With 8.7% unemployment and a net property tax spike of nearly 20% during Christie’s first three years in office, New Jerseyans need to take a close hard look at which candidates in the upcoming election represent their values and are going to fight on behalf of all working families.
We have developed a straightforward graphic (click to enlarge), that provides an overview of key working family issues and the respective positions of Senator Buono and Governor Christie.
Christie has vetoed a minimum wage increase, restrictions on shipping New Jersey jobs overseas, women’s health care funding, early voting, and a tax credit for low-income workers. Rather than fighting for workers, Governor’s record has been almost exclusively anti-worker. It’s also hard to take seriously Governor Christie’s claim that taxes have not risen on working families as long as he has been in office when property taxes have jumped 20% as a result of his elimination of rebates. When it comes to tax breaks however, Christie has been very generous, although his generosity is limited to corporations. Christie bragged about awarding $2.3 billion in tax cuts to businesses to be phased in over five years. He also granted $2.1 billion in corporate subsidies which exceeds the $1.25 billion spent over the previous ten years.
On the other hand Senator Buono is a tried and true champion of working families, understanding that we can’t create New Jersey jobs when state policies make it easier for employers to ship jobs overseas. She also realizes that we can’t build our state from the top down and therefore advocates for a fair minimum wage, restoration of the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income families, investment in our state infrastructure, and respect for collective bargaining rights. Senator Buono knows that strengthening New Jersey’s economy depends on supporting small businesses, creating good jobs, promoting affordable higher education, and investing in our public schools so that all of our children can reach their full potential.
The distinctions between Senator Buono and Governor Christie are clear, and while this page provides a good overview of these differences, we encourage you to continue your research and be as informed as possible before casting your vote on Election Day, November 5, 2013.