A quick look in the dictionary defines house of mirrors as a confusing or disorienting situation in which it is difficult to distinguish between truth and illusion, or between competing versions of reality. When it comes to reality, I wonder whether Governor Murphy is making policy in a house of mirrors. A key component of candidate Murphy’s campaign platform was to increase taxes by $1.7 billion, mainly by taxing the rich, and this he is prepared to do. However, he has increased fees on many New Jersians who are not rich, they may not have been aware. Here illusion begins to distort reality. April 12, 2018 was a horrible day for New Jersey taxpayers. The Democratic legislature, at the behest of Governor Murphy, was in the mood for imposing three mandates-in effect increased taxes-on the citizens. The first mandate scheme was under the guise of a grandiose green energy initiative, where New Jersey taxpayers are going to pay the cost as an electric bill surcharge. We’re not talking about a couple of bucks here, but over $5 billion collected from (you) through utility companies over a six year period. (A3723) Additionally, as with other taxes, there is no period when the surcharge terminates...not even something like the bogus Brendan Byrne promise, that the first ever New Jersey income tax was going to be temporary. The money generated from this surcharge will be deposited into the “Clean Energy Fund.” But not for purposes of clean energy. The fund will ostensibly be raided to support the Governor’s runaway spending. That means the first three years’ collections will total approximately $910 million per year and then $708 million each subsequent year into perpetuity, while the Governor’s FY2019 budget allocates only $160 million for the fund. This money can be used for projects unrelated to solar and wind energy, including NJ Transit. That leaves the Governor with three-quarters of a billon dollars, $750 million each year, for whatever he sees fit. That way, when (if) the Governor runs for reelection, he could report that there have been no tax increases, when in reality he has imposed them clandestinely.