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Political Hay
A Tea Party Lesson
From a 1990s tax revolt in New Jersey.
Tea Party activists who are ambitious to sustain their movement between election cycles should carefully consider some of the key lessons drawn from the experiences of Hands Across New Jersey (HANJ), a highly successful anti-tax revolt that took hold in the early 1990s. Top strategists and elected officials familiar with the campaign’s history agree that HANJ became too complacent after Republicans obtained a veto-proof majority in the statehouse in the 1991 elections.
Although they secured some early and important legislative victories in the form of a reduced sales tax and restraints on state spending, HANJ did not maintain pressure on elected officials, Richard LaRossa, a former state senator, recalled in an interview.
“Looking back now I would have to say Hands Across New Jersey withered and died because activists largely got their way early on,” he observed. “After the state legislature switched over to the Republicans, we took some initial steps like rolling back the sales tax from seven percent to six percent and this turned out to be very positive. The Democrats were screaming that there was going to be a huge revenue loss and that there would be layoffs. But this never materialized. In fact, not only did we make up the revenue, but we actually had a surplus the following year. We also took some initial steps to control spending. But people did not stay active and there is a lesson in that for today’s Tea Party movement.”
Hands Across New Jersey erupted in response to the record $2.8 billion tax hikes Democratic Gov. Jim Florio imposed after taking office in 1990. John Budzash, a postal worker from Howell Township, was instrumental in founding and organizing the movement. Bumper Stickers such as “Impeach Florio” and “Florio Free in 93” were widely circulated in connection with HANJ activism.
“What prompted Hands Across New Jersey was everything being taxed from heavy trucks, toilet paper and paper towels, there was just no limit and people were outraged,” LaRossa said. “There was one monster rally in particular that brought out thousands of people who put rolls of toilet paper on the radio rails and the antennas on their cars. It really was remarkable and I think in the end you have to say the movement did a lot of good. But the lesson for today is that people need to remain active and they should not be complacent under either party.”
There’s no question HANJ yielded significant political dividends for the state Republican Party, which had been locked out of power. The electorate’s growing antipathy toward Florio’s tax hikes found expression in the 1990 elections when Christine Todd Whitman, a former Somerset County Republican freeholder, came within a whisker of upsetting U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, a popular Democrat, who was previously re-elected by comfortable margins. A year later, LaRossa scored one of the biggest upsets in recent political memory when he unseated Gerald Stockman, the Democratic state senator in the 15th district, which includes Trenton. It was LaRossa’s 1991 victory that provided the Republican Party with its veto proof majority in the state legislature.
However, by the time 1993 rolled around, Florio, to his enormous credit, had regained his political footing and went on the offense against Whitman, who emerged as the Republican gubernatorial nominee. Florio, for instance, very shrewdly moved to Whitman’s right on welfare reform, which was a hot topic at the time. Right up until Election Day just about every poll, except for the Asbury Park Press, showed Florio with a clear lead. The national ramifications associated with the gubernatorial contest became clear when James Carville, who had served as a top strategist to President Bill Clinton, interjected himself into the race and helped orchestrate political attack ads built around Whitman’s financial portfolio.
Ultimately, the class warfare tactics backfired. Whitman turned in a very adroit debate performance against Florio and told voters exactly how much she paid in taxes, which in turn helped stir memories. Florio ran for office saying he saw “no need for new taxes” but quickly discovered a $2.8 billion need after moving into the governor’s mansion. The Whitman campaign, which had been extremely disorganized and overly defensive in the early going, clearly benefited from arrival of Ed Rollins, the Republican strategist who helped orchestrate Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide re-election. Another key turning point came when Whitman embraced the very Reaganesque tax-cut package businessman Steve Forbes crafted; the plan called for a 30 percent across the board income tax reduction. Voters could finally see that Whitman was serious about reversing Florio’s policies.
The other factor that deserves mention here is the emergence of the alternative media, which helped give life to HANJ and later the Whitman campaign. While the Internet had not yet gone mainstream, the “John and Ken” show on N.J. 101.5 provided Florio’s critics with a strong platform that helped counterbalance the overt liberalism of the Star Ledger, the Trenton Times and the Bergen Record. The print media has historically assumed a heightened profile in New Jersey in the absence of a major television network.
The other major player here was Bob Grant, a prominent radio personality, who dominated the New York market. In many respects, it was Grant who pioneered the conservative talk radio industry and opened the way for other right-leaning figures locked out of the mainstream media. The “omniscience” of Bob Grant was apparent to anyone else entering the broadcast business at that time another talk show host named Rush Limbaugh acknowledged in his first book, The Way Things Ought to Be.
An articulate, forceful, and often combative, proponent of constitutional limited government, Grant resonated with millions of listeners who resented the elite media’s transparent hostility to long-standing American ideals. Grant was also a persistent critic of political correctness, confiscatory tax policies, racial quotas and open immigration. However, it should be noted he was not purely conservative. Grant, for instance, was pro-choice on abortion, supported some gun control measures and backed euthanasia. These deviations notwithstanding, the talk show host vigorously challenged the left-leaning political establishment in his home state of N.J. and typically supported Republican candidates each election cycle.
Unfortunately for Grant, those same Republicans who benefitted from multiple appearances on his program would later return the favor by capitulating to his critics. In response to complaints from black ministers who accused the radio host of making racially charged comments, Whitman agreed to stop making appearances on Grant’s program after she became governor in 1994. “I felt like a pair of old shoes on a rainy day, the kind that are discarded when one has no further use for them,” Grant was quoted as saying in the New York Times.
During an address to reporters shortly after Whitman’s victory over Florio, Rollins the Republican campaign strategist, made bizarre claims about “walking around money” in the amount of $500,000 that was supposedly used to discourage black voter turnout. Rollins later backpedaled on these remarks. But they could help explain why Whitman felt it is necessary to rebuke Grant at the behest of black ministers. She later reversed herself and went back on the program, but lectured Grant about some of his content. That same year Sen. Frank Lautenberg used Grant as a foil in his successful re-election effort against Garabed “Chuck” Haytaian, who was the Republican state assembly speaker. Haytaian had long association with Grant but maintained his distance during the campaign. From that point forward, Grant was understandably less embracing of the Republican establishment; so were N.J. voters. The party gradually lost ground as it accommodated higher levels of spending.
Budzash, the HANJ founder, was never shy about appearing on Grant’s program where he advanced the group’s anti-tax message. To say that he maintained a healthy separation from the Republican Party would be an understatement. In fact, Budzash actually came around and supported Florio over Whitman in 1993. The move caused no small amount of confusing and consternation at N.J. 101.5, which had built its programming around opposition to Florio and frequently featured Budzash as a guest. His actions may have been unconventional, but they are instructive. HANJ was effective because it was constitutionally motivated and united average citizens who had ideological differences in some areas, Budzash has observed in retrospect.
“We were simply overtaxed average people who were fed up with out of control government, we bonded together and yelled loudly,” he wrote in response to an earlier blog post. “We changed politics in NJ and we fought successfully to repeal taxes, defeat new taxes and stopped new bonded debt proposals. HANJ did not ‘coalesce with the financial and political support of more established entities’ I personally turned down offers of funds from the NRA, the Republican Party and others. We operated on our personal money and small donations. We had members and supporters who were pro-gun, anti-gun, pro-life, pro- abortion, Democrat and Republican. We even had a few liberals and conservatives mixed in with mostly moderate supporters. Our issues were taxes and better government period!”
About the Author
Kevin Mooney is an investigative reporter with free market think tanks associated with the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. He has also written for the Daily Caller, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, NetRightDaily.com and NewsBusters.
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FREE tea| 2.1.11 @ 7:57AM
---Of course the main lesson is that things will NOT
change, or be in any way meaningfully responsive
to the interests of ordinary Americans until the
FED and ALLLLLL the major, ultra-rich, tax free
'charitable' foundations and NGO's ---both here and in Londond, along with ALLLLLL
their New World Order and eugenics agendas
are called out, prosecuted and dismantled...
Alan Brooks| 2.1.11 @ 5:03PM
...the Bilderberg's fluoridation... Caroline Kennedy and John John shot their dad...
Howard Hirsch| 2.1.11 @ 1:45PM
Having lived in Dick La Rossa's home town of Ewing while all of this was going on (and been a GOP hanger-on back then as well), I think I can say that history shows that the HANJ activity represented the peak of the anti-tax movement. The legislature may have rolled back the sales tax back then, but has since quietly raised it again without a bleep of protest.
The fact is that not only did Chris Christie win a very close race, as did Cristie Whitman in both her contests, but the GOP made very little gain in the 2009 legislative races. Let us not forget that Dick regrettably lost his own seat in 1997 to far left radical Shirley Turner.
New Jersey is more strongly Dem than ever, and that is one reason why I long ago decamped for Nevada.
Furthermore, my take on the NJ GOP is that its activists were more concerned with local personality conflicts and political patronage than they were about big picture concerns like taxes and national issues. GOP legislators for the most part reflect that, with some exceptions like state senators Gerry Cardinale and John Scott. I can't imagine that this has changed in the years since I left.
Pat| 2.1.11 @ 2:24PM
Highly successful tax revolts seem as short lived as Hollywood marriages. Just today, the governor of New York is patiently explaining to New York Post readers that New York is in deep kimchee financially – a 10 billion dollar deficit. And his explanation for who is at fault: “why no one is at fault”? New Yorkers are told by their governor it’s all those formulas, rates, entitlements, etc. built into the law which are causing the problem. And who is responsible for building all these automatic increases, formulas, rates – why unnamed elected officials in the misty past are responsible, naturally.
Of course the governor has plans to immediately rectify this situation – politicians always have their “plans” and voters always have to accept these amazing plans as just what is needed, right now, right away, no questions asked. From time to time, voters get very frustrated with these endless series of “plans”, fixes which never seem to work. They get in the smiling faces of politicians, they threaten retaliation at the ballot box. When this happens, politicians suddenly become appropriately humble. “We hear you”, “we feel your pain” – their weasel words fly into the media outlets, intended to placate voters. “Have mercy on us, you voters” they beg us, “it wasn’t us who acted like children, it was those elected clowns who we replaced, we know what to do now that we’re in charge” .
But what can you do with a dysfunctional system of government which never seems to walk the straight and narrow for more than 5 minutes? Balanced budget amendments are the answer we’re told, no wait, it’s really “Term Limits” we need, no wait, it’s “Spending Cuts” which will save us. The Tea Party folks should consider going after those responsible, name names, drag those current and former politicians out from under their protective rocks, demand the media publish their names. Like child molesters recently released from prison, the Tea Party needs to warn taxpayers about these politicians living among us, minutely examine how their collective irresponsibility led to the present disaster, identify their currently serving partners in crime and demand new, “no mercy” laws which hold such politicians financially liable for the mess they created – with perhaps a little jail time as well in one of those spiffy, country club prisons.
For politicians, the inherent beauty of our current system is that no one is personally accountable as long as they meant well - the governor of New York tells us so. But why does it have to be that way?
Pelligrino| 2.2.11 @ 5:05AM
Pat, thank you. You get the "Post of the Day!" award.
I particularly like the "like child molestors recently released... living among us" line. Yes, these politicians are some of the very worst in our society, just a few notches above hardened criminals who spend 3/4 of their adult lives behind bars.
That is really the only way to see it: What politicians do -- those who wantonly and knowingly mismanage public funds -- is IMMORAL.
Where we disagree: "A little jail time?" No, I say LONG sentences and in the general populace prisions.
(people have lost their homes -- in part/not totally -- due to these criminal politicians in the last 3 years...and counting.)
da monk| 2.1.11 @ 5:36PM
Bob Grant is/was a racial bigot!
Wally Edge| 2.1.11 @ 8:11PM
Senator Dick LaRossa is now a tea partier? Will wonders never cease. Back in NJ we remember him as a big pro-union man. As in public employee unions: CWA, AFSCME, NJEA, NEA, you name it. He proposed legislation to make them eligible for pensions in only half the time.
LaRossa voted against tax cuts and for increased urban spending. He helped water down and then defeat term limits. Then to top it off he signed off on the most liberal Supreme Court Chief Justice in our state's history.
Frank| 2.3.11 @ 12:01AM
LaRossa and his partner Steve Sredinski damaged the Tea Party in New Jersey when they hijacked the web site of NJCRLC. This group (NJCRLC)was responsible for stopping same sex marriage in New Jersey and the appointment of Janet Rosenzweig.
LaRossa, a then trustee of the group and his business partner Sredinski were paid more than $5,000.00 to create a web site but after being paid, decided to hijack the site for their own personal gain. LaRossa's actions, along Sredinski's have damaged the tea party movement.
Tom DeCillis| 2.3.11 @ 9:35AM
Thank you for that great insightful article about the Tea Party and HANJ. I wish to add the missing link: United Taxpayers of NJ which I along with Sam Perelli and many others formed in 1976 when the NJ state income tax was enacted. We lead the fight for years along with Bob Grant and Howard Jarvis. You will find much information from sources such as the Newark Star Ledger and the AP etc. Maybe you should contact Bob Grant himself and he can fill in the history of taxpayer activism in NJ.
Wally Edge| 2.16.11 @ 8:25AM
Times, The (Trenton, NJ)
November 10, 1995
THE STATE senator's record was, however, quickly challenged by Hands Across New Jersey, an anti-tax group that called LaRossa ''an enemy of the taxpayer.''
The organization said he either opposed or voted against Gov. Christie Whitman's measure to cut the rate of state income taxes.
''LaRossa seems more interested in helping out liberal, special-interest groups like the state workers' union'' than cutting taxes, the group charged.
Times, The (Trenton, NJ)
October 8, 1993
"LaRossa has also received the endorsement of the Communications Workers of America Locals 1031, 1032, 1033, 1037, 1038, 1039 and 1040, which represent more than 15,000 state workers in Mercer County.
In addition, LaRossa received the endorsement of the state AFL-CIO and all of its affiliated labor unions.
LaRossa said the strong support of labor is warranted, because he has delivered."
Reebok | 8.11.11 @ 4:18AM
is good
John L. Budzash| 10.2.11 @ 1:58PM
regarding the Comment by Wally Edge whose reference to The Trenton Times, November 10, 1995 story
"THE STATE senator's record was, however, quickly challenged by Hands Across New Jersey, an anti-tax group that called LaRossa ''an enemy of the taxpayer.''"
By that time I left HANJ that I started and was with The Taxpayers Taskforce. HANJ took it's toll on many of the good people on the board and left it to try again to be ‘normal people’ and left HANJ in the hands of people on the payroll of Whitman. Most of the remaining Board were rewarded for their loyalty with State jobs or cash payments. Those on Whitman’s Payroll included John Sheridan, a convicted major Crack Cocaine dealer who spent years in a Federal Prison for his lowlife dirty deeds. The reason these bottom of the cesspool clowns spoke out against LaRossa was simple and obvious to most. Whitman paid them to.
3 new board members Mitch Grier, Kathy Quick and Ray Babecki, tried to stop them and restore HANJ to the great group it once was, but Whitmans political connections won the Court Battle and HANJ died as a result
Prior to her run for Governor, Whitman started ‘Citizens for an Affordable NJ’ whose only goals were
#1 to make NJ affordable for the very wealthy like the Whitman’s and
#2 to make sure that happened by getting Whitman elected.
To that end ‘Citizens for an Affordable NJ’ raised millions from rich people and gave that money back to every Republican candidate in the State and also to each County Chairman and to the Republican State Committee to buy their support
Dick opposed Whitman and in spite of her buying support from pretty much all Republican politicians in NJ, LaRossa could not be tricked into supporting her nor be bribed like most others .
Dick and I did not agree on all things and we certainly had our significant differences, but it was my opinion based on his integrity and his actions that he may do the wrong things but not for the wrong reasons and he was at that time among, if not THE best choice, for NJ Governor . No politician or human is perfect in every way and all will say some things you agree with as well as others you disagree with. It’s integrity that counts most. I have never found LaRossa lacking in Integrity as he stated his job was to work for the people in his district a job he did quite well.
John L. Budzash| 10.2.11 @ 2:03PM
Tom DeCillis comment mentioned Sam Perelli, who was in fact a true Taxpayers Hero. I feel Sam should be inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame .
SAM introduced me to Bob Grant and got Grant to speak at our Rally on July 1, 1990. Sam and I shared Mic time at many Radio Stations and TV shows. Sam never had an ego. His only interest was that I and HANJ were a success and to that end he helped us tirelessly
Sam was dedicated like no other human on earth working to improve life for all people in NJ. A few years prior to his death, I was asked to speak at a Libertarian function honoring Sam. As always I never prepare anything. I speak from the heart and speak the truth so unless I need certain facts and figures to be accurate I see little need to prep.
I listened to others speak of Sam and as I started to speak it hit me what he was. I simply stated the truth. I was a bit hesitant because as I was speaking I knew it may be misconstrued . I said Sam was the Cockroach of NJ politics. He's been around forever, he's annoying as Hell, no matter what they do or try, they can NOT get rid of him. Sam got a kick out of my analogy and often brought it up afterwards in our conversations.
It should be known in his final months, knowing he was dying, Sam proved me partially correct. He was still unstoppable. Sam and I successfully worked together fighting Whitman’s proposed Gas Tax increase. I lobbied in Trenton and Sam in his death bed lobbied making phone calls. The part I was wrong about was Sam is not around forever…………….I miss him, his tenacity, his wisdom and guidance made me a better man and New Jersey a better place to live.
John L. Budzash| 10.2.11 @ 3:06PM
My 2 preceding comments help slightly to explain why I endorsed Florio. I will say I knew Whitman and she is the lowest of the low in politics . What she could but get by sweet talk she’s bribe, or bully to get. She was the single most self serving person I ever had the displeasure to know.
NJ Republican Chairman Bob Franks and Speaker Haytaiaan tried unsuccessfully to start a tax revolt against Florio in the late winter/early spring of 1990. There was zero interest.
When I stared HANJ they sent in NRA operatives Rick Manning and Richard Feldman top try to steer us and take us over for their personal needs. Feldmans NJ office was in Franks Legislative office. After Franks tried to run for Congress a few years later and switched position on his Pro Gun views Feldman confessed to his role trying to defeat Franks in the election.
At the same time Chuck and Bob were screwing with HANJ, Whitman financed a takeover attempt of HANJ using a smarmy character later tied to the mob a wealthy buffoon named Michael Francis who she later rewarded with the no pay but prestigious job as head of the NJ Sports Authority. Francis was wealthy but a bit of a social nobody. This no pay job got his ugly mug in the papers society columns all the time which was what he wanted
and as a new comer to politics bought and bullied her way to the top.
I fought off 6 attempts take over HANJ all funded by Whitman, Chuck and Bob and immediacy after winning one another began. Keeping HANJ going was 2 full time jobs for each board member who were all unpaid while we fought high paid politicians, lawyers and others mostly using our own money to do so. There was so much behind the scenes BS going on mostly started by both Chuck & Bob or Whitman that no story involving HANJ can be accurate without writing a full length novel about it.
I knew Whitman would be the worst governor ever in NJ and I was correct. She bonded us into a huge debt, misspent our tax dollars and pretty much did illegal things to help make her financial friends more wealthy. Her tax cuts saved her enough each month to pay for her to enjoy a 1st class chauffer limo to NYC to Tavern on The Green and a Top Broadway show followed by a luxury suite in a top 5 star hotel. The average taxpayer saved ALMOST enough for a Value meal at McDonalds.
You must understand that property taxes on the estates of Whitman and many mega wealthy people are a merely tiny fraction of the amount they pay in NJ State income taxes so property taxes are not an issue with the Whitman’s Kean’s and possibly Chris Christy. Only time will tell for Chris Christy
After she was elected, most Tax Activists referred to Whitman as ‘Madame Fee Fee’ because she never met a fee she did not raise. When she left office her bonded debt alone was more than Florios entire budget and bonded debt combined!!!!! By the way she often referred to Florio as “the worst Governor in NJ History” I say 3rd place maybe. # 1 is now Whitman and 2’nd is Tom Kean who as Governor when the economy was booming and the State coffers were running over, doubled spending from about 6 to over 12 billion a year instead of lowering taxes as he could have and should have
Even her welfare for the wealthy programs were not enough for Whitman who owns 2 huge tax dodge fake ‘farms’ Her Hubby John actually moved his main business to the Cayman Islands to avoid all State and Federal taxes
Property taxes were then as they are now, the top issue of concern of the majority of NJ residents yet not one politician has done a microscopic thing to try to address that problem
I like Chris Christy. But as he stated he is not ready to run for President and in truth accomplished very little so far.
I like much of his style but so far rate him at 35% for effort and 25% for results. That’s because I and most people in NJ are drowning in insane Property taxes. When he was running I gave him a few papers on UEZ’s and how to reform property taxes. He implemented a few UEZ ideas I gave him but zero on property taxes. If Christy takes my simple proposal and makes it happen it will be a significant first step toward Property Tax Reform
While a big business may bring 1000 new jobs, it’s the small business that built the USA and are the backbone of the USA economy. We do not need tax breaks for the wealthy. We need PROPERTY TAX REFORM NOW for all people.
This is a octopus issue whose tax sucking arms grab many things. ILLEGAL immigrants, Property Taxes, General Taxes, Environmental Laws all need to be addressed in order to bring NJ back to being an affordable state again. If Christy does something as promised to bring NJ around I’ll be the 1st to vote for him again but until then no. I really like the guy. I voted for him and I’ll say he’s absolutely the best governor we have had yet, BUT considering who came before him, that does not say much. So far that bar is way too low to make him a worthy candidate for a 2nd term as governor much less for President
العاب بنات | 4.11.12 @ 4:14PM
is very nic