New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday announced he will maintain a tax reciprocity agreement between his state and Pennsylvania. Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) welcomed the news along with other area cross-state commuters.
Since July, Santarsiero has worked with legislative offices in both states to dissuade Christie from breaking from a 39-year-old agreement that allows Pennsylvanians who work in New Jersey to pay income taxes in their home state, and vice versa. Santarsiero and other southeastern Pennsylvania legislators circulated a petition, which gathered more than 5,000 signatures.
In a news release, Christie said that offsetting savings in New Jersey’s 2017 budget saved the deal.
“This action will save State taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in health care benefit costs, and I’m proud my administration was again able to work with elected officials from both sides of the aisle and many labor union representatives to achieve these savings,” Gov. Christie said. “By addressing a potential $250 million budget deficit from growing healthcare costs, we are now able to save an income tax reciprocity agreement with Pennsylvania that protects tens of thousands of hard working New Jerseyans from having to pay more income taxes.”
Rep. Santarsiero said that he is happy the deal will remain, but resents the fact that families and taxpayers were used as political footballs.
“This action will save State taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in health care benefit costs, and I’m proud my administration was again able to work with elected officials from both sides of the aisle and many labor union representatives to achieve these savings,” Gov. Christie said. “By addressing a potential $250 million budget deficit from growing healthcare costs, we are now able to save an income tax reciprocity agreement with Pennsylvania that protects tens of thousands of hard working New Jerseyans from having to pay more income taxes.”
Rep. Santarsiero said that he is happy the deal will remain, but resents the fact that families and taxpayers were used as political footballs.
"I’m glad that hard-working taxpayers on both sides of the river won this fight," Rep. Santarsiero said. "Our collective voice won the day.
"Thousands of Bucks County families will be better off for it. Thank you to all those families for lending me their voice in the fight."
