More than 30,000 protest Emporer Christie's budget cuts in New Jersey

[marmar]

Near-Record Numbers Protest New Jersey Budget Cuts Targeting Unions, Nonprofits


TRENTON, N.J. — A crowd estimated at 30,000 to 35,000 people gathered Saturday near New Jersey's Statehouse to protest Gov. Chris Christie's proposed budget cuts.

State police, who gave the crowd estimate, said no problems were reported.

The crowd is believed to be one of the largest ever to protest in state history. It was mostly comprised of public employee union members and several community and nonprofit groups that would lose some or all their funding if Christie's plans are adopted.

Christie has called for workers to accept wage freezes, and he's pushed for them to contribute toward their health benefits. The governor was not in the Statehouse on Saturday and was not at the rally.

He has said that protesters have a right to speak their minds.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/22/new-jersey-budget-cuts-protest_n_586176.html

[LARED]

1. To find out why few New Jerseyians are losing sleep over

wage freezes, and he's pushed for them to contribute toward their health benefits.

Simply look at the property tax map / chart in the middle of this link

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/PropertyTaxesWhereDoesYourStateRank.aspx

Property taxes as a percent of income is 7.02%, about 1.2 points higher than number 2

[jsmithsen]

2. The price of racism?

Somewhat dated article - but perhaps still relevant:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/housing/2006-08-10-nj-property-taxes_x.htm

"Many also pin the blame on the way many of New Jersey's 566 cities and towns insist on having their own schools, police departments, public works crews and the like, instead of consolidating services with those of other communities to reduce administrative costs.

Somerset County, for example, has 21 municipalities. Densely populated Bergen County, just across the Hudson River from New York City, has a staggering 70.

Some lawmakers are looking into merging school systems and municipalities but are likely to run into resistance from local officeholders if they try to force the issue."

Not certain why this issue doesn't come up more. Suburban proliferation is a huge factor behind the growth of overall government spending (federal + state + county + municipal).