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Chris Christie on Tax Reform
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Abolish the estate tax to incentivize people to stay in NJ
Right now, New Jersey imposes an estate and inheritance tax. 14 states currently have estate taxes, and 6 have inheritance taxes. But only New Jersey and Maryland have both and we also have the lowest exemption threshold in the country.
I aim to abolish the Estate Tax because it penalizes the next generation and harms the long-term economic future. Our tax structure incentivizes people to move to other states as they age--and when they do, to take their businesses and capital with them.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to New Jersey legislature
, Jan 12, 2016
Get rid of deductions except charitable & mortgage deduction
Q: What is the highest percentage, all in, in the way of taxes, that any American should have to pay and what is the lowest? I'd like to to hear from each of you. CHRISTIE: Our plan puts forward a rate of 28% for those who are making the most and
8% on the low end. We get rid of all deductions except for the home mortgage interest deduction and the charitable contribution deduction. That means getting rid of the state and local income tax deduction because that will put more pressure on governors
and on local officials not to keep raising those taxes, saying we can deduct them. So ours will be 28 on the high end, 8 on the low end.
Sen. SANTORUM: I have a 20% flat tax. That's on all income--so capital gains, corporations, individuals, 20%.
I think that's a fair number. [With state taxes, that makes] probably 33% overall.
Gov. JINDAL: Under our tax plan, the top rate is 25%, [then for the middle class] 10%, [then everyone else pays] 2%.
Source: Fox Business/WSJ Second Tier debate
, Nov 10, 2015
Get rid of all deductions; get government off our backs
Make the tax code fairer, flatter, and simpler. People feel like the tax code is rigged for the rich, and you know why they feel that way? Because it is. We'll get rid of special interest deductions except for the home mortgage interest deduction and the
charitable contribution deduction. Everyone will get lower rates, keep more of their own money, be able to file their tax returns in 15 minutes. We need to get the government off our backs.
Source: Fox Business/WSJ Second Tier debate
, Nov 10, 2015
I vetoed more tax increases than any governor in history
Over the course of six years now, I have been governor of New Jersey, and what we have done is stood up for the people in New Jersey who needed to be stood up for.
Taxes had been increased monumentally before I became governor. We have now vetoed more tax increases than any governor in American history, according to Americans for Tax Reform.
We have done the work that needs to be done to create jobs in New Jersey, to be able to give people opportunity, and make them understand the law is going to be
enforced and things are going to be better in our state and across our country if we do that.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls
, Sep 20, 2015
Simplify tax code to three brackets, with highest at 28%
In May, Christie argued he can raise Americans' incomes and increase economic growth by simplifying the tax code to three individual income tax rates, with the highest rate set at 28 percent.
He would also cut the corporate tax code from 35 percent to 25 percent.He told state lawmakers in February that he would not raise taxes to help solve New Jersey's budget crisis.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
, Jun 30, 2015
I will veto any income tax increases that come before me
Now, I know that many of you in this room believe that income tax increases are the way to go. So yes, sometimes we will simply have to disagree.I have vetoed four income tax increases passed by this body. And make no mistake:
I will veto any more income tax increases that come before me. And I will do it for one simple reason--the higher our taxes are, the fewer people and businesses will come to New Jersey and the more who will consider leaving.
Raising taxes is the old Trenton way, and it didn't work. Taxes were raised 115 times in the eight years before 2010. People and businesses in turn didn't support them and left our state. Between 2004 and 2008 the departure of wealth, investment,
and income was staggering--some $70 billion left the state. We have begun a new direction and we need to go further, not reverse course.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 New Jersey Legislature
, Jan 13, 2015
Cap property tax and interest arbitration awards
One of the things that drove people out of New Jersey in the past decade was high property taxes. In 2010, together, we capped them. The 2% cap has worked. In these past two years, property tax growth has been the lowest in two decades.
But the job is not finished. Property taxes are still too high. So today, I ask for you to join me in enacting a new property tax relief initiative that tackles the root causes that are driving up property taxes in the first place.
First, some context: the 2% cap we've already enacted has worked for a reason. We've done it by controlling costs. We accompanied it with reform of an interest arbitration award system that needed fixing.
As you know, the interest arbitration cap was not permanent--it is set to expire this April, unless we act. So I ask you today, let us renew the cap on interest arbitration awards and make the cap permanent.
Source: 2014 State of the State address to N.J. Legislature
, Jan 14, 2014
2012: Across-the-board tax cut; 2013: exclude over $400K
Buono said in an interview on MSNBC: "Christie's idea of jumpstarting the economy is to propose a trickle-down income tax cut." Buono keeps repeating this claim about Gov. Chris Christie that leaves out significant details and has accuracy issues.
Previously, Buono tied the Republican governor's support of an income tax cut to it disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest New Jerseyans. The Truth-O-Meter ruled that claim, and this new one, as False.In January 2012 Christie proposed cutting
income tax rates by 10% across-the-board over 3 years; higher-income taxpayers would have seen a greater decrease because they pay more in income taxes. But after Democrats cried foul, the governor backed off that plan and endorsed a Democratic proposal
to cut income taxes only for income under $400,000.
Buono is correct that Christie proposed a tax cut last year. But Buono leaves out that the governor dropped his original proposal in favor of a Democratic tax-cut plan that he's supported since July.
Source: PolitiFact.com on 2013 N.J. governor debates
, Mar 5, 2013
FactCheck: NJ taxes raised 115 times? Only if fees count too
Christie claimed "taxes were raised 115 times in the eight years before I became governor" and those increases were part of a "path that led to wealth and jobs and people leaving our state."But those increases included raising taxes, fees and other
tax policy changes. Also, there are many other factors affecting the loss of jobs, wealth and residents. For that statement, the governor received a Half True.
Christie also claimed naysayers said it was "impossible to balance a budget at the same time, with an $11 billion deficit" and "we did it."
The deficit figure Christie cites refers to a $10.7 billion projected structural deficit, a calculation
Christie uses to his advantage in his first budget year but has since dismissed as the old way of budgeting. Christie received a Half True.
Source: PolitiFact on 2012 Republican National Convention speech
, Aug 28, 2012
2009: Single tax rate would raise taxes for low earners
2009: Single tax rate would raise taxes for low earners
Christie looked beyond the GOP skirmish, targeting Corzine, while Lonegan focused on the primary. Lonegan wanted to ditch the state's progressive income tax for a single rate of 2.9%, eventually dropping to 2.1%.
Source: Rise to Power, by B. Ingle & M. Symons, p.138
, Jun 5, 2012
Reduce all income tax brackets by 10% and restore EITC
In my budget, I will fulfill a promise I made to all the people of New Jersey in 2009. Real relief from the heavy income tax burden that has strangled our families and forced many to move away. I propose to reduce income tax rates for each and every
New Jerseyan. In every tax bracket. By 10% across the board.
I also propose to fully restore the earned income tax credit for New Jersey's working poor, which we were forced to cut during the dark days of 2010, when growth was gone & we had no money.
Understand what this means--every New Jerseyan will get a cut in taxes. The working poor. The struggling middle class. The new college graduates getting their first job. The senior citizens who have already retired. The single mom. The job creators. The
Source: N.J. 2012 State of the State Address
, Jan 17, 2012
OpEd: Vetoed "Millionaire's Tax" on wealthiest New Jerseyans
There's a national agenda to break unions across the country. "Education is no exception. What's the biggest impediment to privatizing?"
[Rutgers Law Professor Paul] Tractenberg asked. "Strong unions. So if you can break strong unions or make them weak, then the corporate types have no real opposition."
One of the things that drove people out of New Jersey in the past decade was high property taxes. In 2010, together, we capped them. The 2% cap has worked. In these past two years, property tax growth has been the lowest in two decades.
But the job is not finished. Property taxes are still too high. So today, I ask for you to join me in enacting a new property tax relief initiative that tackles the root causes that are driving up property taxes in the first place.
Source: Link
, Feb 17, 2011
We can and we must lower taxes
I believe we can and we must lower taxes. Lower taxes will invite back businesses, jobs, employees, residents and students. More people paying taxes means more revenue- Reduce the personal income tax
- Restore property tax relief for everyone
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Eliminate the "double-taxation' on New Jersey S-Corporations
- Eliminate special interest labor union giveaways that increase taxes
- 2/3 majority vote to impose new tax or to increase existing tax.
Source: 2009 Gubernatorial campaign website, christiefornj.com
, Nov 3, 2009
NJ has highest state tax burden & it's getting worse
New Jersey has the highest tax burden in the country and it's getting worse--the latest Corzine budget just raised taxes by another $1.2 billion. We're also burdened with the highest property taxes in the country, but that didn't stop Jon
Corzine from taking away property tax rebates from 1.2 million New Jerseyans in this year's budget. In fact, Jon Corzine and Jim McGreevey have raised taxes on the average New Jersey family by more than $10,000 since 2002--over
$22 billion in taxes, the highest in the nation.
This will change in a Christie Administration. Highlights from Chris' plan to cut our taxes:
- Provide Property Tax Relief
- Reduce New Jersey's Income Tax
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Across the board cut for all taxpayers
- Additional cut or credit for NJ-based small businesses
- Reduce the Corporate Business Tax Rate
- Eliminate the double taxation on New Jersey's S-Corporations
Source: 2009 Gubernatorial campaign website, christiefornj.com
, Jul 21, 2009
Keep property tax rebate program
Lonegan said he would do away with property tax rebates and equalize school funding in all districts to lower property taxes. Christie said he would keep the rebate program.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger coverage: 2009 N.J. gubernatorial primary
, May 26, 2009
Page last updated: Jun 15, 2016