The New York Times reported on its front page (March 28) that states from coast to coast “are considering new taxes on virtually everything: garbage pickup, dating services, bowling night, haircuts, even clowns” to generate more revenue to maintain the record level of spending throughout the country.
Archive for March, 2010
Christie and Greenwald are both right about taxes
27
Mar
Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, chairman of the Budget Committee, wants to give municipalities the power to impose taxes to make up for the reduction in state aid next year. Governor Christie rejected Greenwald’s proposal. The governor does not want more taxes levied on the people of New Jersey, claiming they are overtaxed and that spending must be reduced instead to close next year’s $11 billion budget gap. Read the rest of this entry »
Is Christie implementing the Sabrin Plan?
25
Mar
Governor Christie’s proposed 2011 budget cuts state aid to school districts and municipalities to help clsoe the $11 billion deficit. In fact, 59 school districts will see their state aid cut to zero. In other words, the State of New Jersey will take monies from affluent communities and not-so-affluent communities and not send them any of the $60 million in state aid they are receiving this fiscal year. Many of the towns are located in Bergen County. Read the rest of this entry »
Fixing New Jersey’s budget–less spending, less taxes, more freedom
24
Mar
Yesterday, the Senate and Budget Appropriations Committee held a hearing at Bergen Community College about Governor Christie’s proposed 2011 budget. The hearing was dominated by well meaning individuals who want the state to keep on spending at current levels for all the programs the state government has created or supported over the years to deliver numerous social services. In addition, public officials pleaded for maintaining state aid to balance their school and municipal budgets. Read the rest of this entry »
Obamacare will lead to “death panels”
23
Mar
President Obama signed his healthcare “reform” bill Tuesday. The landmark law has been hailed as one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of the Republic. Proponents of Obamacare assert that after more than a hundred years of trying, finally, the federal government is guaranteeing virtually all Americans the right to healthcare. Read the rest of this entry »
Repeal the Blue Laws
18
Mar
Governor Christie wants Bergen County’s Blue Law repealed so the state could reap another $65 million in sales tax revenue to help pay its bills next year. Allowing Sunday shopping in Bergen County will not raise $65 million in sales tax revenue. In fact, Sunday shopping in the County will probably not raise a single dollar for the state. Read the rest of this entry »
Governor Christie’s budget address: getting closer to the mountaintop?
16
Mar
Governor Christie’s budget address to the Legislature outlined the challenges facing the State of New Jersey, offered some conventional solutions to 2011 budget deficit, but fell short in proposing a plan to diminish substantially the role of state government in the lives of New Jerseyans. Instead, the governor’s budget maintains New Jersey’s welfare state programs, rather than begin the transition to the nonprofitization of New Jersey. Read the rest of this entry »
Ron Paul for president…and DiLorenzo, Napolitiano, Rockwell or Woods for VP
14
Mar
Will Ron Paul run for president in 2012? That’s the question liberty lovers are asking around the country? And while Dr. Paul has been noncommittal, the groundwork is being laid, in my humble opinion, for another Paul for President campaign in 2012. Read the rest of this entry »
The privatization task force, first steps to fixing New Jersey
12
Mar
Governor Christie has created a privatization task force headed by former congressman Dick Zimmer. The task force will make recommendations to the governor that ostensibly will reduce the cost of state government. The governor will accept or reject the task force’s recommendations. One member of the task force is John Galandak, president of Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, was president of the Foundation for Free Enterprise, the education affiliate of CIANJ, prior to being appointed head of CIANJ. I have known John for 25 years, and we worked together for more than 20 years delivering the World of Free Enterprise program to public school children, primarily in Bergen County. Read the rest of this entry »
Gas taxes, user fees and the roads
08
Mar
A tax is a coerced levy by a level of government to pay for so-called public services. Our theory of the public finance is that we pay taxes to local and state governments for schools, welfare benefits, police protection, courts, prisons, and all sorts of services to create a humane, compassionate and safe society as well as produce an educated citizenry. (The federal government is omitted from this discussion.) In addition, we are taxed at the gas pump so state and local governments can provide an infrastructure—roads, highways and bridges–to help commerce flourish by providing safe and smooth driving conditions for the people of New Jersey. That’s the theory. The reality in New Jersey is at odds with the fundamental theory of public finance. Read the rest of this entry »
How to lower unemployment permanently
05
Mar
Without a strategic plan to tackle the key issues affecting the U.S. economy, the clueless members of Congress, except for a handful of representatives led by Ron Paul, will create more and more gimmicks to the deal with the loss of more the 8 million jobs since the recession began two years ago.
Mises and Hayek were right: entitlements + easy money = the road to serfdom
03
Mar
According to a Washington Times article, “American reliance on government at all time high,” the Great Recession and America’s comprehensive welfare state has given us this astonishing fact: “… for the first time since the Great Depression, Americans took more aid from the government than they paid in taxes. ” In short, America has become a nation of consumers and not producers. The scales have been tipped…for now. The American people’s living standards and our economic liberties are in grave jeopardy. Read the rest of this entry »
Big government libertarianism?
01
Mar
The editorial page editor of the The Record (Hackensack, NJ), Alfred Doblin, has described himself as a libertarian on more than one occasion in essays on the editorial page. In his latest essay, Doblin is at it again, claiming he believes in “small government” and the welfare state. Below is my Letter to the Editor about Doblin’s essay that will not be published because my recent op-ed on the end-of-life care. Read the rest of this entry »
Frank Rich, Ron Paul and the battle for the soul of America
01
Mar
In his Sunday New York Times column, Frank Rich tries to belittle and defames Congressman Ron Paul, because Dr. Paul wants to shrink the size and scope of the federal government. By lumping the former 2008 GOP presidential candidate with the pro-war 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, and militaristic talking head Glenn Beck, who delivered a sharp rebuke of the GOP in his CPAC speech more than a week ago, Rich reveals his true colors: an unapologetic supporter of the welfare-warfare state.