Seniors, disabled tenants call on Christie to restore property tax rebates

Thursday, May 6, 2010

BY JAY LEVIN

The Record

STAFF WRITER

HACKENSACK —  Senior and disabled tenants gathered in the city on Thursday to call on Governor Christie to restore property tax rebates.

“I call him callous Christie,” said Trish Comstock, a retired teacher who rents in Bloomfield. “I count on the rebate to pay for essentials.”

Jean Lomoro said her rent has increased from $118 to $1,020 in the 43 years she’s lived in Lodi. Noting that her Social Security check isn’t much more than her rent payment — $1,500 — Lomoro said “it would be fair if the millionaires and the corporations didn’t get their tax breaks” from Christie.

Comstock and Lomoro were among 15 tenants at a press conference organized by Better Choices for New Jersey, a coalition of 67 labor, environmental and community organizations that opposes cuts in vital government services.

Christie’s proposed 2011 budget rolls back the overall Homestead Rebate program, which provides senior and disabled tenants with rebates of up to $800.

However, Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, said Thursday that the governor’s budget proposal calls for seniors and disabled tenants who received a property tax rebate last year to receive the same rebate this year. It’s new enrollees who would not receive the rebate this year, he said.

However, Christie’s budget proposal says, “The governor proposes eliminating homestead property tax rebate benefits for all tenants.”

Matt Shapiro, president of the New Jersey Tenants Organization, a Better Choices coalition member, said senior and disabled tenants fear their voices aren’t being heard amid the din of commentary about Christie’s cuts.

“We hear what’s happening with education — and yes, education is being decimated — but we aren’t hearing about how the most vulnerable people in the state” would be affected, Shapiro said.

He predicted that homelessness would rise if the tenant rebates are lost.

“We are demanding Christie reinstate our Homestead rebates,” Comstock said. “He says we need to share the sacrifice, even if his budget doesn’t. By refusing to renew the millionaires’ tax, he is taking money out of the pockets of the people who can least afford it. That doesn’t sound like shared sacrifice to me.”

E-mail: levin@northjersey.com

HACKENSACK —  Senior and disabled tenants gathered in the city on Thursday to call on Governor Christie to restore property tax rebates.

“I call him callous Christie,” said Trish Comstock, a retired teacher who rents in Bloomfield. “I count on the rebate to pay for essentials.”

Jean Lomoro said her rent has increased from $118 to $1,020 in the 43 years she’s lived in Lodi. Noting that her Social Security check isn’t much more than her rent payment — $1,500 — Lomoro said “it would be fair if the millionaires and the corporations didn’t get their tax breaks” from Christie.

Comstock and Lomoro were among 15 tenants at a press conference organized by Better Choices for New Jersey, a coalition of 67 labor, environmental and community organizations that opposes cuts in vital government services.

Christie’s proposed 2011 budget rolls back the overall Homestead Rebate program, which provides senior and disabled tenants with rebates of up to $800.

However, Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, said Thursday that the governor’s budget proposal calls for seniors and disabled tenants who received a property tax rebate last year to receive the same rebate this year. It’s new enrollees who would not receive the rebate this year, he said.

However, Christie’s budget proposal says, “The governor proposes eliminating homestead property tax rebate benefits for all tenants.”

Matt Shapiro, president of the New Jersey Tenants Organization, a Better Choices coalition member, said senior and disabled tenants fear their voices aren’t being heard amid the din of commentary about Christie’s cuts.

“We hear what’s happening with education — and yes, education is being decimated — but we aren’t hearing about how the most vulnerable people in the state” would be affected, Shapiro said.

He predicted that homelessness would rise if the tenant rebates are lost.

“We are demanding Christie reinstate our Homestead rebates,” Comstock said. “He says we need to share the sacrifice, even if his budget doesn’t. By refusing to renew the millionaires’ tax, he is taking money out of the pockets of the people who can least afford it. That doesn’t sound like shared sacrifice to me.”

Originally found at http://www.northjersey.com/news/050610_Seniors_disabled_tenants_call_on_Christie_to_restore_property_tax_rebates.html#