Death Watch

If you ever find yourself contemplating suicide DO NOT watch your State Legislature in action on public television. Such was my misfortune this afternoon as the State Assembly debated and then passed by an 11 vote margin the 29 Billion Dollar New Jersey budget. While I did manage to survive the session without driving to the nearest highway overpass and jumping off I believe I did witness a death of sorts.

According to several of the speakers the median household income in this State is 81 thousand dollars. As if the current tax burden is not enough for the middle class to endure the legislature has through this budget document added another $1200 to the average tax bill for a New Jersey taxpayer. Bad as that is there will be a marked increase in "sin' taxes on tobacco and alcohol and a host of other bad business decisions using one time funding gimmicks and payment deferrals. The short of it is that as bad as it is getting in California, we won't be far behind.

What disturbed me the most was the swarmy way some of the Assembly members addressed the criticisms of both their colleagues and constituents. It was a true "let them eat cake" moment Ala' Marie Antoinette. More disturbing is that come November, most of them will be reelected.

As if the steaming plate of excrement being served up in Trenton isn't enough check out this quote from The Home News Tribune:

Republicans said there will remain a deficit next year of $5 billion -- maybe even twice that, some senators estimate. Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Mercer, said that will require more tough decisions and that the state will benefit from economic policies of resident Barack Obama nationally and Gov. Jon S. Corzine in New Jersey.

"I look forward to there being a more energized, energetic and healthy economy, predicated in part by new and more sane and reasonable policies coming out of the federal government with the capacity to provide more stimulus to our state,'' said Watson Coleman.

This my friends is what is steering the ship. President Obama is going to make it all better. I think not. More likely is that over the next decade this once proud State is going to evolve in to a two class organism. With the very rich living in Alpine and Bedminster and the befuddled masses living on the periphery trying to eke out a living in the few jobs remaining after business in this State has been taxed out of existence. While the ruling elite gather under the golden dome of the Statehouse wondering why all of us serfs have fled to the Carolinas.