July 5, 2006

Beating The Proverbial Dead Horse.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Jim @ 8:21 pm

Tonight, as I was driving home, I listened to a New Jersey – based radio talk-station. (The non-Garden Staters should know that most of our radio and TV is New York City or Philadelphia-based). Anyway, the subject was, not surprisingly, the state government shutdown.

I heard at least three people call the host and say of the Governor’s desire to raise the sales tax from 6% to 7%, in words or substance, “It’s only one percent. What’s the big deal? What’s the fuss? It’s only a penny.”

I’ve tried to make this clear at least twice before, but I’m going to try again. Pay attention.

A one percent increase would raise the sales tax from 6% to 6.01% 6.06%**, not 7%.

Let me say it again, only LOUDER this time.

A ONE PERCENT INCREASE WOULD RAISE THE SALES TAX FROM 6% TO 6.01% 6.06%**, not 7%.

Raising the sales tax from 6% to 7% constitutes an increase in the sales tax of not 1%, but 16%.

Let’s try it this way.

If you were earning $6.00 per hour, and your pay was raised to $7.00 per hour, would you say you got a 1% raise? A one percent raise would mean your new pay would be $6.06. Or, would you figure that your pay was raised by 16%?

If you want to agree with the Governor’s position, fine, but at least know what the hell you are agreeing to.

Don’t make me explain this again.

Sheesh.

**Math correction courtesy of Blanton’s and Ashton’s – Article II. Section 4. PRS regrets the error, but disagrees with the author’s downplaying of the democrats’ effort to play hide the football with taxpayers.

New Jersey – a National Joke.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Jim @ 8:01 pm

Ladies and Gentlemen of New Jersey, the state government is shut down, and here is our legislature at work. It is a democrat versus democrat pissing contest over the best way to wring the money out of the state’s taxpayers to fund a budget that contains a 9.2 percent spending increase at a time when the state already faced a massive deficit.

The republicans in the legislature proposed $2 billion in spending cuts rather than saddling the citizens with a host of new taxes, but they have no meaningful voice in all this, for this is a Blue, Blue state.

At this moment, it is Disgusting State.

Powered by WordPress