Greenwald: Christie Has Given Up on Property Tax Relief

(VOORHEES)—Today Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) issued the following statement about Democratic proposals to provide middle-class and working families with property tax relief:

"Clearly, Governor Christie has given up on providing property tax relief to the residents of New Jersey.  Try as he might to divert us with sound bites and slogans, the bottom line is simple: Democrats want real property tax relief, while the Governor has focused on providing tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.  Democrats want to help 95 percent of taxpayers, while the Governor wants to help the wealthiest among us."

"As a recent NJ Spotlight analysis showed, the Governor's attacks on property tax relief have meant net property taxes are 20 percent higher than they were before he took office.  Governor Christie owes the people of New Jersey an explanation--why has he given up on property tax relief?  Why does he want to give most families less than a grocery bill's worth of relief instead of nearly $1,600 on average in property tax relief?  And why does he continue to prefer massive giveaways to the wealthiest few instead of real, immediate relief to middle-class families?

"Despite the fast and furious rhetoric, it's clear that the Governor is out of step with the vast majority of New Jerseyans who are being priced out of their homes because of his policies.  New Jersey's middle-class families want property tax relief, not more handouts to millionaires.  That's why Democrats are standing for property tax relief--in stark contrast to the Governor, who has thrown in the towel.”