Joe Sinagra Sr.
Time for tax reform and keeping promises
Equal tax distribution may have worked 40 to 50 years ago when most average homes were of equal value. Today there is a very diversified value on properties.
If a home assessed at $50,000 is raised to $100,000, and a home assessed at $150,000 is raised to $200,000, what was just accomplished? How is the tax burden equally shared? All that was accomplished just brought in more revenue but did nothing to help the taxpayer. All you did was raise the value of the homes, thereby raising the tax base.
Why, as taxes constantly go up, does a house never depreciate? In 80 years, that house should be worth a few million? Why is it you work 40 to 50 years to build your home, and then it comes to the point that you are taxed out of it?
All improvements are taxed, hardwood floors, ceiling fans, decks. Why? You work two, sometimes three jobs to improve your lifestyle, make a nice home for yourself. You already paid sales tax on the products for the improvements; now the town gets a cut.
You have to pay for permits, so the town has a record of your improvements. Now you are reassessed on all your hard work. Now, to add insult to injury, your school taxes are based on the value of your home. It seems to me the town, county and the state all get a cut and benefit from the work you put into your home.
Homes and taxes are skyrocketing in New Jersey — where does it stop? Where will in be in another 10 years? You buy a home, work two jobs to pay your mortgage trying to stay afloat. Now you get hit with a 30 percent and higher tax increase in one shot. Where does the average person go to get the extra money?
States and counties have no problem increasing the average homeowner’s taxes for extra revenue. Where does the average homeowner go to keep up with the increases? It seems they can spend money like there is no tomorrow, and when it gets tough, they put it all back on the taxpayer. We didn’t spend the money that wasn’t there, but we now have to make up for it.
When residents vote down a school tax, they are overridden, and it goes through anyway. Politicians have made legal extortion a high-paying business. Utility rates, insurance rates, school taxes, property taxes, tax increases — residents are getting tired of being taxed to death to keep their head above water.
Look at the rate the cost of living has increased in New Jersey, and the average pay increase most people get. Unemployment is up, foreclosures are up. You read articles that the unemployment is going down. I believe it’s just that the unemployment ran out and you’re not part of the statistics anymore. Those who do get new jobs are working at a lower salary than what they previously had or working two jobs to keep ahead.
Our elected officials should have seen this coming, not wait until it gets to the point where residents have to cram town halls to complain. It is time our local, state, and federal elected officials start looking at new and innovative ways to save or cut back on spending, new ways to distribute taxes, and to make it affordable for all to buy a home and keep it in New Jersey — not just follow the crowd and go with the same old standards.
If not, then get out of office and let the ones who have to live with the problems try their hand at it. They can’t do any worse than the officials who have sat in that seat, making promise after promise until they get their pensions. If the officials elected haven’t done anything to help by now, vote them out of office before they have time to collect. Like the taxpayers in Franklin, more and more residents will be packing their town halls.
"Taxation without representation" seems to be the new slogan by many residents. I do think I have heard that slogan somewhere though. Anyone care for some tea?
Joe Sinagra Sr. is a resident of Helmetta