DiCICCO: WITH NEW PROPERTY TAX CAP LAW TWO MONTHS AWAY, DEMOCRATS OFFERING NOTHING BUT RHETORIC

November 1, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — With Assemblyman Paul Moriarty saying that legislation to prevent lobbyists from benefiting from taxpayer-paid pensions and health benefits “is a no brainer,” Assemblyman Domenick DiCicco today said the Assembly Democrat should explain why it’s taken Moriarty, who has served in the Assembly for four years, to finally introduce the bill.

“Only when the Democrats’ backs are to the wall, do they ratchet up the rhetoric and throw a few bones to their electorate to give the illusion they are concerned about our taxpayers,” said DiCicco, R-Gloucester and Camden. “For years, Assembly Republicans have called for government reforms only to be ignored by Democrats who continue to pander to their special interests.”
In a Millennium Radio report today, Moriarty, who recently introduced legislation to overturn a law that allows lobbyists to collect state pensions and health benefits, said, “I don’t know why it’s taken this long to get it done.”

“By his own admission, Assemblyman Moriarty is clueless about why such legislation has taken so long,” stated DiCiccio. “If he doesn’t know, then who does? Prior to January, his Democrat party controlled both houses of the Legislature and the governor’s office for eight years. They had more than enough opportunity to pass property tax, arbitration, civil service, public pension and other necessary reforms.

“Instead, they chose to maintain Trenton’s status quo and ignore the pleas of taxpayers and mayors. Its only now that Assembly Republicans have a governor who is also adamant about reforming government, do we see Democrats using the “R” word,” he continued. “It’s not because Democrats want reform. If they did, this Legislature would be well on its way to providing local government officials with the necessary tools they need to work with the new levy cap law that takes effect exactly two months from today.”

DiCicco said the Assembly Democrats’ continued political rhetoric and stall tactics on stringent property tax reform legislation shows the Democrat party’s total disregard for taxpayers and local government officials.

“If Democrats were serious about reforming government it would be happening,” noted DiCicco. “For five months, Governor and Christie and Assembly Republicans have been waiting to discuss and vote on the Tool Kit, but all we’ve gotten are a few watered-down bills that protect Democrat special interests while giving lip service to mayors and taxpayers.”