FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 31, 2013

CONTACT: Jerry Cantrell
973.229.2618
jcantrell@njtaxalliance.org
New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance Names 47 Legislators as ~Taxpayer Advocates
Voting records on pro-taxpayer reform measures show a slowing progress on behalf of
taxpayer constituents
Trenton, New Jersey The New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance (NJTA) today named 47
legislators 'Taxpayer Advocates based on their votes on bills key to New Jersey`s
individual and corporate taxpayers. The Alliance is honoring the legislators after an
analysis of voting records on bills deemed crucial to the taxpayer community during the
216th Legislature.

New Jerseyans continue to shoulder the nation`s heaviest state-local tax burden, 2
nd
only
to New York, according to the Tax Foundation. However, the past four years presented
legislators with opportunities to make fundamental changes to New Jersey`s tax and
spending policies.

'The past two years have been marked by some progress on behalf of taxpayers, but not
at the level we saw in the 2009-2011 period, said NJTA Chairman Jerry Cantrell. 'So in
the coming year we hope to see a return to a focus on the issues that ushered in the
Christie administration the 33-Tool Kit Platform agenda which held great promise for
permanent reforms that would set the state on track for a robust economic turnaround.
Today`s announcement oI the 2013 Taxpayer Advocates is designed to help all New
Jerseyans have a better understanding as to who Iights Ior their interests in Trenton.

A selection committee of Alliance members determined which bills would be considered
for the analysis. Each vote was weighed equally, and legislators voting with the NJTA
position on at least 80% of votes were designated as Taxpayer Advocates. This year`s 47
Taxpayer Advocates represents a decrease of 17 (27%) from the 2011 scorecard, in line
with the falloff we noted in our scoring outcomes.
'The lower number of Taxpayer Advocates this year is reflective of the fact taxpayers
have fared worse during the past two years than from 2009-2011. Some bad habits, such
as the reflexive urge to raise taxes on high-wage earners, crept in as partisan ideology
became a theme in the wake of tough economic circumstances. I hope that the Legislature
reverts to a more bipartisan approach, placing taxpayers higher on the priority list so that
in two years we are announcing even more Advocate` awards than 2011`s record 64
winners. Cantrell concluded.
The 2013 New Jersey Taxpayer Alliance Taxpayer Champions are:
General Assembly

John Amodeo (R-2)
Mary Pat Angelini (R-11)
Jon Bramnick (R-21)
Chris A. Brown ((R-2)
Christopher J. Brown (R-8)
Anthony Bucco (R-25)
John Burzichelli (D-3)
Michael Patrick Carroll (R-25)
Caroline Casagrande (R-12)
Upendra Chivukula (D-17)
Jack Ciattarelli (R-16)
Robert Clifton (R-12)
Ronald Dancer (R-30)
BettyLou DeCroce (R-26)
John DiMaio (R-23)
DiAnne Gove (R-9)
Amy Handlin (R-13)
Sean Kean (R-30)
Gregory McGuckin (R-10)
Alison McHose (R-24)
Nancy Munoz (R-21)
Declan O`Scanlon (R-12)
Eric Peterson (R-23)
David Rible (R-11)
Scott Rudder (R-8)
Scott Rumana (R-40)
David Russo (R-40)
Holly Schepisi (R-39)
Robert Schroeder (R-39)
Donna Simon (R-16)
Parker Space (R-24)
Jay Webber (R-26)
David Wolfe (R-10)

Senate

Dawn Marie Addiego (R-8)
Christopher Bateman (R-16)
Jennifer Beck (R-12)
Anthony Bucco (R-25)
Gerald Cardinale (R-39)
Christopher Connors (R-9)
James Holzapfel (R-10)
Joseph Kyrillos (R-13)
Steven Oroho (R-24)
Kevin O`Toole (R-40)
Joseph Pennacchio (R-26)
Robert Singer (R-30)
Samuel Thompson (R-12)
Jeff Van Drew (D-1)

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