In the first major poll released after unhappy New Jerseyans swept Chris Christie into the governor’s office, voters have a message for him: Cut our taxes – now. When asked what Christie should do in the first year, 27 percent of people responding to the Rutgers-Eagleton poll released today pointed to cutting property taxes, and 20 percent said cutting other taxes. And they’re optimistic it could happen. About 49 percent say cutting taxes is somewhat likely and 6 percent think it is very likely. “There is a certain level of belief things can get done,” poll director David Redlawsk said. “Very few people think it’s very likely, but there is this chunk who think there’s a chance.”
Christie has said property tax relief is his top priority, and he wants to do it within his first term, but it is unlikely to expect relief in the first year as the state deals with the aftermath of the recession.
Others said the Republican governor-elect should focus on curbing unemployment and public corruption, and improving education.
Christie, who defeated Gov. Jon Corzine on Nov. 3, campaigned hard on property taxes, pointing to New Jersey’s highest property taxes in the nation and crushing tax burden.
To close its projected $8 billion budget shortfall, a quarter of poll respondents said they would support raising taxes, while more than half said the state should cut spending.
Seventy percent of Democrats polled said they voted, while 87 percent of Republicans polled said they voted. Respondents said they voted in much greater numbers than the general population in the low-turnout governor’s race.
More Democrats than Republicans – 11 percent to 3 percent – said they voted for independent candidate Chris Daggett, though he was seen as more of a threat to the GOP.
The poll was conducted Nov. 6 to 10 and surveyed 903 adults in New Jersey, including 451 who had also been polled before the election. Star Ledger.
The Governor can ease some off the tax burden, by changing chapter 101 of the property tax laws to something simple & workable, or just reverting back to what it was . The Governor should also change Property tax chapter 123 to 5% deviation instead of the current 15% deviation.