Improving life in the Garden State

Kaplan said he also supports replacing the state income tax with user fees.

“We did not have a state income tax until 1976, and nine states do not have a state income tax,” he said. “It was meant to pay for education, and we ended up both with the state income tax and the highest property taxes in the country.”

He said he supports protecting the environment by forcing polluters to pay for damages and enacting property rights to control pollution.

“I support including air and water into the legal system of property rights for the purposes of litigation against polluters,” Kaplan said.

He said Jersey residents should be able to choose their energy providers to lower costs.

Kaplan also supports cashless bail, civilian review boards, the release of Internal Affairs Records and “Use of Force” reporting even when no firearm is discharged by a police officer.

“I am opposed to qualified immunity, racial profiling, no-knock searches, preventive detention, asset forfeiture (where private property is seized without due process) and asset freezing of the accused,” he said in a statement. “I support issuing pardons for anyone convicted at the state level of a nonviolent, victimless crime and I support jury nullification — your right as a juror to vote your conscience, if you believe the law is unjust.”

He said he believes in a woman’s right to seek an abortion in New Jersey, but opposes use of taxpayers to fund the procedure.

Kaplan said he’s running for governor because he wants the people of New Jersey to feel like there’s a candidate who represents their values.

“If you believe in some of my proposals and you agree with the solutions that I have, and you agree that those issues need to be addressed, then please vote for me,” he said.

Kaplan has been endorsed by the Libertarian Party.