Yesterday, state legislators managed four hours of direct negotiations on the budget situation with the Governor. These are the same legislators--both Democrat and Republican--- who have failed to pass a balanced budget in four of the last five years as mandated by the state constitution. These are the same legislators who have no substantive proposals for property tax relief. Many of these legislators are the same ones who expect free state police service for their local municipalities where they also hold office. Most taxpayers pay to maintain local police departments. Why should taxpayers subsidize the state for free state police service for some towns?
Some of these legislators represent districts where local officials can't manage and run their own local governments and school districts, forcing the state to invest time, expertise, and money to manage their affairs for them.
Kudos to Gov. Corzine for standing up to the spendthrift state legislature--both Democrats and Republicans---who, it seems, year after year fail in one of their most basic constitutional duties: passing a balanced budget.
The blaming and crying of political pirates and pundits does little to shed light and truth on the history of New Jersey's current fiscal crisis. That is a disservice to all New Jerseyans.
The distasteful medicine the state legislature must now swallow are proposals like shared-services, payment for state services provided to municipalities, and ethics reforms to stop patronage and pension abuse by elected officials, to name just a few.
New Jersey is supposedly the wealthiest state in the nation; why can't she afford to govern herself without putting an onerous strain on the backs of her working and middle class citizens?
The state legislature ought to be in session around the clock, 24/7 until they do the job they were elected to do. They would be wise to follow Gov. Corzine's lead: buy a cot with their own money---not state tax dollars---and plan on camping out under the gold dome in Trenton this Fourth of July.
Some of these legislators represent districts where local officials can't manage and run their own local governments and school districts, forcing the state to invest time, expertise, and money to manage their affairs for them.
Kudos to Gov. Corzine for standing up to the spendthrift state legislature--both Democrats and Republicans---who, it seems, year after year fail in one of their most basic constitutional duties: passing a balanced budget.
The blaming and crying of political pirates and pundits does little to shed light and truth on the history of New Jersey's current fiscal crisis. That is a disservice to all New Jerseyans.
New Jersey is supposedly the wealthiest state in the nation; why can't she afford to govern herself without putting an onerous strain on the backs of her working and middle class citizens?
The state legislature ought to be in session around the clock, 24/7 until they do the job they were elected to do. They would be wise to follow Gov. Corzine's lead: buy a cot with their own money---not state tax dollars---and plan on camping out under the gold dome in Trenton this Fourth of July.
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