Angela Delli Santi
NBC New York
November 14, 2012
Gov. Chris Christie is warning New Jerseyans living in storm-wrecked towns that they’re likely to see higher local property taxes to help pay for rebuilding.
Christie, dressed in a suit and tie and working in the Statehouse for the first time since Sandy ravaged the state two weeks ago, said an exemption to the state’s 2 percent tax cap law is emergencies like Sandy, which destroyed coastal towns, knocked out rail service and left 2.7 million households in the dark. While municipalities can expect federal reimbursement for most storm-related cleanup costs, residents will most likely foot the bill for rebuilding.
“It’s got to be paid for,” Christie said at a post-storm briefing Tuesday. “No one’s ever happy with higher taxes. But the fact is, what annoys people more than anything else is waste. As long as they know that their money’s being spent in a way that’s helping bring the town back to life, I think people will understand.”
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