StayNJ Passes in the Assembly (and Senate)
The New Jersey Assembly this morning passed the StayNJ Bill authored and championed by Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) by a vote of 75-2.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The bill would later pass in the senate, too.
The bill establishes Stay NJ senior property tax credit affordability program; expands income limit and modifies ownership requirement for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement; appropriates not more than $300 million.
Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-26) offered the most strenuous resistance to the bill.
First, he tried to secure tax relief for disabled veterans.
Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-6) blocked him by getting the motion tabled.
Then Bergen bucked Coughlin’s bill, arguing that it will likely not come to fruition, as it promises tax relief for seniors three years from now, and much can change between now and then. The Morris County Republican also objected to giving high income earners a tax break just because they qualify as seniors.
Coughlin pushed back, arguing that Bergen missed the point, and offering the bill – in part – as a way of showing gratitude to New Jersey’s senior population.
But Bergen – who called the bill one of the toughest of his career as a lawmaker – said the legislation offers little more than an opportunity for politicians to look good.
His GOP collegaue, Assemblyman Gary Scharfenberger (R-13) likewise worried aloud about the capacities of the state to actually deliver the bill to seniors three years from now, noting the distrust many residents feel regarding promises made by politicians.
But the bill overwhelmingly passed anyway.
So did the child tax credit bill, by a 75-3 margin.
The bill would double the amount of the child tax credit currently provided to certain taxpayers with children under the age of six. Currently, residents making up to $80,000 a year receive anywhere from $100 to $500 per child under six, depending on their income. Under the bill, payments would now range from $200 to $1,000 per child under six.
With a proposed $54 Billion Dollar budget I doubt anyone will see a tax break, now or three years from now.
This is a FARCE! Seniors (and others) need tax relief need tax relief NOW, not (3) years from now! These democrats ever gave themselves an escape hatch stating things can CHANGE between now and then meaning the amount of money promised! Vote these democrat frauds out in November! How dare they use seniors like this!
I agree with Henry we need help now it seems like they have money for illegals so I don’t want to hear they haven’t the money write to your reps and demand a amendment to start on January 2024
IS BRIAN BERGEN HE A COMPLETE FOOL. DURING THE PRIMARY HE SAID HE WOULD VOTE FOR THE BILL EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW IT WAS BOGUS… THEN HE TAKES GOV. MURPHY’S SIDE AGAINST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE GETTING A TAX BREAK. WHY DON’T PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING THE MAJORITY OF TAXES IN NJ FOR DECADES NOT DESERVE A TAX BREAK. WHAT KIND OF REPUBLICAN IS HE
Our senior population will NEVER see a Tax Break, because our terrible governor won’t want his clan to help us because he needs the money to pay for the illegals, and their give them the “everything” benefits, that US American seniors pay for
Our senior population will NEVER see a Tax Break, because our terrible governor won’t want his clan to help us because he needs the money to pay for the illegals, and their give them the “everything” benefits, that US American seniors pay for
I was under the impression it was starting in 2026. What happened?
This is not happening for 3 years and now I read that taxes will go up in somerset county where I live. So what are seniors supposed to dor 3 years?! There will be a mass exodus between now and 3 years and I might be one of them
It is just shell game, you get to pay the full tax in hope they do not spend the money they say they will give back later. Why not just cut the tax in half and pay the money to the town and county now. Or maybe we should hold their pay for the next three years to insure the money is there.
I THINK THE SENIORS NEED TO SEE THE TAX RELIEF NOW AND NOT 3 YEARS FROM NOW. I HOPE THIS PROGRAM PANS OUT!
I am grateful if it happens. However, the tax
break in 2024. Who knows what will happen by 2026.
I am very grateful for the tax break if it happens
However, we need the tax break starting in 2024. Some seniors are in desperate need of this break
New Jersey property taxes are out of control
Agree Kathy and we will also be one to leave here. The taxes I pay here is almost a part time job In Michigan!
Seniors will not be able to survive another three years waiting for the cavalry to ride in and save them.. it’s a farce. But even if it were true, why another means test by the libs…and Ass. Bergen. Haven’t seniors paid more than their fair share for decades to support the under-employed or perpetually lazy or whatever new class of “underserved” that the Democrats create.Take a look at the budget line-items and learn where you money goes. Turtle Back Zoo $7.5 million for veterinary hospital? Another $7.5 million to the consolidation study commission….hasn’t consolidation been studied to death? It goes on and on
Only time will tell if this is real or a fabrication of the Wizard of Oz. Democrats’ control of state government that championed this measure but it would not take effect for three years. If the “money is not found” to fund it, I sure wouldnt want to be in elected office then. Seniors are leaving the state in droves now that housing prices are through the roof and something needs to be done. Even the confiscatory exit tax isnt enough to keep our older residents from jumping ship.
The entire STAYNJ senior property tax relief bill is a farce!!!!! The Democrats say it won’t be implemented for another 3 years (2026). Why is that???? Because it’s an election year scam this year. Democrats promise property tax relief now, but will never deliver on it in 3 years because the current idiot Governor will be gone, and Dems hope people forget 3 years later.
We have $4 BILLION IN COVID RELIEF FUNDS just sitting there in the State Treasury. We give $4 BILLION/YEAR to illegal aliens in free healthcare, free housing, free education, free food stamps, free legal services, free cash/welfare, etc. They return about $150 MILLION in taxes to New Jersey (after sending a bulk of their paychecks to their respective families in other countries).
The State originally was going to give a $10,000/Yr. senior property tax break, but then Gov. Murphy (who isn’t even from this state) balked and said “No!”.
It would require $2 BILLION/YR. in the budget to fund the senior property tax relief at $10K. According to the State’s new figure of $6500 per year senior property tax relief, it will be $1.6 BILLION/YR. Solution to the Problem: Cut the $4 BILLION per year to illegal aliens and apply it to property tax relief of 50% across the board each and every year. Then take the $10 BILLION set aside for PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, and give it to every homeowner as a one time lump sum for property tax relief.
It’s simple. It doesn’t take rocket science or Harvard-trained accountants. We need Republican/ Conservative politicians willing to work for the people and not Democrat-Communists who pander to special interests who want taxpayers’ monies to pay for their own pet projects and their own “freebie” entitlements.