(LYNDHURST, OCTOBER 23) - Two days after a federal moratorium on Internet taxation expired, Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Bret Schundler signed a pledge Tuesday afternoon saying that he will not place a tax on Internet access.

“New Jersey residents are taxed enough,” Schundler said. “We have high sales taxes, high income taxes, and high property taxes. We should be looking to cut taxes -- not to add another tax to that burden.”

With the expiration of the federal moratorium, the door has been opened for states to place a tax on Internet access. If the state were to take advantage of this new taxing power residents could see a new tax on every bill they receive from their Internet service provider.

Schundler signed the pledge against Internet taxation at Digital Ink, a Lyndhurst-based web development and hosting company that has clients throughout the United States.

“Jim McGreevey has been offered this pledge, but has refused to sign it, just as he has refused to sign other pledges against tax increases,” Schundler said. “Jim McGreevey has raised taxes on income, property, electricity, soap and toilet paper. Because he won’t sign this pledge, I think it is reasonable to suspect he would jump at the opportunity to place a tax on something that until now he has not been able to.”

“New Jerseyans should know that when I’m Governor they will not have to worry about being taxed when they access the Internet. Given his past record, if Jim McGreevey is elected, it’s a good bet that they will. That’s a clear choice.”