Much has been said about a millionaire’s tax. Some say tax them
and they will leave. And they well may. Of course, . . . they may not. The fact
is that the truly rich can decide to stay or leave. They can afford to do
either. Mr. Duffey also points out that the state needs the money. I am not a
millionaire. And that is why, while there is much to love about living in this
town and this state, my wife and I plan to leave New Jersey in the next several
years.
Egregious property taxes are just the beginning. For example,
while a retiree’s Social Security benefits are not taxed, New Jersey only
allows for a retiree to pay no income tax if income is below $100,000. At
$100,001, you are taxed on the entire amount. We have worked hard and saved
hard over the years, and I am proud that our retirement income will exceed that
threshold. As a result, we will get no tax break. Pennsylvania charges no
income tax on any retirement income, including pensions, IRA’s, 401K’s, and
Social Security.
On 4/22/19 came another Star-Ledger guest
column, Why
homeowners should stay in N.J., despite the taxes. A millennial explains, in which Jason DeAlessi chastised Perinelli for his “somewhat
selfish reasons, abandoning the very location responsible for your family’s
success and wellbeing.” “Furthermore,” lectures DeAlessi, “do you not
understand that your wealth has been accrued through the support of millions of
your fellow New Jerseyans?”
That last statement, which smacks of
tribalist/collectivist overtones--including "You didn't build that"--was cited in yet another Star-Ledger guest
column I’m a
millennial and a mayor and I can explain why people are leaving New Jersey by Tony Perry. Backing up Perinelli, Perry writes:
An editorial was published recently by a millennial, who does not own a home in
New Jersey, yet felt poised to lecture New Jersey homeowners on why they should
stay in the state during retirement, despite the exorbitant cost of living and
a property tax dilemma, which year after year ranks our state as highest in the
nation.
From this incredibly narrow viewpoint, it can be easily understood
why the author believes what he wrote. He has not yet experienced the relevant
life lessons like buying a home, understanding the physical and financial
upkeep and maintenance, along with all the extra costs that come along with it.
His opinions are based on inexperience, assumptions and anger
toward success, the last of which has become a favorite talking point of some
political leaders. The author questions retirees by stating “Do you not
understand that your wealth has been accrued through the support of millions of
your fellow New Jerseyans?” The retirement savings of our seniors was not built
by some heinous act, it was built on hard work, risk and planning.
Echoing
Perinelli, Perry also notes:
Furthermore, he completely
fails to appreciate the fact that the people fleeing New Jersey are not just
the uber wealthy. They are the school teacher who taught for 30 years and can
no longer afford to live in the very state they worked in. The police officer
or firefighter who served his or her community for decades. The small business
owner who employed people within their community and decides to move to a state
that does not crush them in taxes after years of hard work. Businesses that
contribute billions of dollars in corporate taxes, employ our residents and
provide philanthropy to the thousands of nonprofits across the state are
demonized.
I left these comments, somewhat edited and
expanded for clarity:
A statement like Jason
DeAlessi’s “your wealth has been accrued through the support of millions” shows
a person that has no idea how money is earned. To make money means to provide
an economic value to people who are willing to pay you. To make money (on any
level) requires virtues like thought, self-motivation, and hard work. To accrue
wealth (savings) takes virtues like long-term planning and self-discipline.
Yes, we can gain a lot from others. But such “support” is not gained by
handouts or favor or exploitation, but by providing a value in return--that is,
by trade.
DeAlessi apparently means
that if you are successful, “You didn’t build that.” But the clerks and the
warehouse and airport workers are not special cases of privilege. A job is a
trade--a mutually agreed transaction--and job-holders get paid for their
services. They contribute economically, and are paid accordingly. This
millennial seems to have particular enmity for high earners. But at the end of
the day, every productive worker, from clerks to CEOs, earned their keep, are
entitled to no more or less, and owe nothing further to each other. In fact,
the high earners are the primary movers of the economy. If wealth accruers owe
a debt to “millions,” then those millions owe a vastly greater debt to wealth
accruers.
DeAlessi’s is a mind poisoned
by collectivism, the idea that the group is supreme and individuals are
interchangeable cogs subservient to the tribe. But the individual life is the
supreme value. NJ is not a tribe with any moral claim on any of us. Every
dollar accrued through trade is earned, and each person should selfishly pursue
the betterment of himself and his family, even if it means moving out of state
to escape confiscatory taxes imposed by politicians his ungrateful “fellow New
Jerseyans” elected.
I have often observed that collectivism is a
moral escape hatch--an escape from the moral and civil responsibility to
respect the rights of others to live by their own judgement. It is lack of
respect that underpins Jason DeAlessi’s cruel collectivism.
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1 comment:
The last sentence of this posting, which says, "I have often observed...cruel collectivism.", is an example of the kind of talk we should all be giving, publicly, to nearly all elected politicians, appointees and bureaucrats. We need to give them words and statements which hit them hard right between their eyes.
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