BERGEN COUNTY, NJ - A new Democratic attack ad is blasting Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli for "talking about a 10% sales tax" on food and clothing, but a closer look at his remarks shows he was referencing another state's system, not laying out a plan for New Jersey.
We looked into the comment and found no evidence that Ciattarelli ever said he would institute a 10% sales tax, but simply cited how Tennessee has a 10% sales tax. Sherrill's attack ad intentionally omitted that Ciattarelli also cited the state has no income tax.
During a June 4 rally in Bergen County (not Bergen), Ciattarelli responded to a question about whether he would consider swapping sales tax for income tax. He pointed to Tennessee, which has no state income tax but a 10% sales tax applied to nearly all goods, including food and clothing.
It could have also been said that "Jack Ciattarelli to abolish income tax in New Jersey" using the same logic, but he did not say that either. Instead, he cited one example of how one state handles revenue and said that he would look into all options to reduce the tax burden on New Jersey residents, which under Democrat Governor Phil Murphy remains one of the highest taxed states in America.
"I just came back from Tennessee not too long ago ... Tennessee has no income tax. What Tennessee has is a 10% sales tax on everything, including food and clothing," Ciattarelli said, according to audio released by American Bridge 21st Century, a liberal PAC. "We're going to look at what other states do. And every option is on the table."
New Jersey's current sales tax is 6.625%, with groceries and clothing exempt. Ciattarelli did not state he would adopt Tennessee's model, instead telling the crowd he wanted to restructure and simplify income tax brackets, saying he favored rates of 3%, 4% and 5%.
FACT: While New Jersey is ranked among the highest taxed states in America, Tennessee is ranked 47 out of 50. This is due to its abolition of income taxes in favor of a 10% sales tax statewide, making it an attractive exit state for New Jersey retirees.
The actual audio provided by American Bridge 21st Century is furt
her evidence that the audio was selectively cut and spliced to mislead voters, intentionally.
FACT: Under the leadership of Democrat Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Democrats who also control both houses of the New Jersey legislature, taxes are among the highest in the country. Governor Murphy once said if taxes were your main concern, New Jersey isn't the state for you.
The comments, however, are featured prominently in a new ad launched by the Greater Garden State PAC, which is backed by the Democratic Governors' Association. The spot claims Ciattarelli is pushing a "50% sales tax increase on essential goods like food and clothes."
Fact-checkers note that while Ciattarelli did cite Tennessee's 10% sales tax system, he did so as a hypothetical example within a discussion about replacing income tax, not as a proposal for New Jersey.
At no point in the conversation did Ciattarelli say he would raise the sales tax in New Jersey.
Key Points
The political fight shows how one line at a rally can become campaign ammunition on the New Jersey tra