Press Release

Roberts' Plan Must Directly Lower Families' Property Tax Bills

Release Date: Apr 16 2008

Roberts' Plan Must Directly Lower Families' Property Tax Bills

Senators Anthony Bucco, Kevin O'Toole, Phil Haines, and Steve Oroho, members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee issued the following statement regarding General Assembly Speaker Roberts' proposal to end direct property tax rebates to New Jersey families.

"If Speaker Roberts' proposal directly lowers the property tax bills of New Jersey's homeowners and renters then it may be an idea worth our consideration. We will not be able to properly evaluate the Speaker's plan until the Assembly Democrats release a detailed proposal.

"Sadly, published reports have portrayed the Speaker's idea as a shift from a direct property tax rebate to middle class families and seniors to a credit on the income tax. Speaker Roberts forced a six day shutdown of state government in 2006 over his insistence that at least half of the sales tax increase be returned to homeowners in the form of a check as direct property tax relief. This proposal reneges on the Speaker's very public position on raising the state sales tax.

"Two years ago we characterized this arrangement as nothing but a mere election year ploy. The Speaker's latest statement proves that we were correct in that assessment."