Sabrin pummels young Dem on taxes. Grossman weighs in on Kate Smith

When a young Democrat suggested that a frustrated property taxpayer was wrong for pulling up stakes and leaving the Garden State, libertarian stalwart Murray Sabrin, a finance professor at Ramapo College beat him about the head (rhetorically) with a large dose of economic reality.  Here’s what Sabrin had to say:

In a nj.com guest column millennial entrepreneur and Kinnelon Board of Education member Jason DeAlessi criticizes a previous guest columnist who explained why he is leaving New Jersey for Pennsylvania where taxes are lower.

DeAlessi’s criticism reflects the prevailing collectivist ideology that has been embraced by individuals from all generations who believe: “From each according to his ability to each according to his needs.” If this sounds familiar it should, because it is the foundation of Karl Marx’s vision for the world.

DeAlessi makes the egregious assertion that successful people should be the “cash cows” for social welfare spending. This is the heart of the rationale for all taxes in contemporary America. Taxes have become the prime vehicle for politicians to “buy” the votes of the public who believe the redistribution of income will make them better off and not have any negative consequences for the economy.

The millennial critic of anyone who does not want to pay exorbitant taxes states: “But year after year, the value of your stock portfolio, IRA, and 401K goes up – on the backs of your fellow hard-working New Jerseyans.” This is not only false but defamatory. People earn their money by providing goods and services in the marketplace. In other words, they improve living standards for those who buy their produces and use their services. Entrepreneurs like DeAlessi are dependent on customers who value their services and pay their employees a wage or salary reflecting their value to the firm. This how a free market economy works.

Finally, an analogy should lay to rest the notion that people should stay in New Jersey despite the high taxes. If a slave owner prior to the Civil War decried the escape of slaves from his plantation with the assertion that their labor is needed to keep the plantation functioning, anyone who values individual liberty would consider that an outrageous assertion. Slavery being the most egregious involuntary relationship is no different than taxation, which is the modern equivalent of “slavery.” Why? Both slavery and taxation abuse and individual’s right to liberty.

In short, escaping a slave plantation and leaving a high tax state are not “selfish.” They are noble actions to be free and have more freedom over one’s income and wealth.

You can read more by Professor Sabrin at his blog…

https://www.murraysabrin.com/

Meanwhile, former Atlantic County Freeholder Seth Grossman is kicking some socialist ass of his own.  In an email blast earlier today, Grossman wrote: 

Last year, Stockton University lied about its namesake Richard Stockton and removed his statue.   Last week, the same "progressive" mob lied about Kate Smith, and bullied the Philadelphia Flyers into covering her statue, and taking away her song.   Today, they took away her statue.
 
Details at https://libertyandprosperity.com/kate-smith-latest-victim-of-fake-education-real-hatred-taught-by-colleges-public-schools-today/
 
This did not happen overnight.   This is the latest result of 50 years of people who hate our country, our freedom, and our independence using our public schools and colleges to lie to our children.

Richard Stockton and his family dedicated their lives to ending slavery in America.   Yet Stockton University professors falsely taught its students that he and his family were racists because they temporarily owned some slaves while in the process of giving them educations and preparing them to live on their own.  The real reason Stockton professors hate Richard Stockton is that they hate the Declaration of Independence he signed, and the America based on limited government and individual rights that he helped create.

Kate Smith introduced America to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” at a time when it was needed most.   But our schools and colleges are now teach the lie that she was a racist because the perfectly acceptable language she used 86 years ago is now considered offensive by some.

Get the facts on what is going on, and what we can do about it.

Few people in America have more knowledge on this subject than Dr. Duke Pesta.   One of our members, Steve Jones will host a workshop and discussion featuring Dr. Pesta’s latest video presentation this Wednesday, April 24, at the Shore Diner in Egg Harbor Township.

Topic:  Campus Carnage:  Moral Chaos and Indoctrination in the University.
Video Presentation by Dr. Duke Pesta
This Wednesday, 7pm at Shore Diner
6710 Tilton Road (corner of Fire Road near Parkway Exit 36)
Egg Harbor Township, NJ  08234

No charge, but please order and pay for dinner off the menu and tip your server.
Please RSVP with Steve Jones at  sjones-LP@See-More-Facts.com.  Or leave a message at (609) 927-7333. Feel free to contact him for details.    Thanks.
 
Seth Grossman, Executive Director
LibertyAndProsperity.com
453 Shore Road
Somers Point, NJ  08244
info@libertyandprosperity.com
(609) 927-7333

Taxpayers' don't want a property tax explosion

Americans for Prosperity is funded by some of the biggest petroleum industry tycoons in the world.  They will do anything to prevent their products from being taxed.  Even if it means raising property taxes in New Jersey to an even more crushing level.

Here's what AFP isn't telling you.

The Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) collects money from the gas tax and then uses that money to maintain and repair state roads and bridges.  The TTF also sends money to local governments (counties and municipalities) so that they can afford to maintain and repair the roads and bridges that they own. 

The TTF is nearly bankrupt.  There will be no money for the maintenance and repair of the roads and bridges owned by the state AND there will be no money to send to local governments to maintain and repair their roads and bridges.

It's happening already.

Last month the town of Montville, in Morris County, went to the TTF for funding to repair a road.  It was turned down.  Note the shock of township leaders:

Due to the New Jersey Transportation Fund’s unfunded state, Canning said he saw something he had never seen in 25 years of working in government: a grant denial.

“There were 641 applications to the NJ Department of Transportation requesting more than $253 million of the $78.75 million available in municipal aide grant funds,” said Canning, “and they did not approve our Brittany Road project, therefore, all $650,000 will have to be self-funded.”

What that "will have to be self-funded" means is that the property taxpayers of Montville will be stuck paying for those repairs.    

As more and more local governments get turned down, their leaders will have a decision to make:  Either they raise property taxes on every homeowner and business to pay for the maintenance and repair of roads and bridges; or they allow those roads and bridges to fall into disrepair, and become unsafe. 

If local governments take the second option and allow roads and bridges to become unsafe, they will be left with just two choices:  Close those roads and bridges as they become unsafe, or accept that there will be lawsuits for negligence when people are injured or killed on those unsafe roads and bridges.  Of course, the legal bills and settlements for such lawsuits will also result in the need to raise property taxes -- so the taxpayer will lose either way.

Don't think it will happen?  Well, it already has. 

It took 145 victims, 22 children, 13 deaths, and one bridge collapse for the Legislature in Minnesota to finally raise the gas tax to fund road and bridge maintenance and repairs.  Of course, at that point they also had to pay out many millions more in hospital care, rehabilitation, on-going health care, and negligence settlements -- as well as totally reconstructing a bridge.

Do AFP's petroleum masters really want to wait until we are burying children?

In the real world, we all know that when the money runs out, and the workers don't get paid, the repairs will stop.

And then there's this to consider:  Right now, New Jersey taxpayers subsidize out-of-state drivers who use our roads.  If we do nothing, we will end up paying $11 billion over the next 25 years to subsidize out-of-state drivers.

Approximately one-third of gas tax revenues in New Jersey come from out-of-state drivers.  All property taxes come from the people of New Jersey.  So which do you think is the best way to pay for improvements to roads and bridges, an increase in the gas tax or an increase in property taxes?

Let us know how you feel.  Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome.