O’SCANLON QUESTIONS WHETHER AMNESTY WINDFALL CONTAINS MONEY SENT IN ERROR

CORZINE’S TREASURER SHOULD PROVIDE AN ACCOUNTING OF ALL
TAXES COLLECTED IN ERROR AS WELL AS THOSE IN AMNESTY PROGRAM

Assemblymen Declan O’Scanlon questioned today whether the additional $400 million in tax amnesty funds that has suddenly appeared contains any money improperly collected from New Jersey taxpayers.

O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth and Mercer, has heard from several constituents who received letters from Treasury saying they owed more taxes but later learned those notices were sent in error.

“The yo-yo games the Corzine administration have played with people’s property tax rebates, combined with these erroneous tax notices, haven’t exactly instilled confidence in how it manages people’s tax dollars,” said O’Scanlon, a member of the Assembly Budget Committee. “Before making another false promise to the state’s middle class property taxpayers, the Corzine administration should provide assurance that the funds from this amnesty ‘Immaculate collection’ are accurate.”

O’Scanlon called on Corzine’s Treasurer David Rousseau to reveal the number of erroneous tax letters his department sent out, the amount of money mistakenly taken from taxpayers and an explanation of why any error has occurred. He also called on Corzine’s Comptroller Matt Boxer to investigate why errors have been made, whether there are any other instances of the Treasury unjustly taking money from New Jersey’s residents and businesses and to conduct a full audit of the money received during the amnesty period.
O’Scanlon said he wants the state to improve its tax collection so that large sums of money don’t go uncollected, further burdening New Jersey taxpayers.

“I’m happy we have some money to aid the state’s beleaguered property taxpayers, but the fact that we had so much uncollected money outstanding is nothing to brag about,” O’Scanlon said. “We need to tighten our tax collection procedures to ensure that some people are not scamming the system, forcing honest, law-abiding citizens to pay higher taxes to make up for those not paying what they owe.”