Truth-O-Meter checks claims on deficit, NJ property taxes
Republican claims about national debt and New Jersey property taxes did well this weekend on the Truth-O-Meter.
In case you missed it, Rep. Leonard Lance earned a True on Sunday for his claim that President Obama failed to halve the national deficit. Gov. Chris Christie received a Mostly True on Monday for his statement that property taxes climbed 70 percent in the decade before he took office.
Lance claim
The District 7 congressman pointed to the president’s broken promise during an Oct. 11 debate against Democratic state Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula. The two will face off in the Nov. 6 election.
Obama pledged in February 2009 to halve the deficit. Since becoming president the deficit has fallen from $1.4 trillion to $1.1 trillion — not half, according to figures from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Obama has acknowledged that he hasn’t kept his promise, noting “this recession turned out to be a lot deeper than any of us realized.”
Christie claim
The governor made his claim about New Jersey property taxes during an Oct. 16 town hall meeting in West Milford, where he announced $116 million in savings for local governments across the state.
PolitiFact New Jersey determined that property taxes actually climbed 71 percent in the 10 years before Christie took office, not including rebates. When tax rebates are factored in, the actual increase in property taxes is about 50 percent.
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Our Sources
PolitiFact New Jersey, Barack Obama broke promise to cut annual deficit in half by the end of his first term, Rep. Leonard Lance says, Oct. 21, 2012
PolitiFact New Jersey, Chris Christie says property taxes jumped 70 percent in decade before he took office as governor, Oct. 22, 2012
