This Is One Of The Oldest Tricks In The Book

Even before he was elected we predicted that if he won, Phil Murphy would pull an old chestnut out of the Original Book Of Slick (And Slippery) Political Tricks.
And, he hasn't even taken the oath of office yet but the trick is already underway.
Here's how it goes: Just prior to taking office, you suddenly "discover" that you're inheriting a huge "financial mess". The more you examine the situation, the worse it seems to get.
As you get closer and closer to inauguration day, you and your team realize that things have now reached a "crisis" phase. The government is cash starved and facing "mounting debts" and you are duty-bound not only to make this known to the public but to deliver the cold-hard truth as well: The government needs money -- a lot more money -- and it needs it now.
So, taxes and fees and whatever will have to be raised as soon as possible. There's just no other way out. No other way to remain solvent. No other way to pay the bills. No other way to provide the services that people need. This is so urgent that if action isn't taken bridges may crumble, sick people may die, schools may have to close and children may starve. And that might be only the first phase of the crisis.
So, revenue must be raised and that means higher taxes. It's the only way for the state to remain fair and just and deliver the services to which people are entitled. After all, it's an investment -- a vital investment, right?
And you should be praised and supported because you've finally leveled with the people about all this.
Of course, political veterans know all-too-well what's going on here.
You create a crisis, then you follow that Obama-esque rule: Never let a crisis go to waste.
And sure -- the best way to raise taxes is to raise them at the very beginning of your term and to really, really raise them good and high so you have enough money to spend on giveaways over the next four years. That way, you're well-positioned for re-election because people forget the tax hikes but they always remember the giveaways.
And this almost always works oh-so-well in Joizee where people have been so well-conditioned to it that most of them respond like Pavlov's dogs.
So, get ready everybody.
Because you're about to be shafted by one of the greatest snake-oil salesman of them all. eNJoy!