Election 2009: New Jersey Taxes

The bad good news is New Jersey is not the worst State in the nation when it comes to property taxes.  Well at least according to the Wall Street Journal.  The bad news is we are now second on the list and that is only because home values have fallen to so steadily over the last year.

Unfortunately for tax payers the situation will only get worse if we the voters do not remember in November to make a change in our Government at the State level.

For more info from the Wall Street Journal on NJ property taxes see the links below.

New Jersey Moves Up The Property Tax Charts

Wall Street Journal - Arden Dale

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--New Jersey, infamous for having some of the highest property taxes in the US, is only getting ...

Election 2009: COAH News

With only 40 days left until the 2009 election for Governor and the Assembly in New Jersey COAH / Affordable Housing news still remains a key issue.

With that here are some of the latest stories in the news....

COAH obligation may be reduced

Township Journal - ‎7 hours ago‎

8, the final COAH plan must be submitted by March of 2010 and the conformance documents for the Highlands must be filed in June.

Vote on COAH land delayed

The Moorestown Sun - Aubrie George - ‎19 hours ago‎

However, COAH officials only deemed 78 of those units as eligible - leaving the plan 18 units short. Mayor Dan Roccato, said the township is out at least 18 ...

Flap over COAH case said to be overblown

The Times of Trenton - NJ.com - Linda Stein - ‎Sep 20, 2009‎

The council members also touted Eastampton as one of the first municipalities in the state to receive COAH certification, saying they understand how ...

Mayor Mike Halfacre to appear at North Brunswick Labor Day Tea Party

Mayor Mike Halfacre of Fair Haven who is running to represent the 12th Congressional District of New Jersey will be appearing at the at North Brunswick Labor Day Tea Party.

This will be a great opportunity for everyone in the 12th Congressional district which cuts across the center of New Jersey, from Rumson on the Shore to Lambertville, Stockton and Frenchtown on the Delaware to meet Mayor Halfacre to discuss the issues which are of concern to you.

He will be there taking your questions from 10am through noon time.

Directions: Rt. 130 South; Right onto Raider Road (North Brunswick High School access road;) left onto Roosevelt Ave.

COAH Danger in West Windsor

It is being reported by NJ.com that home owners in West Windsor are challenging the affordable housing classification for their homes.

At the center of this latest COAH / Affordable Housing controversy are 16 homes from the Walden Woods development in West Windsor. The Walden Woods home owners would like to see their homes unclassified as affordable housing so they would then have the option to sell their taxpayer subsidized homes at market rate. The market rate for these home would be approximately double the current assessed value which is an average of $150,000 per unit.

The homes built in Walden Woods were part of a bootstraps program which was funded by the federal government to help low income people construct homes in the township with help from local builders.

The local resident’s claim their homes only fall under a 10 year restriction for being classified as affordable housing while West Windsor Township says the homes are to be restricted as affordable housing for a term of 30 years.

As with every affordable housing argument in New Jersey I am sure that sooner rather then later this too will end up in the courts. If so at jeopardy are all homes which are currently classified as affordable housing in New Jersey.

Because if the courts decided to rule for the home owners then potentially any and all owners of homes classified currently as affordable housing could seek similar relief if they want to sell their homes.

Such a decision would be great for the owners of the affordable housing units as their property would then show a substantial increase in value for them and provide a nice return on their original investment which was subsidized by taxpayers.

On the other hand a decision such as this would be extremely detrimental to all of the other taxpayers in West Windsor and other communities around New Jersey. This is because then towns would have shortfalls as a result in the amount of affordable housing they are currently providing and would be required to build even more affordable housing to satisfy the current state mandated rules and regulations.

For now we will have to watch and wait as this story develops (no pun intended) in West Windsor and see if it has repercussions around New Jersey as all COAH/Affordable Housing issues seem to these days.

The Switch: Roberts for Corzine?

With Governor Jon Corzine falling behind farther and farther each day in the polls. Doesn't it just seem odd that suddenly Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts decides to step a side to allow Donald Norcross to run for his Assembly seat?

Could this be one of the final pieces to fall into place for Governor Corzine to step down and for the Party in charge of Trenton to fill his seat with a much more electable candidate?

Well only time will tell...

America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 ?

As well all know the hot issue other then the economy is government run health care and since our elected officials do not seem to have the time to read the proposed legislation which has come out of our congress. I thought that I would do my part and add a link to the legislation so that anyone who comes across this blog post can review the legislation which would change the face of our nation forever.

Enjoy the 1000 plus pages.

This bill is know as HR 11:

http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

What makes anyone think the government can run a health insurance plan?

When I heard the news that the Cash for Clunkers program was being suspend and now congress is trying to pour another $2 Billion Dollars into the program I started to think....

Because if the government can't administer the cash for clunkers program then what makes anyone think the government can run a health insurance plan?

Less Government and more free choices is the right answer in my opinion when it comes to health care in our country.

Choices such as opening health care plans up to be written across State lines and to allow any group or organization to be a part of health care plans.

Ideas such as these will help to lower costs, keep Government out of health care and in the end still keep our medical care here in our Country as the best in the world.

Now its up to our elected officials in Washington to make these decisions.

However when they do I sure hope they remember the mess which was made out of something as simple as the cash for clunkers program.