The Party of the Poor Betrays Them Again

Far be it for me to point out the hypocrisy of Democrats (heh), but New Jersey liberal Governor Jon Corzine got his sales tax increase.

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey's governor and lawmakers reached a deal Thursday on a new state budget, six days into a state government shutdown that shuttered casinos and threw more than 80,000 people out of work... The deal will increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent and use half the $1.1 billion that it will raise to help lower property taxes, which are among the highest in the nation. It allows the possibility that, in future years, the entire increase will go to property tax relief.

Now then, who pays sales taxes? Everyone. Under this "compromise," seven cents of every dollar will go to the state. Doesn't matter whether the dollar comes from a millionaire, an old person on a fixed income or a poor, single mother buying diapers. Who do you think will be better able to afford that increase? Half this money will go toward lowering property taxes. If it's done on a percentage basis, the more valuable the property, the higher the tax cut. Talk about tax cuts for the rich -- at the expense of the poor.