Tuesday, October 19, 2010

NJ GOP Senators To Dems: 'Get To Work, Now!'

All 16 Republican members of the New Jersey Senate, signed a letter yesterday asking Senate President Steve Sweeney to post Governor Chris Christie's toolkit measures for a vote. 
The  toolkit includes a number of comprehensive measures that will make it possible to rein in property taxes, including common-sense reforms to binding arbitration and civil service.

The full letter is below:
                                                            October 18, 2010

Senate President Steve Sweeney
New Jersey Senate
P.O. Box 99
Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Dear Senate President Sweeney,

After months of repeated requests, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce sent a formal letter to you on September 9, 2010 encouraging you to post Governor Chris Christie’s 'toolkit' measures for a vote.

As you are surely aware, the toolkit includes a number of comprehensive measures that will make it possible to rein in property taxes, including common-sense reforms to binding arbitration and civil service.

Numerous municipal officials, including mayors, council members and administrators from both parties, have expressed their strong support for these reforms. In fact, many insist that unless these reforms are quickly adopted, it will be impossible to abide by the two percent property tax cap that the Legislature recently enacted.

Over one month has passed since the letter from Leaders Kean and DeCroce was delivered, yet the majority of the toolkit legislation has yet to be voted on. Mindful of the need for immediate action, all sixteen Republican members of the Senate hereby and respectfully request that the remainder of the toolkit bills be posted for consideration.

New Jersey taxpayers and local officials have waited far too long for Trenton to provide reforms that will bring government spending and property taxes under control. These bold and thoughtful initiatives will provide our state a road to fiscal recovery, economic stability and much needed job growth.

The Senate was able to work in a bipartisan fashion to pass historic property tax reform when it voted to approve an annual two percent hard cap on state and local spending, but we cannot be content to leave the job half done. We request an open and full hearing for each of the tool kit proposals and an up or down vote on each bill.

We thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Senator Tom Kean, Senator Diane Allen, Senator Christopher Bateman, Senator Jennifer Beck, Senator Anthony Bucco, Senator Gerry Cardinale, Senator Andy Ciesla, Senator Chris Connors, Senator Mike Doherty, Senator Tom Goodwin, Senator Sean Kean, Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Senator Kevin O'Toole, Senator Steve Oroho, Senator Joe Pennacchio, Senator Bob Singer

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