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).
