Newton rally

Newton rally to target road work costs, gas tax increase

By Joe Carlson New Jersey Herald

Posted: Oct. 21, 2016 12:01 am

NEWTON -- The New Jersey Taxpayers Association and the Skylands Tea Party will hold a rally at the Newton Green on Saturday to demand a forensic audit of state-funded organizations related to the state's transportation systems.

"The rally is focusing on accountability," said Harvey Roseff, vice president of the New Jersey Taxpayers Association. "We want to know where all the tax money goes. Not just the gas tax. Bridge tolls have doubled and the transit budget is being discussed. We want accountability for all the tax payments that are going in."

The groups are calling for an audit of the state's Transportation Trust Fund, New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority.

"We need to examine where all the money goes," said Dan Pagano, president of the New Jersey Taxpayers Association.

Newton Police Chief Michael Richards said his officers will accommodate both the rally and an expected counter-demonstration across the street.

"Everyone can exercise their right to free speech and expression," Richards said.

Pagano said the decision to hold a rally was made after Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill approving the increase of the state's gas tax to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund, which is used to pay for maintenance and projects on state roads.

The bill -- passed by the state Assembly and Senate on Oct. 7 and signed by Christie a week later -- will raise the tax 23 cents from the current 14.5 cents per gallon while cutting other taxes including the sales and estate taxes.

The increased taxes on gas will boost the Transportation Trust Fund from $1.6 billion a year to $2 billion a year, according to the governor and other state leaders.

The bill also decreases the sales tax from 7 percent to 6.875 percent by January 2017 and to 6.625 percent by July 2017. It would also eliminate the state's estate tax by 2018.

It also includes raising the earned income tax credit, which helps low-income residents, from 30 percent to 35 percent for the current tax year, as well as increasing the tax exclusion on retirement income over four years to $100,000 for joint filers. Veterans would get a personal exemption for state income taxes under the measure.

"We need constituents to come and push for an audit and petition elected officials for the audit," said Tom Clarke, president of the Skylands Tea Party. "We need to make our voices heard."

Roseff said approving the gas tax was just a bailout for the Transportation Trust Fund and that the state will have to deal with the issues again in the future.

"This bill will lead to more debt and the same problems we see today. All it's going to do is kick the can down the road and consolidate it in a debt pile."

Saturday's rally is the first of what the group hopes to be rallies across the state, Pagano said, adding the groups decided to start in Sussex County because state Sen. Steve Oroho was a major supporter of the bill.

While the main focus of the day is getting an forensic audit, Roseff said repealing the gas tax is an ancillary issue.

"The audit and the repeal go together," Roseff said. "You do the audit to find out how the money is being spent and to find savings. With the savings there is no reason for the gas tax."

"We want to change things and get people involved and engaged in an effort to right the ship," Pagano said. "We want the gas tax repealed and we want the audit to show where the money is coming from and where it is going. No more punishing the taxpayers of New Jersey."

The rally will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, visit skylandsteaparty.com and njtaxes.com.

Joe Carlson also can be contacted on Twitter: @JoeCarlsonNJH or by phone: 973-383-1292.

Source:  http://www.njherald.com/20161021/newton-rally-to-target-road-work-costs-gas-tax-increase

Blogger's note:  This post may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.