State Senate candidate pledges to "oppose any and all efforts to increase taxes."
WASHINGTON – Last week, New Jersey Republican State Senate candidate Jay Webber signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), the nation\’s leading taxpayer advocacy group. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge is a pledge from a candidate or representative in any level of government to "oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."
Currently, President George W. Bush, 216 U.S. House members, 42 senators, eight governors and more 1,200 state and local officials have signed the Pledge. Copies of the Pledge and up-to-date lists of signers can be found on ATR\’s website at www.atr.org.
Webber is vying for the District 26 Senate seat in a Republican primary against incumbent Bob Martin, who has not yet signed the pledge.
"Signing this pledge is a demonstration of leadership," said ATR President Grover Norquist. "With Governor McGreevey consistently raising taxes on working families across the state, Webber\’s action sends a clear message to voters of the 26th District that he will provide the leadership needed in Trenton to fight the big spending McGreevey administration."
According to a recent ATR analysis, McGreevey has proposed $700 million in new taxes for fiscal year 2004 in addition to the $1.96 billion tax increase enacted in fiscal year 2003. As such, if the proposed tax increases become law, taxpayers will be paying $2.65 billion in higher taxes in FY \’04 than before McGreevey came to office, which is approximately 1 percent of the state\’s economy. Furthermore, the two years combined will lead to taxpayers being forced to pay a total of $4.6 billion in new taxes since McGreevey was elected governor.
"With Governor McGreevey assaulting the taxpayers of New Jersey and talk of increasing the income tax floating in the halls of the statehouse, all candidates for the state Legislature should sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge," continued Norquist. "Never has it been more important for New Jersey taxpayers to have on their side advocates in the state Legislature. Without question, the state needs more candidates like Jay Webber, who has put taxpayers first."