Compromise?

Comes now former Governor Codey, suggesting that the Legislature "compromise" the differences between Governor Corzine’s obscene tax and spend budget, and the Assembly Democrats’ execrable tax and spend budget. His proposed "compromise"? Increase the sales tax by 1%, as the Governor petulantly demands, but devote half of the revenue therefrom to property tax relief.

Hmm. Sounds really familiar. I seem to recall, a few years back, being told by the Democrats that if only we increased the income tax on "millionaires", we could fund substantial property tax relief. That promise – like every Democratic spending restraint promise – lasted about 8 seconds. We got creamed by the massive income tax hike, but we also got socked with gargantuan spending increases, and, as a result, got no property tax relief.

The people yawned. Codey learned the lesson well: everyone who objected to Florio-type tax increases appears to have moved out of state. The only folks left are Montclair liberals and tax eaters, who get more back from tax increases than they pay. A natural Democratic Party constituency.

As Twain observed, the people get the kind of government they deserve; good and hard. They elected Corzine and the Dems knowing full well what they would get. Or they should have known. The Dems agree that government must expand; the only argument now is who gets the bill. On that score, Corzine’s proposal – bad as it is – is infinitely preferable to that of his Legislative compatriots.

Hizonor just completed a news conference, during which he stuck wonderfully to his "message": tax revenues must increase in order to fund recurring spending. No once did he even admit the possibility of cutting spending.

There’s little room for Republicans – true Republicans – to be peeled off and unite with one Democratic Party faction against the other. The Roberts Faction proposes a bunch of hidden taxes and a substantial income tax increase, leveled on precisely the sort of folks who have been leaving New Jersey in droves, and who Corzine – for all his faults – seems to comprehend should be encouraged to stay, not compelled to leave. The Corzine faction proposes a massive sales tax increase, further worsening New Jersey’s competitive position vis a vis Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York.

With the lonely exception of Senator Sweeney, not a single Democrat proposes anything approaching a fiscally sane alternative, to wit: those who benefit from government – rather than those who pay for it – should shoulder most of the sacrifice.

The GOP should speak with one voice: NEITHER Democratic proposal is acceptable, as neither cuts spending.

And Codey’s "third way" proposal is no different. All things being equal, once the tax is in place, the Dems will not permit property tax relief promises to stand between them and showering goodies on their favored constituencies. The "property tax relief" – such as it is, and even that will almost certainly focus on Democratic municipalities – might last a year, but the tax will be forever.

Going into next year’s legislative elections, the Republican mantra should be simple and memorable: ROLL BACK CORZINE’S TAXES. Not one Republican should provide him with an scrap of cover by supporting ANY tax increase.