Confidant to Governor Christie and NJ State Senator Joe Kyrillos attended a Middletown Board of Education budget forum recently and started talking about how now is the time to allow "really smart people" to make decisions about how to handle the budget crisis that effects the school system due to the Governors budget cuts. He just doesn't think he's one of those really smart people apparently: (h/t Middletown Mike)
On the losing side, well, just about everything else.
When it comes to the service cuts and fare increases for NJ Transit however, this is a world of hurt for New Jerseyans on so many levels. NJ Transit recently released a "proposal" with public hearings to be held later this month, that deal with a 25% fare increase in many instances to deal with the funding cuts Christie proposed last month. On top of the fare increase - which largely hits those who commute into Manhattan for work as well as those who rely on public transportation (read: more lower and middle income people) to get to work or to get around. So while the super rich get a tax cut that can help them with their vacation home or 4th car, everyone else gets a transportation tax increase.
Further modernization of these systems in New Jersey is fundamental to providing a safe and operational infrastructure while improving the quality of life for the state's residents.
So not only does Christie screw over those who can afford it least, he does it by cutting mass transit and public transportation services, which could very well lead to more use of cars, more pollution and more stress on our already overstrained roads and bridges.
But at least Wal-Mart and the super rich will be happy.
The campaign of Jon Runyan is off to a sputtering start, though he now has the backing of all county parties in the 3rd District. First it was revealed that he's a donkey farmer masquerading as an elephant. Then he had his uninspiring debut in Camden County. This line stands out to me and has been repeated a few times already:
Runyan says he believes the country is being taken in the wrong direction by career politicians.
It seems like this will be a standard attack from Runyan. Here's the problem. Jon Runyan does like some career politicians. After all, Dawn Addiego who helped Runyan to run, was a councilwoman for many years, then a freeholder and now is an Assemblywoman. And then when asked who he admires:
Asked what political figure he admires, he in fact names Christie.
That would be the same Chris Christie, who was a freeholder, fundraiser, appointed US Attorney and then elected Governor. I guess it's ok be a career politician if he likes you, but not if he's running against you?
Those of us in the medical field know that without the right diagnosis, you can't cure the real problem.
Right now, New Jersey is facing trying economic times. Our deficits are running high and most of our citizens feel overtaxed. Governor Christie was elected on this wave of economic anxiety. But this doesn't mean reducing or eliminating vital services and the people who provide those services is the right fix. In fact, it's the wrong fix for our communities and for our economy.
This is not an accusation from Democrats. It comes from sex-obsessed wingnuts on a reactionary website who claim Christie's nominee for Child Services is affiliated with groups promoting juvenile sexuality.
Ever since Jocelyn Elders wingnuts have been obsessed with the idea of using accusations of promoting pedophilia to torpedo nominees and embarrass politicians who don't march to their reactionary tune.
It's going to be difficult to keep track of all the promises that Governor Christie breaks, which Candidate Christie made if things keep going as they've started. Lets see what candidate Christie said:
The last thing Chris will do is to follow Corzine's lead in eliminating property tax rebates for 1.2 million New Jerseyans. The rebate currently is the only property tax relief we have, and it provides much needed, meaningful help while we put in place other reforms. We keep the rebate in place to give taxpayers some breathing room in these tough economic times.
Not only wasn't he going to cut, he was going to restore the cuts he said Corzine had made to the program, even though people said he numbers didn't add up. During the primary, Christie attacked Steve Lonegan with a radio ad saying he would get rid of property tax rebates to differentiate his position. But now Governor Christie has a new plan and it could be his latest broken promise if he follows through:
Gov. Christie is considering scaling back or eliminating property-tax rebates in his budget proposal, a move that could yield significant savings but would mean going back on a campaign pledge.
Democrats wasted no time pointing out Christie's latest flip flop and Joe Cryan remined people that it was Christie himself who called reducing property tax rebates 'a declaration of war on the middle class' and pointed to what Republican leaders said just last year
"After all, I couldn't agree more with a key Republican leader who just last year said cutting rebates 'is actually a tax increase' that 'will take money out of people's pockets and continue to drive middle class taxpayers and senior citizens to bankruptcy.'
"That same leader also added, 'It is of great concern when people cannot rely on the governor to keep his word.'
Adam has documented some of the other examples where the middle class will take it on the chin from decisions the Governor is making. Christie is trying to say he has no choice, but while he was handed the problem he is choosing the solutions he wants to go with. Christie's fantasy land promises are coming back to bite New Jerseyans in the ass. And in many cases, its those residents that can least afford that are feeling the burden. He'll continue to say he's not raising taxes, but it's really a word game because at the end of the day, we're all paying more and getting less. It's simply a transfer of who is footing the bill.
With 27 states having borrowed about $30 billion from the feds to pay their unemployment claims, it is "just not possible" to cover all of the costs "in this budget climate," Menendez said following a meeting of New Jersey's congressional delegation with Gov. Chris Christie today. Menendez said he would work to delay New Jersey's interest payments, or perhaps forgive them entirely, to provide some degree of federal help.
It's too bad Christie contributed to this climate with his attacks on the stimulus, but after all, it worked out for him.
Meanwhile, Senators Lautenberg and Menendez are outraged that Republican SenatorJim Bunning continues to block unemployement insurance.
"At the stroke of midnight, more than one million jobless Americans lost critical benefits they rely on to help pay for housing, feed their families and afford health care," said Sen. Lautenberg. "Blocking unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits is proof positive that Republicans care more about scoring political points than helping working families survive these tough economic times. Families are struggling every day to make ends meet, and I will work to end this Republican filibuster as soon as possible."
I agree with 100% with Lautenberg, but as we asked before, what's he going to doabout it? If this is so critical, why was it left for the last weekend? Why did the Senate go into recess instead of working through the cloture delay all weekend? When will Democrats pledge to reform the rules against these endless filibuster delays, and why not threaten the Republican-created idea of the nuclear constitutional option? Why isn't the President on network TV denouncing this? (Okay, network TV is talking about Bunning.)
In the "surprising side effects category," it turns out that Bunning has also stopped the "Medicare fix" meaning that doctors get an immediate 21% reduction in their fees for seeing Medicare patients. These are the cuts that Republicans like Frank LoBiondo made law but now posture against. In addition, thousands of people have been thrown out of work by Bunning. It's pathetic, and while Republicans are responsible, Democrats are their enablers.
With state and local budgets in crisis and a new governor in office vowing to slash labor costs, public employees are undoubtedly worried about their salaries and benefits, if not their job security. Just days into his term, Governor Chris Christie's transition team released a report suggesting that public employee wage freezes would apply to teachers. Last week, the State Senate passed a package of bills that would limit pensions for new government hires and require that public employees pay at least 1.5% of their salary for health insurance premiums.
However, there is one group that looks like it will come through the crisis mostly unscathed: local police officers. Going after police officer compensation is not a politically popular move, and elected officials in both parties, especially at the state level, go to great lengths to avoid angering police unions. Even Governor Christie, who eagerly picks fights with the NJEA and generally terrorizes public employees, refuses to criticize the compensation of police officers in New Jersey. The first three items on his campaign's "fact vs. fiction" page talk about how he will protect police and firefighter pensions, how Jon Corzine won't, and how Christie will oppose any shift from defined benefit to defined contribution in police and firefighter pensions. The new governor has shown relatively little interest in reforming the binding arbitration system that League of Municipalities chairman William Dressell calls "the primary reason for the continual increase of the cost of government".
New Jersey's police officers are the most well-paid in the nation. The average law enforcement officer in the state earns $79,790 per year. New Jersey police officers make 64% more than the average worker, which is second only to Nevada. New Jersey teachers, a favorite punching bag for the Republican Governor, make just 26% more than the average worker, which is equal to the national average. Even after we account for the above-average number of charter and private schools in the state, New Jersey teacher pay relative to the average worker still ranks safely outside of the top 10. Unlike law enforcement officers, New Jersey teachers must have a bachelors degree, which requires four years of time out of the workforce and (often) a significant amount of money to obtain. If, as Chris Christie seems to believe, New Jersey teachers are overpaid, then New Jersey cops are egregiously overpaid.
The only way to get police salaries under control is to reform New Jersey's binding arbitration law. Binding arbitration ensures that the interests of police and firefighters, who are not allowed to strike, are protected in labor negotiations. New Jersey's binding arbitration system regularly produces results that are more than favorable to police officers. Last January, when job losses were piling up at record pace, an arbitrator awarded Closter cops 4% annual raises for four years. Police raises under the binding arbitration system have long exceeded increases the consumer price index and average earnings. Inflation-adjusted police salaries have skyrocketed ever since the binding arbitration law was passed over 30 years ago.
Most towns are hesitant to bear the legal costs associated with arbitration when they face such a high risk of losing. Furthermore, small towns are ill-equipped to take on police unions who have much more experience in arbitration than they do. Municipalities often offer their local police officers generous annual pay increases in order to avoid binding arbitration. Frustration with the process has led local and county elected officials like Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo to call for abolishing the system altogether.
Christie likes to talk about his intention to "govern like a one-termer" who is willing to take on powerful public-sector unions. He will continue to not only demand for cuts in pay and benefits to teachers and other public employees, but demonize their unions as well. But don't expect him to do anything more than voice general support for arbitration reform. Christie is afraid to do anything that might hurt his reputation as a "law and order" governor, and he's not terribly eager to annoy the police unions, either.
The Asbury Park Press has a story today titled, "Can Christie keep his promises," talking about how he swore not to raise any taxes. How can he keep his promises if he's already announcing plans to break them? Even his proposal for the unemployment cutbacks still leave him raising taxes on businesses, which everyone knew he would have to do, but they're not even bothering to mention in the story?
The ongoing saga of the Delaware River dredging project will continue this week as there will be a press conference tomorrow and further movement later in the week:
With a Delaware River deepening project set to start next week, some of the project's top critics -- including Gov. Chris Christie -- have scheduled a press conference on Gloucester County's waterfront on Monday.
Christie and U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, D-Haddon Heights, are among officials expected at the 12:15 p.m. event at Red Bank Battlefield in National Park.
In this day and age, especially in high cost-of-living states like New Jersey, many families with children need two incomes to make ends meet. The problem is that a child’s school day is typically over by 3 where most work days end at 5. Afterschool care is not always affordable for parents (years ago I provided afterschool care for 2-3 days a week at $100 a week) and too often children are left on their own during those afternoon hours. New Jersey has a great solution to this by offering New Jersey After 3, a nonprofit that partners with local community groups to offer affordable after-school care for children. However this is one of the programs on King Christie’s chopping block due to financial reasons. Speaking from a strictly fiscal point of view, this is a poor move for two reasons that could ultimately cost the state more than it saves.
If affordable after-school care is cut for New Jersey’s dual income families, many of them are going to reconsider their own financial circumstances and whether it makes sense for the family if both parents continue to work. When a household goes from two incomes to one income, often it is cut in half. When a family’s income is cut in half it means less income tax revenue and possibly subsidies for the family. Also keep in mind when families have higher incomes, they spend more money and thus New Jersey also benefits from the sales tax revenue. The 5.2 million that King Christie wants to cut would most likely not be enough to offset the possible loss of tax revenue as a result of it.
Even the governor’s spokesman agrees that New Jersey After 3 is a great program by saying that it improves test scores and behavioral problems. This is also a case where investment now could save New Jersey money in the long run. Numerous studies show that children that participate in after school programs are more successful than children left to their own devices after school. They’re less likely to get involved with drugs, gangs, and crime. Cutting programs such as New Jersey After 3 could mean an increase in crime. Do you think the money that New Jersey would spend on incarceration and law enforcement is cheaper than the cost of the after-school program?
Governor Christie, this is a very short-sighted move. Cutting money from after-school programs now might save money in the very short-term. It also might drive up property taxes as municipalities where these programs are popular could possibly keep them at the expense of the local taxpayers. Everyone knows that New Jersey is facing a tough budget crisis and that programs must be scaled back or cut. When making changes to programs, short and long term implications must be studied. I think that the Christie administration (like so many other Republican administrations) is focusing only on short-term victories at the expense of long-term victories.
Chrisite has pushed the envelope too far! This is not his money to play with. Employers and employees pay into this fund.
He has done some needed things to rein in spending but to reduce benefits simply because a fund that was solvent got raided over the years is disgraceful.
Good people are hurting and good people need that help.
Don't tell me that you are going to give the rich a taxbreak and then pay forthat tax break with unemployment benefit reductions to those is desperate times.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar hosted a meeting with Governors and representatives of Atlantic Coast states to discuss a regional approach to wind energy development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) on Friday. In attendance were Governor John Baldacci (Maine), Governor Donald L. Carcieri (Rhode Island), Governor Jack Markell (Delaware), Governor Bob McDonnell (Virginia), Governor Martin O'Malley (Maryland) and Governor Deval Patrick (Massachusetts) joined via phone.
Here are highlights from a press conference after the meeting:This seems like it a pretty important gathering with Governors from both sides of the aisle and those who couldn't attend were able to call in via phone. So where was our Governor?
Are we not looking to take a regional approach to development of wind energy? It's not like we have a coastline and water to work with. Maybe he sent a representative and no article chose to mention it (I checked 3), but wouldn't you think our Governor would seek out these opportunities for development, especially when they're dropped in his lap? And after all the talking he's done about getting rid of regulations, he skips a meeting on streamlining energy development? Lets hope his lack of attendance isn't an indication of his commitment to renewable energy.
Are we really paying more taxes than we used to? In my home state of New Jersey it has become conventional wisdom that we are grossly overtaxed - that tax cuts are the only cure for the slew of evils besetting us. After having watched my own property tax bills more than double since I moved to the state in 1997, it was a sentiment I found hard to gainsay. I did wonder though, if my taxes were so high, why there seemed to be no money available to pay for anything. Our schools and municipalities, after all, have been retrenching and cutting back on programs almost continuously for my entire 13 year tenure in the state, despite the vertiginous (some might say outrageous, or even confiscatory) local tax increases. I did some poking around on the intertubes and, much to my surprise, found that far from being more heavily taxed than in the past, overall tax burdens have gone down almost continuously since the mid 1960's.
The Tax Foundation, which describes itself like this
The mission of the Tax Foundation is to educate taxpayers about sound tax policy and the size of the tax burden borne by Americans at all levels of government. From its founding in 1937, the Tax Foundation has been grounded in the belief that the dissemination of basic information about government finance is the foundation of sound policy in a free society.
has a vast amount of historical tax data available on its website. In going through the data, I found that New Jersey residents' per capita tax burden (Federal, state, and local taxes taken as a whole) had actually declined by 3.1% between 1980 and 2007. The Tax Foundation's handy rubric "Tax Freedom Day" (the notional date we finish paying our taxes and start keeping our income for ourselves) was May 1 in 1980. In 2009 it was two days earlier. In 1998, my first full year in New Jersey, Tax Freedom Day was May 14. In other words, overall tax bills have gone down quite significantly since 1997 and even since 1980. The last time Tax Freedom Day in New Jersey was as early as it was last year, on April 29, was during the Carter administration.
Given Christie's past history of traveling first class and staying at the most epensive hotels will he be cutting his office's travel budget? Another question the loyal opposition needs to ask about.
The new Governor is weighing in on the long standing battle over efforts by the Army Corps of Engineer to push forward with the dredging of the Delaware River despite objections:
Gov. Chris Christie on Friday blasted a plan to deepen the Delaware River's main shipping channel, saying South Jersey's environment will "suffer the consequences" if the project is not delayed.
"It is irresponsible for the Army Corps (of Engineers) to push this dredging project forward," Christie said. Among other demands, he called on the Corps to provide alternatives to dumping dredge spoils in South Jersey and to update its environmental studies for the project.
"We have very deep concerns about the old scientific data the Army Corps has been using to push this project ahead," Martin said, questioning whether the work will be "as ecologically benign as the Army Corps purports it to be."
Christie accused the agency of employing "a double standard, applying tough criteria to protect the environment during the project to deepen the New York-New Jersey harbor yet failing to provide the same protections to South Jersey's environment."
Responding to those charges, the Corps said the material in NY was contaminated and needed to be treated as such. They also say they did an environmental assessment last year, but the DEP in its release pointed to specific areas not looked at. The Christie administration is taking action along with the tough talk:
New Jersey earlier this week joined an environmental coalition's attempt to block any startup of the more than $300 million project to deepen the channel five feet, to a controlling depth of 45 feet, without more studies, pending an appeals court ruling on a challenge originally filed by Delaware and on the outcomes of two other federal lawsuits.
The Corps was supposed to start their work this Tuesday, but will hold off until Friday at the earliest in order to give the court time to rule on the injunction. This dispute has spanned administrations and even caused a stalemate at the Delaware River Port Authority at one point along the way. This project is very much supported by Pennsylvania because of the potential economic benefits they would realize. With Delaware not opposing anymore, NJ is the last state standing in fighting the project along side the environmental groups.
Gov. Christopher Christie has tapped State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) as the new Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, setting up a November 2010 special election for the politically competitive 14th district Senate seat.
Baroni, who distinguished himself this year as marriage equality's standout stalwart in the GOP Senate caucus, will be missed. And the 14th District just got very interesting.
Utilities historically included in their rates funding for programs that provide societal benefits such as low income programs, nuclear decommissioning, and funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. New Jersey's 1999 electric utility restructuring legislation (EDECA) authorized the Board of Public Utilities to permit utilities to continue collecting funds for these types of programs in a restructured utility market through a "societal benefits charge" (SBC).
The Societal benefits charge goes to six places including Social programs, Nuclear plant decommissioning, the Universal Service Fund, which provides for social programs such as the Lifeline Program and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Remediation of manufactured gas plant sites, Consumer education and New Jersey's Clean Energy Program. That 1999 law specifically spells out the details of the societal benefits charge in Section 12:
Simultaneously with the starting date for the implementation of retail choice as determined by the board pursuant to subsection a. of section 5 of this act, the board shall permit each electric public utility and gas public utility to recover some or all of the following costs through a societal benefits charge that shall be collected as a non-bypassable charge imposed on all electric public utility customers and gas public utility customers.
Every ratepayer has to contribute to the fund through their payments. Not only do they say the fund has to be created at the same time and everyone has to pay into it, but then they spell out who controls it and here's a hint, it's not the Governor:
There is established in the Board of Public Utilities a nonlapsing fund to be known as the "Universal Service Fund." The board shall determine: the level of funding and the appropriate administration of the fund; the purposes and programs to be funded with monies from the fund; which social programs shall be provided by an electric public utility as part of the provision of its regulated services which provide a public benefit
That seems pretty clear that it's not the Governor, but the BPU that would have to make the decision. But even if they made the decision, I don't think the monies can be used to transfer into the general fund, because they are collected and dedicated for the Universal Service Fund. The Board decided give it to the Clean Energy Program. And it's not even a question of partisan politics, because the law was passed by the Republican Legislature and signed by Governor Whitman. Just like he's had to pull back on his power toward transferring other funds after freezing, Christie may need to re-evaluate here. If he wants to do it, it appears he's going to need legislative approval.
As we all know the education of our children is a vital issue that concerns the future of not just the kids, but of New Jersey and our country as a whole. Chris Christie has announced a 15% cut in state aid to NJ schools, the first ever cut in 30 years and the largest cut ever in New Jersey.
New Jersey's police officers are the most well-paid in the nation. The average law enforcement officer in the state earns $79,790 per year. New Jersey police officers make 64% more than the average worker, which is second only to Nevada. New Jersey teachers, a favorite punching bag for the Republican Governor, make just 26% more than the average worker, which is equal to the national average. Even after we account for the above-average number of charter and private schools in the state, New Jersey teacher pay relative to the average worker still ranks safely outside of the top 10. Unlike law enforcement officers, New Jersey teachers must have a bachelors degree, which requires four years of time out of the workforce and (often) a significant amount of money to obtain. If, as Chris Christie seems to believe, New Jersey teachers are overpaid, then New Jersey cops are egregiously overpaid.
