Assembly Republican Press Office

DeCROCE STATEMENT REGARDING
U.S. DISTRICT COURT HEARING ON FEDERAL SUBPOENA

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, issued the following statement this afternoon:

"I have been informed by legal counsel that the entire proceeding before U.S. District Court Judge Mary Cooper is under seal and cannot be discussed by any parties. In fact, I have not even been informed as to what transpired. All 31 Assembly Republicans stand by their belief that the documents sought by the U.S. Attorney's Office from the Office of Legislative Services should be turned over immediately. The Senate President, Assembly Speaker and the Office of Legislative Services should never have allowed this matter to go to court. They should have freely cooperated with the U.S. Attorney, and I hope their actions have not impeded or had an adverse impact on the federal investigation."

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For more information, contact:
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce / 973-984-0922
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-292-5339

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

N.J.'s pork barrel It will be quite the court scene: on one side, formidable prosecutors from the U.S. district attorney's office and on the other, lawyers representing the state's Office of Legislative Services (OLS)... All of this is happening, as New Jersey taxpayers know all to well, at a time when property, sales and income taxes are choking residents while the Legislature cries poor. How in the world could lawmakers approve such projects as assistance to local private youth clubs or municipal park improvements at a time when a one-cent sales tax was enacted to help dig out the state from its systemic financial mess? That, fortunately, is what Mr. Christie would like to know, too... Assembly Republicans, the minority in the Legislature, have called for the release of all the records requested by federal investigators. Further, they have called on the Legislative Services Commission to call an emergency public meeting to investigate the matter. As the minority, they may be whistling in the wind, but there just may be enough majority Democrats who are fed up with the annual added pork to shed light on a practice that both the Republicans and the Democrats have abused over the years.
- A look inside, Editorial
The Times of Trenton, February 14, 2007

New Jersey's citizens should be all for ripping the lid off any government communications that lead to the acquisition and distribution of public funds especially any communications that reveal any deals between legislators and recipients of state funds. It is not their money, not their office, not their government. It is ours. And if they (Wayne Bryant or anyone else) are misusing it or abusing it, we have a right to know, and to punish anyone guilty of selling our government for their own profit.
- Exit doesn't end Bryant pollution, Editorial
Gloucester County Times, February 14, 2007

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For more information, contact:
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-292-5339

DeCROCE WRITES GOVERNOR SEEKING LEGAL OPINION
FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL ON PROPERTY TAX PLAN

Assures Corzine Assembly Republicans
Have No Intention of Bringing Legal Challenge

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today sent the following letter to Governor Jon S. Corzine:

January 30, 2007

The Honorable Jon Corzine
Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625

Dear Governor Corzine:

I know your desire to provide meaningful property tax relief as soon as possible is sincere. Accordingly, your personal intervention is now required to ensure relief efforts are not derailed because of enabling legislation that is constitutionally deficient.

Today, I have received a legal analysis that the property tax relief bill (A-1) approved by the General Assembly on January 29, 2006 with bipartisan support is subject to challenge by taxpayers because it runs afoul of the State Constitution's "uniformity clause" (Article VIII, Section I, Paragraph 1).

A-1 proposes a multi-tiered system of property tax credits for homeowners based on their personal income. Middle income families earning more than $100,000 would be ineligible for maximum credits because they are deemed too wealthy and not deserving of maximum credits. A family earning more than $250,000 a year would not be eligible for any property tax credit at all.

The "uniformity clause," as interpreted by two state Attorneys General in written legal opinions, requires that all homeowners be treated equally under the property tax laws. Since A-1 would treat homeowners falling within different income classifications differently - and provide reduced credits to middle class families and exclude many homeowners entirely - I believe the bill is constitutionally defective.

Fortunately, there is time to correct the problem. I believe those members of the majority party who are pushing A-1 have two alternatives:

1. They can submit to the voters this year an amendment to the State Constitution that permits a multi-tiered system of property tax credits for homeowners that is based on income levels - despite the restrictions imposed by the "uniformity clause," or

2. If Democrats absolutely refuse to consider a constitutional amendment - even though an amendment would prevent future Legislatures from tampering with the property tax credits year to year and force the relief effort to be fully fund on an annual basis - then they must amend A-1 to provide the same tax credit to every homeowner regardless of income.

Speaking on behalf of the Assembly Republican caucus, we hope you and legislative leaders see the wisdom of taking the best of both alternatives. We urge you to seriously consider our proposal to provide a 30 percent property tax credit for all households making $200,000 or less a year, 20 percent tax credit for everyone else and guarantee this relief will be permanent by submitting a constitutional amendment to the voters for approval. The constitutional amendment would address the issues raised by the "uniformity clause."

We estimate a 30% - 20% program would cost about $3 billion a year. At the outset, the program will be funded by the $1.2 billion now earmarked for rebates and $2.2 billion in recurring savings identified by Republican members of the Assembly Budget Committee in 2006. It will be sustained by tighter controls on state spending, local efficiency options contained in the Assembly Republican Blueprint for Property Tax Reform in 2005, and cost-cutting measures recommended by Republican members of the joint legislative committees that examined property tax reform in 2006.

I wish to emphasize in the strongest possible terms that Assembly Republicans are not raising this legal issue to block property tax relief. We have no inclination or desire to commence legal action and will not do so. We only wish to alert you that a problem exists and we should work together to solve it so taxpayers get the property tax relief they deserve and desperately need.

I am enclosing for your information a copy of the news release and legal analysis we made available to the press today. I urge you to request that the Attorney General review this matter and render a formal legal opinion so constitutional issues can be addressed and infirmities can be avoided. I look forward to working with you so that taxpayers will be guaranteed the relief we all support.

Sincerely,

Alex DeCroce

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For more information, contact:
Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce / 973-984-0922
Assembly Republican Press Office / 609-292-5339

DeCROCE: NJAssemblyRepublicans.com NOW OFFERS MORE INFORMATION AND BETTER ACCESS

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today announced the launch of the new Assembly Republican website, which offers the public even more information about the Assembly Republican caucus and legislative issues.

December 5, 2006
Assembly Republican Press Office

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...

Here is what major newspapers had to say when Cryan floated his idea to repeal the pay-to-play ban earlier this year:

MALONE: TIME TO END THE SELF-CONGRATULATIONS
AND BEGIN CRAFTING REAL REFORM BILLS

'The Public is Understandably Skeptical. We Must Deliver'

Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joseph Malone today called on fellow members of the joint legislative committees studying ways to reduce property taxes to move beyond "self-congratulations" and prove to a skeptical public that real reform can be achieved.

"I applaud my colleagues on the various committees for the effort that went into the formulation of recommendations for change," said Malone, R-Burlington, Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer. "But it's time to stop acting like Inspector Gadget, patting themselves on the back with flexible, extendable arms, and move forward." Malone is a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services

"Reports won't lower property taxes," Malone said. "That will require the passage of real reform bills that produce positive results. It's not enough to talk about 'long-term relief.' Taxpayers need a lifeline now."

IN CASE YOU CARE ABOUT THE TRUTH ...

Note to Assembly Democrats: Don't Bother To Read This.
We Already Know What You Care About.

Contrary to the deliberate falsehoods being spun by "Team Roberts," which are straight out of the corrupt Camden County Democrat machine's political playbook, Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce never said the special session on property taxes is a "colossal waste of time."

For those who place accuracy above petty partisanship, here is what the Assembly Leader actually said at Monday's news conference, verbatim:

This so-called bipartisan effort (the special session), as structured by the Democrat legislative leadership, has actively involved four members of the Assembly Republican caucus. That's four out of 31 Assembly Republicans. There are 49 Assembly Democrats. A grand total of eight are members of the special joint legislative committees looking at different aspects of property tax reform. Eighty-five percent of the Assembly has been officially excluded from this process. What a colossal waste to time and talent! We should be doing the people's business, not relaxing at the taxpayers' expense.

DeCROCE SAYS CORZINE NEEDS A REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE
TO PURSUE HIS REFORM AGENDA

Reacting to Governor Jon Corzine's decision to throw in the towel and settle for an appointed state comptroller to oversee state spending, Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce says one of the first actions the Assembly will take when Republicans regain control is to put the question of whether New Jersey should have an elected, independent spending watchdog to the voters.

"It's beginning to seem the best chance Governor Corzine has to implement sweeping ethics and fiscal reform is to deal with a Legislature controlled by Republicans because the leaders of his own party keep standing in his way," said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. "First they wanted to gut the pay-to-play law, instead of strengthening it. Now it appears the prospect of a strong independent financial auditor is too much for them to swallow."