My Opposition to the Christie/Sweeney Bill

Recently there has been false information put out in reference to my position on the Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney legislation dealing with pension and health reform, as well as the budget. I made my decision on this issue a long time ago, and I have shared this position with numerous unions around the State. Fortunately, the majority of them have acknowledged my position, but unfortunately, the literature that went out over the weekend stating that no one knew where I stood with this issue was not true.

I feel it is important to publicly make my position known on the blog before tomorrow’s vote, that I will not be supporting the proposal being put forward by Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney regarding pension and health reform. I cannot speak for others, but I certainly can speak for myself, so I plan on voting opposing that bill.

If some want to attack me because of my position on the issue, I will respond to those attacks. I did not support the budget last year, and so far, I have no intentions on supporting the budget this year.

I feel that the increases public employees are going to have to pay are indeed tax increases, and it is as simple as that. So why are we continuously saying that we do not want to raise taxes on the millionaires, when in reality, we are raising taxes on those who cannot afford them?

So today, I am officially announcing I will not be supporting Chris Christie and Steve Sweeney’s proposal.

Ps

I think my opponents in November, Joan Van Pelt and Jeffrey D. First, should publicly state their stance on this issue as well. The people of the 22nd district should know how they stand on this issue. Speak up now; are you for the working class families, or do you support the millionaires getting a break? Do they support what Christie’s doing? The people in the 22nd need to know this now, not in November.

Since I have been asked to publicly state my stance on this issue, I think it is only fair as candidates that they make their positions known as well. And we do not need the finessing the average lawyer gives us; we just need a simple yes or no. The public needs to know if you all support millionaires who will benefit from this budget, or do you support middle income families who will have to bear the burden again.