New Jersey and you, perfect together

. . . should probably be modified to New Jersey and your money, perfect together, since, as Jim was saying,

since 2002 (the year Governor McGreevey took office), New Jersey has the dubious distinction of having a per capita tax increase larger than that of any state except for New York.

Needless to say, McGreevey’s done much to aggravate the root cause, which is the out-of-control government spending. As it is, NJ has the highest tax rate of the adjacent states except NY, but we’re well on our way to the highest combined tax rates in the country. We have already reached that point here in The Principality.

Roberto‘s posting about the Bergen Record’s week-long series on corruption. The Record tries not to single out Democrats, which is amazing, considering how McGreevey and pals have been carrying on:

One lobbyist quoted in the story says he was called by a “freshman democrat” looking for contributions who specifically mentioned the lobbyist’s clients who would be appearing before committees on which he would be serving. The reporters asked him for the name of the democrat, but the lobbyist seems to have developed a case of short term memory loss since he did not could not remember the guy’s name. Seems like the lobbyist has been reading the papers and decided it’s not a good idea to get on the wrong side of Boss McGreevey and his democrat posse.

Both Jim & Roberto are depressed over that survey I mentioned yesterday that gives Kerry a large lead over Bush. Incurable optimist that I am, I’ll go out on a limb and say that surveys don’t mean much in an election year like this one. Also, depending on where/who they surveyed, the results would vary immensely. You can survey an area where the voters are largely Democrats (like The Principality) and get exactly those results, no matter what the rest of the State looks like — which makes the survey statistically meaningless. A PR person can then use the results and put then to “good” use (i.e., spin). Roberto asks, “What happened to Jersey voters??” Well, in the Star Ledger’s Letters To The Editor section, one NJ voter makes his voice heard,

Downhill for Democrats

Sunday, August 08, 2004

As an elected official for 15 years and a Democrat for 36 years, I am deeply disappointed with the people surrounding the governor’s office and the Democratic State Committee. At best, too many have been exposed as “ethically challenged” and, at worst, are worthy of indictment.

I have been a believer in Democratic Party principles since I have been old enough to vote. I am appalled at the self-interest of high-ranking Democrats.

We have fallen far indeed from the integrity of the Byrne administration and the principled stands of the Florio administration. The Democratic State Committee’s lack of interest in cleaning up the mess or supporting good, hard-working Democrats outside of traditionally Democratic parts of the state is clear.

I felt that this administration had every potential (and may still) to become a force for good government, but we are now so far down the wrong road that I am looking for a challenge to the administration from outside the Democratic power structure. Failing that, if Republicans are smart enough to nominate a moderate, I am willing to support that Republican.

— Dan Grant, Montville Township

The writer is a member of the Montville Township Committee

I don’t know about the “principled stands of the Florio administration”, which was a disaster, but I’m hoping there are more people out there like Mr. Grant.