Doherty Opposes Bill Eliminating Superintendent Salary Caps
Education Committee Passes Bill on Partisan Lines
Senator Mike Doherty (R-23), a member of the Senate Education Committee, opposed the committee’s approval of legislation (S-692) that would hurt property taxpayers by prohibiting the New Jersey Department of Education from regulating the maximum salaries for school district superintendents.
Doherty: No Shortage of Candidates for Superintendent Positions with Salary Cap
Superintendents are among the most highly compensated individuals anywhere in the state of New Jersey, and whenever these positions open up with this salary cap in place, you get dozens, if not hundreds of applicants. Removing the salary cap is unnecessary, and will lead to unnecessary property tax increases.
Posted by Mike Doherty on Friday, January 26, 2018
“The superintendent salary caps imposed in 2011 were part of the successful effort to slow the out-of-control property tax growth that occurred during the McGreevey and Corzine administrations,” said Doherty. “It’s concerning that one of our first actions with Phil Murphy as Governor is an effort to undo an effective policy that worked to control property taxes. We shouldn’t remove this important protection for taxpayers.”
Doherty Votes ‘NO’ on Amazon Tax Break Legislation
Says Broad-Based Tax Cuts Would Be Better Choice for New Jersey
Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) voted against legislation (A-5340/S-3631) that would give Amazon special tax incentives at the expense of other New Jersey businesses.
Sen. Mike Doherty voted against legislation that would give Amazon special tax incentives at the expense of other New Jersey businesses. (Flickr)
“New Jersey shouldn’t be in the business of picking winners and losers, nor should we give special tax breaks to a company that’s driving our mom and pop shops out of business,” said Doherty. “Everyone’s talking about hypothetical jobs that Amazon might create in New Jersey if we give them billions of dollars, but they’re not talking about the thousands of retailers on our Main Streets that will go out of business as a result of this sweetheart deal.”
Doherty Supports Counties & Municipalities in Call for Permanent Interest Arbitration Cap
Says Cap Critical to Limiting Property Tax Increases
Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) issued a statement in support of the efforts of the New Jersey League of Municipalities and New Jersey Association of Counties to make permanent the state’s cap on interest arbitration awards.
Sen. Mike Doherty expressed support for the efforts of the New Jersey’s counties and municipalities to make permanent the state’s cap on interest arbitration awards. (SenateNJ.com)
“The elected officials who manage our towns and counties on a daily basis have told us that it’s a certainty that property taxes will rise or services will be cut if the interest arbitration cap is allowed to expire,” said Doherty. “This cap is the primary reason that property tax growth has slowed over the last eight years from the runaway increases of the McGreevey and Corzine years.”
Doherty was a prime sponsor of legislation (S-5) enacted in 2010 that limits the salary increases that may be awarded when disputed police and fire contracts enter the process of binding arbitration to two percent.
Doherty Honored for Supporting Small Businesses
Senator Mike Doherty (R-Hunterdon, Warren, Somerset) was recognized by the National Federation of Independent Business New Jersey chapter for his continuing support of small businesses.
Sen. Mike Doherty was named a “Guardian of Small Business” by NFIB New Jersey. (©iStock)
“Businesses, especially independently owned ones, face a tough challenge trying to succeed in New Jersey’s business climate,” Senator Doherty said. “They have to face high taxes and regulations that can often be too much for family-owned operations to handle. I’ve always tried to stand up for them in Trenton, because they deserve to have their voices heard.”
Senate Democrats Block Beck/Doherty Sick Leave Reforms
Republican Measures Would Address Nearly $2 Billion Property Tax Liability
Democrats in the New Jersey Senate blocked the consideration of sick leave reforms sponsored by Senator Jennifer Beck (R-11) and Senator Michael Doherty (R-23) that would address a nearly $2 billion liability for property taxpayers.
Senate Democrats tabled Sen. Jennifer Beck’s sick leave reform effort during the Senate session on June 22, 2017. (SenateNJ.com)
Senators Beck and Doherty made motions to relieve S-2947 and S-572 from the committee process for consideration by the full New Jersey Senate.
“We’ve tried repeatedly to put an end to the outrageous six-figure payouts that drive up property tax bills statewide,” said Beck. “Democrats, however, continue to block our reforms that would end this abusive practice and make New Jersey more affordable. To be clear, this is more than a billion dollars of property tax relief that New Jersey Democrats have denied.”
Bateman & Doherty on Judge’s Decision to Block Statehouse Renovations Lawsuit
Senate Republicans Kip Bateman and Mike Doherty released the following statements on a State Superior Court judge’s ruling against their lawsuit to halt Governor Christie’s multi-million dollar Statehouse renovations.
Sens. Kip Bateman and Mike Doherty are speaking out following State Superior Court Judge Jacobson’s June 14, 2017 decision to rule against their lawsuit to stop Gov. Christie’s multi-million dollar Statehouse renovations. (Wikimedia Commons)
“I am very disappointed in the judge’s decision. New Jersey taxpayers deserve better,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said. “The Christie administration was clearly intent on denying the public the opportunity to speak out against this costly boondoggle. It is a shame that, once again, taxpayers statewide will bear the brunt of a poor decision made without their approval in Trenton.”
Disappointed in the judge’s decision. NJ taxpayers deserve better. #Renogate https://t.co/4zeqtdZdzi
— Senator Kip Bateman (@KipBateman) June 15, 2017
“Judge Jacobson got it wrong,” Senator Doherty (R-23) said. “The Whitman case she cited was addressed when we passed the Lance amendment, so that voters would always, without exception, have the right to approve extremely expensive projects like the Statehouse renovations. We still can’t get a straight answer on how much this is going to cost. The Governor’s insistence on pushing forward with this project regardless of public opinion, and the judge’s decision to allow it, flies in the face of our constitutional obligation to be transparent with New Jersey taxpayers. The Legislature and the people we represent have a right to know how we are spending their money. This ruling is a setback, but our fight is far from over.”
Cardinale & Doherty Introduce Constitutional Amendment Abolishing Tenure for NJ Supreme Court Justices
Call for Public Retention Elections for Justices to Serve Additional Terms
Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-39) and Senator Michael Doherty (R-23) have introduced a constitutional amendment (SCR-152) that would abolish tenure for New Jersey Supreme Court justices and provide an opportunity for the public to decide via regular retention elections whether a justice may continue serving on the State’s highest court.
Sens. Gerry Cardinale and Mike Doherty have introduced a constitutional amendment that would abolish tenure for New Jersey Supreme Court justices and establish retention elections for justices to serve additional terms on the State’s highest court. (©iStock)
“Our current tenure system for New Jersey Supreme Court justices has repeatedly failed the state and its residents,” said Cardinale. “With only a single opportunity to review a justice’s record upon reappointment, we have little ability to hold members of the New Jersey Supreme Court accountable for their activism. As a result, we’ve had a long history of horrendous Supreme Court decisions that have made New Jersey the most expensive state in the country for property taxpayers.”
Doherty pointed to decisions including Robinson v. Cahill, Abbott v. Burke, and Mount Laurel I and II as examples of unelected, activist justices legislating from the bench.
“The New Jersey Supreme Court has imposed expensive affordable housing and school funding mandates that have cost property taxpayers tens of billions of dollars,” said Doherty. “It’s time that the people of New Jersey get a direct vote on the justices who have mandated the overdevelopment of our towns and locked the state into an outrageously expensive school funding ideology.”
Lesniak, Doherty, & Bateman: Christie Admin Reveals in Court Meeting on Lawsuit that State House Renovation Bonds Have Already Been Sold
Say Quick Bond Sale Highlights Administration’s Effort to Avoid Transparency & Accountability
Senators Ray Lesniak (D-20), Mike Doherty (R-23), and Kip Bateman (R-16) blasted a revelation made by the Christie Administration in court today that bonds to finance a $300 million State House renovation were sold on May 11th, the same day the financing plan was approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).
Sens. Lesniak, Doherty, and Bateman blasted a revelation made by the Christie Administration in court that bonds to finance a $300 million State House renovation were sold on May 11th, the same day the financing plan was approved by the NJEDA. (SenateNJ.com)
Senator Lesniak called it a calculated effort by Governor Christie and the NJEDA to avoid public scrutiny, “This is a shameful act by both Governor Christie and the NJEDA Commissioners. Apparently they have no shame.”
“In an effort to avoid transparency and accountability, the governor must have set a new record for the speed with which bonds were sold after the NJEDA rubber stamped his expensive renovation plan,” said Doherty. “This is a clear sign that the Christie Administration didn’t want to give legislators or the public even a moment to review or challenge this expensive State House renovation.”
News of the bond sale was revealed by the defense team representing the Christie Administration during a scheduling meeting in New Jersey Superior Court with Judge Mary Jacobson to discuss the lawsuit filed this week by Lesniak, Doherty, and Bateman that seeks to halt the project.
Bateman & Doherty Join Lawsuit to Stop $300 Million State House Renovation Project
Cost to New Jersey Taxpayers Could Reach $750 Million without Legislative or Voter Approval
Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) and Senator Michael Doherty (R-23) joined with Senator Ray Lesniak (D-20) to file a lawsuit today to stop an expensive New Jersey State House renovation project that was initiated without legislative or voter approval.
Sen. Kip Bateman and Sen. Mike Doherty joined on the filing of a lawsuit today to stop an expensive New Jersey State House renovation project that could cost state taxpayers as much as $750 million without legislative or voter approval. (Wikimedia Commons)
The civil complaint filed in New Jersey Superior Court alleges that actions undertaken by the State Capitol Joint Management Commission, Treasury Department, and New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) related to the renovation plan violate the Debt Limitation, Appropriations and Separation of Powers clauses of the New Jersey Constitution.
“While the law is clear that the plan to borrow $300 million to fund the State House renovation must be approved by both voters and the Legislature, the governor’s convoluted and unconstitutional financing arrangement takes that choice away from both taxpayers and their elected representatives,” said Doherty. “Our lawsuit seeks to hold the governor accountable and halt this boondoggle of a project. We’re fighting to ensure that New Jersey taxpayers have both transparency and choice as to how their money is spent.”
Doherty: Bedminster Taxpayers Will Be Reimbursed for Trump’s Visits to Golf Club
Senator Michael Doherty (R-Somerset, Warren, Hunterdon) today reaffirmed his support for a provision within the spending bill passed by Congress earlier this week that would allow Bedminster to seek reimbursements for costs associated with protecting President Donald Trump when he visits his golf club within the municipality.
Sen. Mike Doherty reaffirmed his support for Bedminster’s efforts to seek reimbursement for costs associated with protecting President Trump. He added that commonsense would indicate that he would never state otherwise. (SenateNJ)
“As I told Star-Ledger reporter Claude Brodesser-Akner on the phone yesterday, I strongly support Bedminster’s efforts to seek reimbursement for these security costs,” Senator Doherty said. “Families in Bedminster and across New Jersey already pay the highest property taxes in the nation. It is completely unjust to ask them to pay millions of dollars in added costs that should be covered by the administration.
“I want to make it clear to my constituents and their local leaders that I strongly believe that the people of Bedminster, or any community for that matter, deserve to be reimbursed for the substantial cost of protecting President Trump when he comes into town. Thankfully, as I very specifically informed this reporter yesterday, this is no longer an issue. Congressman Lance put a resolution in the budget to eliminate this taxpayer burden.”
