CORZINE SEEKING TO TAKE HAMBURGER CASH FROM FAST FOOD PATRONS, ROBBLE, ROBBLE   
 

MERKT ASKS, IS THERE ANYTHING THIS GOVERNOR WON’T TAX?

Responding to news that Governor Jon Corzine is open to imposing a new fast food tax on New Jersey, Assemblyman Richard Merkt today said there has apparently never been a tax Corzine didn’t like and urged the Governor to return to looking for spending cuts rather than new revenue sources.

“The governor should put more effort into figuring out how to cut wasteful state spending and less into concocting new ways to pry even more tax dollars out of long-suffering New Jersey families,” said Merkt, R-Morris. “New Jersey families are looking for commonsense solutions to help make our state more affordable, and taxing their cheeseburgers isn’t going to help.”

According to the Associated Press, New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Tuesday he’s open to using a “sin tax” to help provide funding for struggling hospitals. His comments came after opponents of budget cuts to hospital aid suggested a fast food tax during a meeting with Corzine. Corzine called the fast food tax, “a constructive suggestion.”

Merkt said that after the recent medevac helicopter-funding tax, which promptly got diverted to other spending, the public might just be a little skeptical of the Governor’s latest proposal for another new “dedicated” tax.

“Just like so many other ‘dedicated’ taxes, it is not hard to imagine this money getting diverted away from health care to other spending projects in the budget,” Merkt said. “Governor Corzine appears to be entering into competition with the ‘Hamburglar.’ One wants to steal your hamburgers, the other wants to take your money so you can’t afford them.”

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