Another reason why the new COAH rules are bad for New Jersey....

[Cranbury Conservative]

As we are all aware of this month new Council on Affordable Hosing (COAH) rules went into effect in New Jersey.

A key area of concern for New Jersey residents is these rules which force businesses in New Jersey to pay for one (1) affordable housing unit for every 16 jobs which they create.

For instance a business here in Cranbury which creates 16 new jobs would then have an obligation to pay $145,000 towards one affordable hosing unit.

So we loose RCAs as well as new job opportunities for the people who will be moving into the affordable housing in Cranbury.

It appears the COAH rules and A-500 both contradict each other.

Does one hand in Trenton know what the other is doing?


http://cranburyconservative.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-affordable-housing-rules-more-taxes.html

[James]

Did I miss the senate vote? I thought the senate was still discussing the bill and that it had not yet come up for a vote. I know the Assembly passed the bill. I was away last week so I did not read the Trenton Times and may have missed the vote.

[??]

[Cranbury Conservative]

The rule I am speaking of for the one affordable housing unit for every 16 jobs is a COAH rule which went into effect June 2nd and is seperate from the A-500 bill which does away with RCAs and was passed the assembly last week.

The senate could vote as early as today on A-500 or sometime this week. My guess is they need to get the budget to Corzine first then they will try to push A-500 throught next.

Oh and to answer the other question the employer pays the $145,000.

[Guest]

"A key area of concern for New Jersey residents is these rules which force businesses in New Jersey to pay for one (1) affordable housing unit for every 16 jobs which they create. "

I think this rule is better than estimating the jobs created based on square-footage used by a business.

[Cranbury Conservative]

[Guest]

Any other states in the US have similar "affordable housing" rules?

[James]

I agree this is insane. NJ's politicians are driving people and businesses out of the state. Just look at AT&T and what is happening with their jobs moving to Texas. This morning the Trenton Times had an article about Corzine being seen as a financial genius and Obama looking to him as his Financial guru.

All Obama needs to do is see the state of NJ and he'll understand the last thing he would be getting with Corzine is a financial guru.

If one wants to see how poor policy doomed a state and city all one needs to do is look at Hartford, CT. The state and city implemented a ton of policies that helped the less fortunate and homeless. The goal was good. However, what happened was that the homeless moved to Hartford because they knew they could get a good deal there. The state taxed businesses and between the taxes and resulting increase in crime Hartford went from being the US insurance capitol to being an empty city. CT has learned, but I fear NJ will not given that the politicans are above the mess and have the unions in their back pocket to ensure they are re-elected.

[Guest]

I heard about Corzine being Obama's financial guru on this morning's New York Public Radio (WNYC). There is a speculation that Corzine may become Treasury Secretary if Obama wins in November (good riddance?).

The Hartford, CT example is interesting. The "Overall Hartford Crime Index" per 100,000 people is 8384.7 vs. the National, 4479.3.

http://hartford.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm

The key to help less fortunate people is job training and education related assistance (e.g., college tuition assistance), not giving free money or stuff.

[James]

That number is actually an improvement because the city has been cleaned up big time over the last 5-10 years. It was much worse than that number. One of the reasons the Whalers left Hartford was because they couldn't get people to come into the city.