West Orange Op-Ed: A Different Take On Frelinghuysen’s Tax Vote

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following letter to the editor comes courtesy of West Orange resident Elizabeth Brewer Redwine in response to our articles, “Frelinghuysen Votes Against Tax Reform Bill” and “Frelinghuysen's Vote On Tax Reform Sparks Outrage In New Jersey.” Send local news tips and letters to the editor to eric.kiefer@patch.com

It is vital that we, the constituents of the 11th congressional district and our fellow New Jersey neighbors who will be impacted by the new tax bill and its very real impact on SALT, or State and Local Tax deductions understand the meaning behind Rodney Frelinghuysen's current "no" vote.

He claimed that he "simply could not support the legislation due to very negative impacts it would have on so many of my fellow New Jerseyans.”

Frelinghuysen, however, voted "yes" on the budget that furthered this tax bill when he could have stopped that legislation and when the Republican party needed him to vote for their plan. His current "no" vote has no impact on the bill's passage through the house.

One of his staffers explained the flip-flop on the phone with me today as an effort to protect Frelinghuysen's goals in appropriations.

When I asked him if he thought that Frelinghuysen's "yes" vote on the budget helped move the tax bill forward, the staffer began to claim that he knew nothing about the connection.

If the congressman truly wanted to help and protect his constituents from a bill that favors those inheriting wealth over the middle and working classes, he had a chance that he missed when he chose to vote yes on the budget.

He had a chance to stand up for those of us who are not of the billionaire class when he approved the earlier budget, and he failed at that opportunity to serve the vast majority of his constituents.

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Photo: frelinghuysen.house.gov