To expand on this a bit -- taxes are not a PROBLEM to "SOLVE"
Taxes are the most effective tool to collectively solve almost large-scale collective action problems.
Taxes are good actually.
stop.
no.
do not do this.
broad-based taxation is the foundation of every progressive policy.
if no tax, then no schools, no trains, no buses, no health insurance, no child care.
what are you doing?
“We all want the same thing: everyone deserves to feel and to be safe.”—Daniela Gilbert, director of Vera's Redefining Public Safety initiative
Cutting public programs that help families with low incomes won't help affordability.
"We can't really advance affordability if we're not also increasing revenues, particularly through taxation on wealthy individuals and corporations," said @ptrchn1.bsky.social.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abib...
We shouldnt be relying on private tech companies to keep us safe?? Where are our electeds?
New Jersey is a great place to live! We can make it even better - but we need revenue to do that.
The state can raise revenues by taxing wealthy corporations that profit off New Jerseyans.
"State governments are going to have to work harder to make sure that wealth ... is being pulled back in to pay for the services that make the state great," said @ptrchn1.bsky.social.
youtu.be/CnVwpzrbQS0?...
The number of children being held in ICE detention has skyrocketed during Trump’s second term, with hundreds detained in Dilley, Texas.
@propublica.org published a series of letters and drawings from children sharing their experiences inside the facility: www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
Money set aside to help fund clean energy should go toward just that — clean energy!
"The Clean Energy Fund should be spent on building more clean energy and making energy more affordable for all New Jerseyans, especially those already struggling with higher bills,” said @alexfromnj.bsky.social.
new from Gov. @mikiesherrill.bsky.social’s budget for @starledger.bsky.social, the $60.7 billion plan includes over $1B in subsidies for NJ Transit. About $140M was re-directed from fund meant to build clean energy. @alexfromnj.bsky.social: #NewJersey is “hampering” its ability to lower costs 1/3
This is a more complicated issue than it seems. Ask yourself what an employer may do in this situation and what the unintended consquences might be...
More than $320M in federal grant funds for @NJTRANSIT’s bus/garage program were frozen by the Trump admin last year.
NJT had planned to expand its electric bus program this year — but now that’s on hold.
A deep dive on the state of NJT’s ZEB plans and depot upgrades.
The number of people detained by ICE rose by an astonishing 58% (25,200) between 2025 and 2026; expanded immigration detention accounts for virtually all of the growth in mass incarceration since our last report. www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2...
👀 ICE deported two U.S. citizen children with their mother to Guatemala, even though she had apparently elected to leave them with their grandmother in Florida.
The govt is now arranging their return under court order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
If you want a feed of local issues in #NJ, I created one.
(I like to keep my socials focused on local issues happening in #NewJersey)
bsky.app/profile/did:...
Re this section of Gov Sherrill's budget address, I couldn't agree more about the promise of government to create opportunity.
But note!
The New Deal was paid for with taxes on the wealthy
WW2 needed bigger income tax
Social Security and Medicare needed payroll tax
Big ideas need big revenue!
The math is clear: the scale of the NJ's budget problems demands a broader approach. At a time when Trump-era tax cuts delivered massive windfalls to the wealthiest households and large corporations, New Jersey cannot take progressive revenue options off the table.
www.insidernj.com/press-releas...
🥹🥹🥹
I forget about this website but I came here just to check out @alexfromnj.bsky.social @ptrchn1.bsky.social and @marleinau.bsky.social 's thoughts about the budget!
Gov. Mikie Sherrill is proposing a record $60.7 billion state budget that calls for increased spending on public education and mass transit, and continued major investment in direct property tax relief and worker pensions.
More: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/sher...
One separate note: commentators and lawmakers frequently cite the growth in the NJ budget since 2010.
But they don't adjust for inflation!!!
FY10 ended w $28.9B in expenditures IN 2010 DOLLARS
FY10 ended w $43.9B in expenditures IN 2026 DOLLARS
That's a 35% increase, not a 100% increase
The Governor's first budget proposal confronts the difficult fiscal reality NJ finds itself in.
It prioritizes families and key programs like schools and pensions.
BUT the goal of expanding opportunity will mean giving families more supports, building stronger govt programs, and taxing the rich.
So beyond disappointing to hear Governor @mikiesherrill.bsky.social talk about affordability and opportunity but make no mention of our most vulnerable populations - immigrants, incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people, and their children. And poverty? Did not hear that word once.
We don’t need to cut to add new programs or expand existing ones.
We can close more corporate loopholes to make sure the wealthiest companies in the world are paying their fair share.
Ok. Like upgrading IT! It might not be a sexy issue, but government efficiency is also about making sure the tools they use are up to date!
Want to flag some caution on "Walmart tax" -- this line of reasoning has existed for a while. But there may be unintended consequences.
Employers may be discouraged from hiring people on Medicaid
Workers may be discouraged from using Medicaid
It's true that NJ and states need more tools to claw back the wealth that has been extracted from our state by big tech CEOs.
But the most powerful tool at our disposal is taxation, ensuring that companies cannot escape their responsibilities by hiding behind shell companies and paper losses
Government CAN keep us safe from the harms of AI, especially from the economic and environment harm of data centers.
We need to start charging these companies more for their energy use, require them to report on their energy and water use, AND require them to build more clean energy.
As a mother of a teen - keeping up with the tech my child uses is a full time job. It is stressful. I also think it is a complicated issue. Looking forward to learning more about @mikiesherrill.bsky.social's plans
