Although a majority of Assembly members (47 to 33) voted for the bill, Democrats did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to override it
Clik here to view.
The New Jersey Assembly debates and votes on "millionaires tax" bill in Trenton in May. TRENTON — Democrats have failed to override Gov. Chris Christie’s veto of a tax that would increase taxes on income more than $1 million.
The bills, which would devote the proceeds to restoring property tax rebates for seniors and the disabled, died on the Assembly floor today when Democrats could not convert any Republicans who voted against it last month, when it passed strictly along partisan lines.
Although a majority of Assembly members (47 to 33) voted for the bill, Democrats did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to override it. The override would have required flipping seven Republican votes. Because the override attempt failed in the Assembly, where the bill originated, the Senate will not attempt it.
The Assembly and Senate both passed the millionaires tax last month strictly along partisan lines, only to see it vetoed by Christie minutes later.
The bill would have raised the tax rate on income over $1 million for approximately 16,000 households. A companion bill, also vetoed by Christie, would have devoted the funds to restoring property tax rebates for the seniors and disabled as well as cuts to state-supplemented senior drug programs that have since been reversed.
The Assembly first took up the companion bill, which Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth) said would not help seniors because there is no money to restore rebates.
"What can help (seniors) is a hard 2.5 percent cap on property taxes," she said.
| 'Millionaires tax' bills pass both houses, but are vetoed by Gov. Christie |
