As part of a compromise on the budget, Governor Christie and Trenton Democrats agreed to add back in upwards of another $100M back into the budget. Millions of tax dollars will be reinstated to fund, among other things:

• Keeping open Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Hunterdon County.
• More funding for welfare, adult medical day care, home-care services, education services for the blind, and various other programs for vulnerable residents.
• More funding for NJ STARS scholarships, the NJ After 3 program, and tuition assistance grants.
• Funding for cultural sites including the Battleship New Jersey and the Newark Museum.
• More funding for projects in Urban Enterprise Zones.

Is the governor now planning to cut funds elsewhere in the budget to pay for this? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is an emphatic "NO."

Instead, the money will come from a series of new tax and fee hikes are being put forward as supplemental bills.

There’s a new tax on insurance premiums, a new tax on health care, a new tax on new businesses, and finally, a tax on consumers that will confiscate more than 28 million dollars of gift cards purchased in New Jersey. That’s right. If you do not use a gift card to your favorite restaurant after one year, the State will confiscate the money!

You can read about these tax bills yourself right on the State Legislative website:

S2096 -- Concerns certain taxes and assessments dedicated to the administrative costs of the DOBI.
S2112 -- Adjusts time periods for presumptions of abandonment, limits issuer imposed dormancy fees, and provides for related administration for certain unclaimed property.
S2143 -- Removes cap on .53% hospital total operating revenue assessment and raises cap on ambulatory care facility gross receipts assessment to increase charity care subsidy monies.
S2088 -- Increases and establishes certain business filing fees.

To help stop these tax hikes, call the governor's office now at 609-292-6000 and tell him how you feel. Tell him to cut spending and lower taxes as he promised.