Hank Kalet

Gov. Jon Corzine is challenging the state Legislature to take the tax-reform process seriously. The governor — responding to the release of 98 reform proposals that include a 20 percent tax credit, a new school aid formula and incentives for towns to merge — said during a speech today at the state League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City that the Legislature must think long term in making changes.

“Reform is popular. Reform and sustainability are hard, very hard,” he said (quoted in The Star-Ledger).

He continued his call — a good one, probably a necessary one — for a state comptroller, and he wants property tax increases, not just school tax increases, capped at 4 percent a year. And, perhaps most importantly, he wants the Legislature to be more aggressive on the consolidation issue.

As I wrote yesterday, the Legislature is prepared to offer incentives but has backed away on its plan to create a base-closing like commission that would offer a list of towns to be merged, with the Legislature having final say. Now it plans to leave it to towns — which is destine to scuttle any chance of significantly reducing the number of municipalities or school districts.

As for the tax credits:

The governor said he supported the legislative recommendation to provide a 20 percent tax credit for a “substantial portion” of homeowners. But he said that goal is “constrained by available resources,” and he challenged the legislature to be responsible in paying for it.

“Providing relief and then retreating in a year or two because we don’t have the money is neither desirable nor acceptable,” he said. “Let me be clear, whether the subject is the budget or property taxes, I can’t support short-term fixes.”

If anyone remembers the state shutdown earlier this year, they will understand that Gov. Corzine is serious. And given the fiscal disaster the state is facing, all should admit that he’s right.

See the reports at the following links:

• Consolidation/Shared Services
• Constitutional Reform
• Education Funding
• Pension and Benefits

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

I wouldn’t have voted for Joe Girardi for National League manager of the year for one reason. He lost more games than he won. I don’t say this as a Mets fan — I actually would have gone with Jim Tracy and the Dodgers. I just have a problem with the argument that says: “We thought you would be truly, brutally awful, but you were only moderately bad. What a great job — let’s give you a trophy.”

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

I saw this AP dispatch on Truth Dig:

South Africa’s National Assembly approved new legislation recognizing gay marriages. So now America is lagging behind the former apartheid state in civil rights.

AP:

The South African parliament on Tuesday approved new legislation recognizing gay marriages—a first for a continent where homosexuality is largely taboo.

The National Assembly passed the Civil Union Bill, worked out after months of heated public discussion, by a majority of 230 to 41 votes despite criticism from both traditionalists and gay activists and warnings that it might be unconsitutional. There were three abstentions.

The bill provides for the “voluntary union of two persons, which is solemnized and registered by either a marriage or civil union.” It does not specify whether they are heterosexual or homosexual partnerships.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

Forget John Murtha or Steny Hoyer. How about this idea from The Nation: Henry Waxman as the number Democrat in the House?

The Los Angeles Congressman is one of the smartest and most progressive and
reform-minded members of the House.

Blogger Nancy Scola has kicked the campaign off with a Website — and I have to say it makes tremendous sense.

Consider: Waxman was against the war and has already attempted to shed light on the wrongdoings of the Bush administration, proving he’s got the guts to stand up and fight.

Other options that should be embraced by liberals (from New Jersey): Rush Holt, Donald Payne and Frank Pallone and (from elsewhere) Dennis Kucinich.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

Oh, and one more thing. As an anonymous post to my last item points out, John Murtha is conservative on the social issues, Hoyer liberal and both voted for the bankruptcy bill. But — and this is a tough one — Murtha wants to end the mess in Iraq, Hoyer hems and haws.

Ultimately, comes down to which issues the party thinks are more important and wants to highlight — the social issues, the war and jobs and the economy — and what kind of impact the majority leader will have on them.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick