New Jersey’s first Sikh mayor is preparing to take office on New Year’s Day and is already voicing his opinions about the new Republican tax law. Ravinder Bhalla, Mayor-Elect of Hoboken, says that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is an assault from red states to blue states, on a national level. He claims that, at a local level, the attack is aimed at the residents of New Jersey. The state has a high tax rate, and the new plan limits deductions taxpayers can receive on state and local taxes up to $10,000. In the past, taxpayers did not have a capped limit. “That’s going to have a huge economic impact on New Jersey, New York, California, and other states,” Bhalla said. “I am making sure I will do everything I can as mayor, to protect Hoboken residents where policies from Washington impact us, whether it's economic or otherwise,” he said. The Tax Cut and Jobs Act goes into effect in the new year, but elected officials have already begun to take action. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently passed an “emergency executive action” plan that allows property owners to pay taxes ahead of the new legislation. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/hobokens-first-sikh-mayor-to-be-inaugurated).

Share:
More In Politics
Georgia Primaries Show Limits of Former President Trump's Influence
Cheddar Politics takes a deeper look at the takeaways from the Georgia primary elections on Tuesday. Georgia Public Broadcasting's local and state politics reporter, Stephen Fowler, joins us to discuss the limits of Trump endorsements and break down what the outcome in each race means.
Calls Grow for Social Media to Flag Threats in Wake of School Shooting
After learning that the suspect in the Uvalde school shooting posted about his intentions on Facebook, activists are urging social networks to make changes. Lena Derhally, a licensed psychotherapist and author of "The Facebook Narcissist," joined Cheddar News to discuss the role social media plays in school shootings. "They're not really invested in taking down hateful content," she said about social platforms."In regards to the shooting, it was 15 minutes before that actual threat. It would be pretty hard for a social media company to trace that threat that quickly. But what they can do better is take down threats and hateful content much faster and more than they're doing now."
Calls for Gun Reform Once Again in Aftermath of Uvalde School Shooting
Following the mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two adults dead, the debate over gun control has been reignited. While studies have shows most Americans agree on some additional regulations, there hasn't been much legislative traction even as gun violence worsens in the country. Brian Lemek, the executive director of Defend The Vote and the former executive director at Brady PAC for gun control, joined Cheddar to discuss reform efforts. "The lawmakers that we have aren't passing these at the federal level," he said. "That's the problem. We have the wrong people in charge."
Terra Collapse Leaves Questions About Impact on Broader Crypto Market
The crypto industry is still reeling from Terra's recent crash. The company's blockchain was temporarily halted earlier this month after the collapse of its cryptocurrency Luna (LUNA) and its stablecoin TerraUSD (UST), which led to almost $45 billion being wiped from the tokens' market caps within a week. Now, many are left wondering what Terra's struggles mean for the broader crypto market. Reeve Collins, CEO of the NFT platform BLOCKv, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell from Davos 2022 to discuss.
Joe Sanberg's Efforts to Increase Minimum Wage in California
The average city in California has a 38% higher cost of living than the average American city, according to a cost of living index. For many, the general minimum wage of $15/hour just doesn't cut it. Anti-poverty activist Joe Sanberg wants to get the minimum wage changed to $18/hour. He joins Cheddar News to discuss the Living Wage Act of 2022.
Load More