine should retool the program as a 14-year project, seek a new round of borrowing for high-priority projects to be built within four years, and spread the remaining projects over 10 years.
Another transition policy group recommended giving the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs responsibility for protecting the state's military installations from Pentagon budget cuts.
New Jersey Government; New Jersey Taxes; New Jersey Budget
