Governor Fields Questions on Tourism, Other Issues at Town Hall

Cape May resident Gwennie Tempest wants to see tax equality in New Jersey’s tourism industry, and has been assisting the Cape May Hotel and Lodging Association in pushing a bill that would create a lodging district along the coast in areas that don’t already have lodging, and that would also realize the equality she hopes to see.

She saw Gov. Chris Christie’s visit to New Jersey Manufacturers in Hammonton Tuesday afternoon as an opportunity to raise the issue.

“There are so many inequities in the tax system, we could spend hours talking about all the inequities,” Christie said when asked the question during the question-and-answer session of his town hall meeting.

He added, “Anything we can do to help spur the tourism industry, we’re encouraging people to do that. We will give it consideration, along with the other inequities, and it will depend on which ones we think are more important, and how much we can afford to cut taxes.”

Tempest was satisfied with the answer because she felt one of the roadblocks to getting the legislation passed was a fear by legislators that support of bill 2657, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-15), would be in violation of the governor’s no new tax policy.

The bill, also known as the “Seaside Lodging and Rental District Act,” imposes taxes on certain lodging properties for tourism for promotion, according to the text of the bill as introduced.

“Right now, you can have one resort where taxes can be as high as 15 percent while the one right next to it could be zero, and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two,” said Tempest, who said the bill would impose a flat rate of 7 percent across the board. “I know a lot of small business owners that have gone out of business. There are over 18 bed and breakfasts that have gone out of business.”

While there would be a tax increase for some, taxes would be reduced in other areas, and there lies the potential for a major boost in tourism across Cape May, Atlantic and Ocean counties with the creation of a lodging industry up and down the coast.

The bill was initially introduced on May 13, 2010.

Tempest’s question was the final of six questions at the governor’s 11th town hall of the year, and 35th of his gubernatorial term to date, one which lasted about 90 minutes.

At about the same time the town hall began, a group of teachers from Hammonton, Galloway and Buena, among other surrounding towns, demonstrated across the street, along Route 54 and at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

“We’re showing positive support for our schools,” said Hammonton Board of Education Vice President Linda Burns, who estimated that more than 100 teachers participated in the demonstration. “We’re here to show public schools work.”

She added the teachers were disappointed the town hall, which was originally to be held at Hammonton High School, was scheduled for a time when teachers wouldn’t be able to attend.

Although the town hall was scheduled for 2 p.m., Christie didn’t make his first appearance until 2:36, but the doors closed to the public and the building was placed under a lockdown shortly before 2:30.

Inside, more than 600 citizens from across the region had filed into a building that reached standing-room only capacity shortly after 1 p.m.

Christie answered questions on a host of issues, including:

• Abbot District funding, which continues to go up as grades go down;
• keeping prospective college students in New Jersey by providing a more stable job market;
• the battle over Supreme Court nominee Anne Patterson, who would replace John Wallace, who was removed by Christie at the conclusion of his first term; and
• an anomaly that has left the Swedesboro-Woolwich School District underfunded.

The first question Christie took was from a Hammonton resident that asked if Christie would be making a run for the White House.

“I am the governor of New Jersey. Why would I want to take a job that was less powerful?” Christie joked. “I am committed to this job. Leaving here is not what I want to do, and I don’t think I am ready for (the presidency) right now.”

There were several applauses for the governor throughout his speech, notably whenever he spoke out against raising taxes. He criticized the state Legislature for not acting on pension reforms he proposed in September and spoke about the “tough decisions” he’s made as governor before fielding questions from the audience.