Seeking to tap into the knowledge state employees have of how government wastes money every day, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande has launched a web site encouraging them to report ways – big and small – for New Jersey to save money.

The website’s launch coincides with America ’s tax-filing deadline with hopes that workers will find ways to make future filings less burdensome for fellow New Jerseyans.

“While big-ticket examples of waste and fraud catch the most attention, New Jersey’s bloated bureaucracy also fritters away nickels and dimes daily, which adds up to large losses for taxpayers,” Casagrande, R-Monmouth and Mercer, said. “And no one knows about New Jersey ’s wasteful systems than better than its workers who have a front-row seat to the way that government mindlessly spends tax dollars.”

Spurred by a constituent’s call, Casagrande will compile employees’ examples of waste submitted to www.stopgovernmentwastenj.com and plans to take their suggestions to state department heads for implementation. Workers making suggestions can identify themselves or submit anonymously. The website will keep any name submitted confidential.

“Despite the stereotype, many state workers are diligent, conscientious and aware of simple changes government can make to save money,” Casagrande said. “Too often, however, their ideas get lost in the state’s large bureaucracy, or remain unspoken for fear of retribution.

This web site will not allow good ideas to be ignored, but it will provide a venue for workers to submit good ideas anonymously if they worry about retaliation for suggesting change or reporting abuse.”

Casagrande got the idea after a constituent called to suggest some cost-savings measures such as charging a fee when people file motions to change child support orders or stop mailing the same glossy brochure every three months with child support statements that are often returned by the post office.

Those employees who are willing to place their names on their suggestion would be eligible for existing programs that reward employees for saving money, but some departments have let their programs go unfunded. Casagrande encouraged residents to call their lawmakers to urge that all employee tax-saving suggestion award programs be reinstated.

“State employees, such as this constituent, want to deliver savings for taxpayers that will go beyond the one-shot gimmicks and unsustainable tax increases proposed by Governor Corzine,” Casagrande said. “The governor’s attempts to cut the budget from top down have clearly failed because department heads trying to defend their fiefdoms have little incentive to save tax dollars. We should try to cut from the bottom up because those in the trenches have the best perspective of government waste.

“Everyday working Janes and Joes can help us,” Casagrande added.

PARSIPPANY, NJ - Today, Chris Christie released the following statement regarding The Tax Foundation's annual "Tax Freedom Day Report".

The 2009 "Tax Freedom Day Report", released today, assigns each state a date based on how many days its citizens have to work to pay their taxes each year. New Jersey's date is April 29th, second to last in the country, meaning New Jerseyans have to work 119 days in 2009 (from January 1st to April 29th) to just cover their taxes:

"This is just another indicator that tells us what we already know - Trenton taxes too much, it spends too much, and it borrows too much. It's why we have to work 119 days this year just to cover our taxes - second worst in the nation. It's why our business climate is ranked last in the country. It's why we've had a net loss of nearly 350,000 New Jerseyans to other states this decade. New Jerseyans need to start working for their families, not the government. I'll cut personal and small business taxes and require a 2/3 majority of the Legislature to raise taxes, require a sunset provision on any new programs and use an elected State Auditor to cut wasteful spending."