TRENTON — Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett unveiled yesterday an ambitious proposal to reduce the property tax burden in New Jersey.
Daggett's plan would offer homeowners a 25 percent property tax cut, up to $2,500. All senior citizens would receive the maximum amount.
Daggett also is proposing to cut the top corporate and income tax rates to make New Jersey more competitive with other states.
He would pay for the tax cuts by expanding the sales tax to include a broad range of services that are not now taxed, including services by professionals such as accountants and lawyers.
"We're the highest-taxed state in the nation," Daggett said at a news conference at the Trenton Marriott. "We know that property taxes are crushing people in New Jersey and have been for some time."
The major-party candidates in the gubernatorial race, Democratic Gov. Corzine and Republican challenger Christopher J. Christie, have yet to offer detailed proposals on how they would address the state's high property taxes, which many New Jerseyans say is the top issue facing the state.
The Corzine administration acknowledges that property taxes are too high, but has noted that they increased this year by 3.7 percent, the lowest jump in nearly a decade. Corzine has also committed more than $7 billion to direct property tax relief, according to the administration, more than any other governor.
With his proposal, Daggett, whose poll numbers have mostly stayed in the single digits, is hoping to kick his campaign into high gear.
Tomorrow, the former environmental administrator from Bernards Township will receive even more visibility when he debates Corzine and Christie in one of two state-sanctioned debates. Daggett is eligible to participate in the debate, to be broadcast live on NJN, because he raised enough money to qualify for public matching funds.
Other elements of Daggett's economic proposal include limiting budget increases for schools, municipalities, and counties, as well as employee contracts, to the rate of inflation. Residents in towns that do not adhere to the caps would forfeit their homeowners' property-tax cuts.
Daggett would also designate $130 million for the preservation of open space, to promote tourism, and to reimburse Shore towns willing to make beach access free to the public.
