No Pain, No Gain: Holiday Season and New Year Wishes

Gasoline Tax Increase (0.00 / 0)

A gasoline tax increase is a good idea because it would capture funds from out of state drivers as they fuel up on the NJT or GSP. But such a tax is regressive and would have a detrimental impact on lower income drivers who are having a tough enough time making ends meet. So such an increase should be accompanied by an income tax rebate for those people who are licensed drivers and own a car and have income below a certain threshold. The amount of the rebate should be enough to offset the tax increase for the average driver.

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

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by: deciminyan @ Fri Dec 24, 2010 at 16:32:00 PM UTC

Interesting ..... (0.00 / 0)

Didn't the state try that with the property tax rebate as well ?

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by: speedkillsu @ Fri Dec 24, 2010 at 16:36:24 PM UTC

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Very nicely said.... (0.00 / 0)

Such an agenda would lead to a more rational NJ. But I do not think our political system has rationality as one of it's goals.  I think the irrational system is a way to"fake out" the citizens and have them become so confused that they stop paying attention.

However, I am ever the optimist so I will include your list in my letter to "Santa" and hope that the New Year will bring about a new sense of purpose in our state government.

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by: sandy23 @ Fri Dec 24, 2010 at 16:58:34 PM UTC

Wish for Democrats to gain a spine and start standing up to Governor Christie n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Fielding Mellish @ Fri Dec 24, 2010 at 17:43:12 PM UTC

Wish for progressives to get organized... (0.00 / 0)

...and start taking on the Democratic establishment so that we can all stand up to Governor Christie.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sat Dec 25, 2010 at 03:35:35 AM UTC

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The tenure issue (4.00 / 1)

is completely over-hyped.  Are there bad teachers?...Absolutely.  I don't think as progressives we should be advocating the tenure issue because it has become a bogeyman issue for Christie.  Much like claiming that capping public safety salaries will magically lower our property taxes, reforming tenure will have no "magic" improvement on our education system.  It is another "tool" in the "toolbox" of bullshit that Christie is using to destroy the middle class and unionized labor.
Once we allow Christie to destroy labor, the middle class, education, and infrastructure, who are we going to blame for our problems??? Who is going to be able to afford a $400k house and still live in NJ??

"Only a fool would follow a bully"

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by: brendanod @ Fri Dec 24, 2010 at 21:21:36 PM UTC

An End to Right-Wing education attacks on Blue Jersey (0.00 / 0)

That's what I'd like to see in the New Year.

It's really sad that the no-evidence-based propaganda campaign run by the right-wing anti-union establishment has convinced so many otherwise rational BJers.  Simply put, there is no evidence for educational benefits based on ending tenure or paying teachers based on student performance.  There will be no reform of the educational system without working with teachers.  But by attacking them instead of treating them like the professionals they are will make the system worse.  

For example, let's take the NYC system.  It was widely hyped that Klein was getting results, but the latest studies have shown that there has been no improvement with this educational experiment.  

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by: princetonblue @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 13:02:22 PM UTC

It <i>is</i> sad. (0.00 / 0)

Is there something inherent in politicians that they seem to never look at actual evidence-based educational research? Honestly...

Also, if by State Pension/Health Plan with additional pay-in from participants, Mr. Orr means the State of New Jersey fulfilling ITS pension obligations (though I doubt it), then I agree. However, if he means teachers paying even more than they are in addition to the money that's already been stolen from them over the years by politicians, then no, I completely disagree.

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by: Kosh Naranek @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 18:35:46 PM UTC

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