Star-Ledger Slams NJ Dem Gov Candidate Phil Murphy For “Playing Games” On Property Tax Issue

In the New Jersey governor’s race, Democrat Phil Murphy continues to face criticism for being a union ‘yes-man’ while evading the property tax issue. The Star-Ledger editorial board is the latest group to slam Murphy for his silence, and noted that it’s a “bad sign” that Murphy is punting on the issue. Murphy has already admitted that he would raise taxes on hardworking New Jerseyans by at least $1.3 billion per year if elected, and now he’s making it crystal clear that he would look out for union bosses over New Jersey taxpayers.

The Star-Ledger Editorial Board opines:

“Faced with the country’s highest property taxes, New Jersey imposed a 2 percent cap on salary hikes for police and firefighters back in 2010…

But it expires in December, setting up a test for the two candidates running for governor.

The Republican, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, wants to renew it. The Democrat, Phil Murphy, wants to evade the issue until after the election, as if voters might not notice.

Sorry, this is New Jersey, and we notice everything related to property taxes, our number one issue since the dawn of time. Murphy is punting, folks. And that’s a bad sign, one that shows how his romance with the public worker unions could prove costly to the rest of us.

Murphy’s campaign called the release of the report a ‘political stunt.’ Please. He has it backwards. He and the unions are playing the games this time.

This latest task force report – like several previous ones – found that the cap is yielding solid savings; not life-changing, but it helps. So where’s the big debate?”