I joke with my writing partner about New Jersey being one giant swamp. At least the Garden State’s politics are fun to watch—at a distance. Today, the New York Times reports that a few Democrats are now supporting Governor Corzine’s proposal to increase the sales tax by one full percent, from 6% to 7%. However, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, Joseph Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) opposes the increase. Given that Roberts has final say as to whether anything comes to a vote in the Assembly, the sales tax increase is in danger.
New Jersey’s constitution requires a balanced budget by July 1st; it’s unlikely that this will occur. Governor Corzine is, according to the Times article, making plans to “…close parks, historic sites, campgrounds and casino and halt highway construction and the lottery should the state miss the deadline.” That sounds particularly brilliant. Let’s stop the lottery and casinos, two of New Jersey’s biggest sources of revenues. Of course, given New Jersey’s politics, perhaps this is inevitable.
New York Times article