Dems need to ‘step up to plate, take responsibility’

With property taxes stretching property owner’s budgets to the brink, Camden school district superintendent Annette D. Knox felt it is the right time for a celebration. Knox took out $5,200 worth of ads to invite several hundred people to a lavish party at the South Jersey Performing Arts Center.

While Knox has done a remarkable job in curbing drop out, truancy and violence rates at Camden County schools, in fact, Camden and Gloucester counties had the highest gains in language in the most recent state school report card. However, her idea of being fiscally responsible seems to be a bit skewed.

While other school districts are struggling under the 2.5 percent surplus limit, why would it seem the right time for a district that is under state oversight to spend thousands of dollars on a hors d’oeuvres reception at the Camden waterfront? Why are taxpayers paying for a party to celebrate the efforts of a superintendent who was doing her job? Isn’t that what superintendents are hired for, to make their school districts perform at an acceptable level?

It is time for the Democrat majority in New Jersey to step up to the plate and take responsibility for what has been done to schools and property owners through their propensity to prioritize inner city incumbent protection spending programs over tax relief by way of municipal and education aid to suburban and rural towns. Real reform efforts need to be considered now. We cannot tolerate working poor families and those on fixed incomes deciding what they will do without, so they can pay their property taxes.

A constitutional amendment is not the answer. Are we to wait three to five years for some relief? My Republican colleagues and I have been pushing for a special session on this issue for more than two years now, but the Democrats have refused to post the bill. Apparently they were too busy spending more taxpayer’s money. Last year property taxpayers across New Jersey paid an average of $970 more than they did the previous year.

We need real reform and we need it immediately. Unfortunately bloated budgets, increased spending, and bonding for expenses like we have seen under the Democratic control will not solve any of our problems.

I hope it was a great party.

For more information on the 2.5 percent surplus tax or on the constitutional convention, please contact my office at (732) 708-0900 or my web site at www.corodemus.com.

Steven J. Corodemus

assemblyman

R-11th District

Atlantic Highlands