The end of tax reciprocity between New Jersey and Pennsylvania is on the tax horizon as Governor Chris Christie announced last Friday (September 2nd) the end of an agreement that allows commuters between the two states to pay the tax rate in their home state that has been in place since 1977.
A spokesman, Jeffrey Sheridan, for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf told reporters that Christie seems “committed to making Pennsylvania and our residents working in New Jersey suffer the consequences of his failure to enact a responsible budget.”
Brian Murray, a spokesman for Christie, blamed the Democrats in the state Legislature for “intentionally putting a $250 million hole in the budget to benefit their public employee union bosses.” He further said that “if the Senate President and the Speaker don’t want this to go forward, then put the residents of South Jersey ahead of the union bosses, it’s their choice and, once again, they are picking their union masters over the people of South Jersey. The Constitution and the irresponsible actions of Democrats in the legislature leaves the Governor no choice.”
State Senate President, Steve Sweeney, said “That by his calculations, the decision will lead to more than 100,000 people paying over $1,000 more annually in taxes. This is nothing more than a tax increase on New Jersey residents. It will be a blow to residents who are trying to make ends meet. It’s unfair and unacceptable. This is not the last word eon this issue. We should not be balancing New Jersey’s books on the backs of middle-class taxpayers. I call on the Governor to renegotiate a new agreement that does not harm New Jersey’s working families.”
It seems to be a tug of war between the Governor and the Legislature with the tax payers of both New Jersey and Pennsylvania in-between them. Because of the stupidity of both parties, our Governor thinks that he can hold hostage the people of New Jersey to change the tax fight out come in his favor. All he is doing is hurting the people who he is supposedly representing. What he wants to do is just plain harmful to both states and I for one say the status quo should remain as it is.
All I can say is that Christie should stop being so arrogant and the legislators stop putting up roadblocks with their stupid bills. They need to get together and work for the benefit of people of New Jersey; not the unions or some political boss(es)!
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
