NJTA 2007
Recap and a glimpse forward:
As is tradition with most
organizations, at this time of year it's appropriate to provide a look
back and view forward in order to assess where we've come from and where
we expect to be this time next year. So, I would like to provide you
with an overview of NJTA's 2007 activities and accomplishments plus a
hint of what lies ahead in 2008.
To begin with, it was another challenging and exciting year for sure. We
continued to focus on the fiscal mess in the state while honing our
skills and reputation as a leader for real tax reform. By offering
concrete proposals (see our NJTA 10-Point Legislative Proposals Platform
on the website (www.njtaxes.org) aimed at positive changes that would
set New Jersey's fiscal house in order, not just now but, for the
foreseeable future we are actively engaged in the political process.
Interestingly, in the State of the State Address, Governor Corzine
specifically supported three of our ten points; a freeze on spending,
elimination (real) of pay-to-play and voter approval of all (new)
borrowing. While we would like to see him enact these measures via
executive decree, it certainly is encouraging to hear our words repeated
by the Governor of the State.
For those of you who have been involved for a while, and particularly
those of you founding members, we have moved aggressively from the
founding principals, expanding on the mission and goals to further our
effectiveness. These expanded initiatives weren't undertaken lightly but
were incorporated as a natural extension of the progress made these past
few years. More specifically let's look at the 2007 NJTA goals and how
we fared:
NJTA 10-Point Legislative Proposals Platform
As in past years we kept this at the forefront of all of our efforts as
it is the conduit by which we envision we will accomplish our primary
mission - To promote reform of the tax burden imposed on New Jersey
citizens.
Upgraded our image and status
We changed our name from The Silver Brigade to New Jersey Taxpayers
Association to more accurately, and simply, reflect who we are and what
we are about. As a result, our reputation has grown and we've been
receiving much more statewide attention both in the press and word of
mouth.
As a part of the new
image, we created a logo and stand-alone website that has dramatically
improved our recognition; generating inquiries from around the state and
nation.
The National Taxpayer
Union has added us to their database and done several articles on NJTA
in their monthly publications. Possibly as a result of the NTU
recognition I have been receiving information and inquiries from a
number of other organizations and individuals throughout NJ and beyond.
We designed and developed a Legislator's Report Card initiative for all
the NJ Legislature incumbents this past August.
In September we held a press conference at the Statehouse where we
awarded Taxpayer Advocate certificates to 11 legislators (3 Republican
and 8 Democratic members). We received outstanding press coverage (NJ,
Philadelphia) for this effort.
In conjunction with the
November election, we also sent out surveys to all 250+ candidates and
posted the results on our website.
Statewide Tax Summit - While this annual NJTA event was initially
slated for September, the committee wisely postponed it into the new
year. It is currently scheduled for early March and we are quite
optimistic for the outcome and follow-on results. Headlining the
event will be the National Taxpayers Union president, Duane Parde, from
Washington DC. Also on the agenda is the Vice President, Government
Affairs of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, which NJTA recently was
invited to become a member of. Targeted participants include all the key
business and civic organizations as well as CEOs from several major NJ
corporations. The focus will be on establishing a foundation for a
statewide coalition of ALL taxpayers.
Broadened state presence - As of this writing we are now
represented in 14 of New Jersey's 21 counties and a NYC resident who
works in NJ. In addition, we enlisted our first association member, the
New Jersey Technology Council, with hundreds of members ranging from
startups to large multinational corporations that are household names
throughout the world. Over the past six months we have increased
memberships every month.
Also over this past year,
we have presented to a whole host of different organizations and groups.
I have personally presented to twenty-two separate groups as well as
held meetings with various elected officials, business and civic
leaders. The gamut has included one-on-ones with our US Congressmen
while attending a National Taxpayers Union Annual Conference where
representatives from around the nation and Europe participated. At the
same event I was enthusiastically welcomed into the tax reform community
by a number of NTU staff plus meetings and conversations with most of
the other national organizations such as the Sam Adams Foundation,
Heritage Foundation, etc. I was even interviewed on a national talk show
broadcast.
More recently I was
invited to participate in the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Economic
Policy Forum where I interfaced with key business leaders from around
the state.
Another event was a
Princeton University-hosted former Governors' Forum on the School
Funding initiative. Also, a similar event at Rutgers with a number of
former NJ Supreme Court Justices discussing the legal rationale behind
the Abbott decision (we did not agree).
Just last month I had the
great fortune to attend a meeting with representatives of the Latino
community and NAACP where education was the topic (we did agree on most
things).
We have also received press coverage in the New York, New Jersey and
Philadelphia metros including; WNBC, Comcast, NY Times, Star-Ledger,
Bergen Record, Courier Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Gannet's various
publications, NJ Family Policy Group annual publication, plus a host of
local and regional publications.
In that same vein we increased our media distribution list to cover
virtually every major outlet in the state, Philadelphia and New York.
What all this means is that in order to begin to address the real issues
we have to stop fighting over the scraps and look at the needs of the
entire population of the state. Only then will we be able to
appropriately address the proper distribution of the goods and services
we all share and require.
For 2008 we are in the final process of formulating our goals for the
upcoming year. We have also been approached by three additional groups
to form their own local chapters, along the lines of our Pequannock
Chapter.
As we look forward to the coming months, the potential to realize the
promise of a statewide movement dedicated to real tax reform is
tremendous. But we can not do it alone. We need your help!
You can start by visiting our website, filling out a membership form or
giving me a call. In return you have my assurance that together we will
make a difference by changing the rules in Trenton.
Thank you.
Sincerely;
Jerry Cantrell, President (on behalf of the Officers and Trustees of the
New Jersey Taxpayers Association)
