Today’s ruling by the State Supreme Court is disappointing, but not unexpected.
There are several reasons why I believe this decision represents everything that’s wrong with how Trenton has historically operated and everything that I am here fighting to change.
First, as a fundamental principle, I do not believe that it is the role of the State Supreme Court to determine what programs the State should and should not be funding, and to what amount.
The Court should not be dictating how taxpayer dollars are spent and prioritizing certain programs over others. The Supreme Court is not the Legislature; it should not dictate policy, it should not be in the business of discussing specific taxes to be raised and it should not have any business deciding how tax dollars are spent. A number of the members of the current Supreme Court agreed with that very position in today’s decision.
Those responsible for making decisions regarding how money is raised through taxes and how it is spent by government are those elected by the people and ultimately held accountable by the people.
Secondly, I believe the Court’s decision is based on a failed legal and educational theory that incorrectly reasons the key to establishing a thorough and efficient system of education is to throw more money at failing schools.
Let me be clear, I do believe funding education is critically important to New Jersey’s future. Even before today’s Court decision, we increased education aid by $250 million to every school district in this year’s proposed budget.
But, we must also acknowledge that money does not equal quality results. And there is now nearly 30 years of evidence that just throwing money at the problem is not the answer.
We should be getting better results with the taxpayer money we already spend and we aren’t which means changing the educational system goes beyond dollars and cents.
However, as Governor of New Jersey, I realize that regardless of my personal beliefs, I must comply with the New Jersey Constitution as interpreted by the New Jersey Supreme Court. In February, I submitted my budget to the Legislature for review and consideration. That is my constitutional obligation. Now the legislature has until June 30th to fulfill its constitutional obligation to pass a final budget.
In the light of the court’s ruling, it is now up to the Legislature to determine how the State is best able to fund the additional $500 million in aid to the Abbott districts specifically ordered in footnote 23 by the Court’s majority while also meeting the State’s other funding priorities as I proposed them. I have complete confidence that the Legislature understands its unique constitutional obligation to send a balance budget to me by June 30th. I am also confident that the Legislature understands its independent constitutional obligation to comply with the Supreme Court’s order in whatever budget they send to me for my consideration by the June 30th deadline.
I fully expect the Legislature will send me in a timely manner for my review and consideration a constitutionally balanced budget that includes how the Court’s order will be met.
My principles remain the same. New Jersey has some of the highest taxes in America. New Jerseyans are already incredibly overtaxed. Therefore, as I have repeatedly stated, I do not believe raising taxes is the answer. That has not changed.
I stand ready to execute my constitutional duties and consider what the Legislature submits as its final budget to me by June 30th.
The Christie for President buzz has the Obama campaign doing opposition research on the Governor, according to Josh Margolin at The New York Post.
The Corzine campaign already did that. They found that Christie likes Haagen Daz, has received traffic tickets, doesn’t stay at Motel 6 when traveling on government business, and ripped the label off a mattress.
Margolin reports that well-heeled GOP donors in New York are spreading the word that Christie might enter the race if he can get part of his pension reform package passed and score a GOP takeover of one of the Democratically controlled houses of the legislature.
Given the new legislative map, there’s a better chance that Christie will beat Carl Lewis in a 100 yard dash than there is that he will run for president.
Monmouth University’s Patrick Murray has a new poll out this morning that indicates that while Governor Chris Christie’s approval numbers are steady at 47%, the percentage of New Jersey residents who disapprove of job the governor is doing has jumped from 40% in February to 49% today.
Murray noted that the poll was conducted before the latest state revenue projections were released. MMM doubts the revenue numbers would have a postive impact on the governor’s numbers. The positive news in the revenue reports of income taxes generated by Wall Street is offset by the lagging sales tax and corporate tax revenue results which point to a weak New Jersey economy.
Murray said that the increase in Christie’s disapproval numbers came from people who previously had no opinion of the governor’s performance. In February 12% of the respondents did not express an opinion of Christie’s performance compared to 5% in the poll released today.
Christie support among Republicans slipped from 80% in February to 75% today. Among Independents Christie’s approval numbers rose from 49% to 53%. 72% of Democrats disapprove of Christie’s performance in today’s poll vs 61% in February.
Only 46% of New Jersey residents report having read or heard anything about the Christie’s Town Hall meetings.
Trenton, NJ – Making good on his commitment to put the horse racing industry on a self-sustaining path, Governor Chris Christie announced tonight that live racing at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park will continue throughout 2011 and beyond. Beginning on June 1, both tracks will be in the hands of private-sector operators who, according to an agreement in principle, will assume the costs associated with running live racing at those venues. The private operators will also be responsible for all simulcast wagering at the tracks, the operation and future development of off-track wagering facilities and the continued operation of the State’s account wagering system.
“I was determined to bring this deal home,” Governor Christie said. “There are many beneficiaries: We’re saving a New Jersey tradition with the continuation of live horse racing at the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park; we are saving and creating jobs; and we are helping to preserve New Jersey farmland and a way of life for many people, from horse farm owners and employees, to jockeys to racing enthusiasts. I want to thank all involved, from staff in the Governor’s Counsel’s Office, to the executive staff of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, to Mr. Gural and Mr. Bailey, as well as representatives of the thoroughbred and standardbred horsemen.”
“First, I want to thank Governor Christie and his staff for all their hard work on something I initially thought was impossible,” said Jeff Gural, the New York investor and developer who will assume control of and redevelop the Meadowland Racetrack. “The deal that we’ve reached together will be good for the taxpayers, good for horse racing and great for the Meadowlands. I look forward to returning the Meadowlands to its former glory and pre-eminent position in horse racing in the United States.”
“I’m excited by the fact that we are completing a transaction that will bring about a new era for horse racing in New Jersey and Monmouth Park,” said Mr. Bailey. “I want to thank all of the parties involved, especially Governor Christie and his staff and the thoroughbred horsemen, for working so diligently to meet the challenges we confronted. With what we are accomplishing, we are creating one of the premiere race tracks in the country that will provide an attractive and exciting atmosphere to appeal to established horse racing fans and, I believe, the broader public.”
Since December of last year, the NJSEA has been negotiating with Mr. Gural over the lease of the Meadowlands Racetrack. Mr. Gural will assume all operations at the track beginning on June 1. He has successfully re-negotiated labor contracts with track employees and has taken steps toward the development of an off-track wagering facility in Bayonne. He has also worked with the harness racing industry on a reduced slate of racing days for 2011. In addition, Mr. Gural plans to invest more than $90 million through the construction of a new grandstand at the Meadowlands and the development of an Off Track Wagering facility in Bayonne. These investments will create construction jobs for the State as well as permanent employment opportunities for New Jerseyans.
In April, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority selected Morris Bailey as the winning bidder of an Request for Proposals for the lease of Monmouth Park. Mr. Bailey will assume track operations at Monmouth Park on June 1 as well. The thoroughbreds will also run a reduced slate of racing days for 2011, similar to the 2010 racing schedule. Mr. Bailey will also take over the operation of the OTW site in Woodbridge and will work with Mr. Gural on the development of future OTW’s.
Mr. Gural and Mr. Bailey are successful real estate executives with proven track records in the gaming industry. Both are also horse racing aficionados who are committed to reversing the decline of the industry.
Taken together, these deals will put the New Jersey horse racing industry on the path of self-sufficiency and, as a result, save New Jersey taxpayers millions of dollars annually and end the racing industry’s reliance on purse subsidies. Both private operators will pay property taxes and Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT payments) as required by law.
With today’s action, the Governor has demonstrated his continued commitment to ensuring the preservation of live horse racing in New Jersey. The agreements reached today are subject to the execution of formal contracts, formal board approvals and other regulatory approvals. In addition to today’s developments, Governor Christie has taken many other steps this year to provide the racing industry with the tools it needs to become a vibrant, self-sustaining industry.
By Joseph Reynolds, Co-Chair, Bayshore Watershed Council
New Jersey’s world famous beaches are a public space that bring people together
as equals. Yet, if Governor Christie gets his way it’s possible that new beach
access rules will dramatically reduce a New Jerseyan’s right to view, use and
enjoy the state’s rivers, bays and coast for fishing, swimming, jogging,
surfing, kayaking, birding, beachcombing, walking the dog, or simply enjoying a
stroll in the surf or along an urban waterfront.
New rules recently announced by NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin will roll back
years of hard-won progress by placing much of the control and authority over
beach access squarely in the hands of local towns. This is a system that has
proved disastrous for decades, as more than forty years of litigation over easy
public beach access has demonstrated.
Easy access to public beaches is not a tradition in New Jersey. It has only come
about after hard fought litigation between coastal advocates and towns or
business. Decades of poor planning by local politicians and planning boards has
lead to quite a few beachfronts now bordered by either a concrete wall or a wall
of private homes, townhouses, and commercial businesses.
There is a long history of many beach towns working against public access by
limiting on-street parking, limiting access from only dawn to dusk, installing
parking meters, prohibiting food and drink, and providing no public bathrooms.
It seems clear that many coastal towns are not accommodating the public’s right
to enjoy their water, but accommodating their desire to control public land use
for their financial benefit.
New beach access rules will only make matters worse and undo decades of progress
in ensuring the public’s right to walk on their beaches — many of which are
currently maintained with state tax dollars. New rules do not protect
year-round, 24-hour access, nor do they preserve current public access points.
New rules do not offer much in the way of public participation and there is no
provision on how NJDEP will enforce the plan or provide oversight to make sure
coastal communities provide ample and fair beach access.
A Rutgers-Eagleton survey paid for by the Surfrider Foundation recently found
more than 82 percent of those surveyed want towns that get beach replenishment
funds to provide better public access. Yet, the proposed NJDEP public access
rules contain no such requirement.
All of these issues provide great concern to New Jersey residents. Instead of
maximizing public access while ensuring the fair treatment of all people, the
new beach access rules proposed by the Christie administration will divide
people into income groups and put town against town to re-fight battles that
have already been won.
While Governor Christie says you should be able to freely enjoy our state’s
beautiful coastline, unfortunately his new beach access rules will make it
increasingly difficult to reach them.
I strongly encourage you to opposes the new public beach access rules and urge
anyone who wants to protect their right to enjoy New Jersey’s coastal waterways
(including Delaware Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, Barnegat Bay, and the
Hudson/Raritan estuary) to make your voice heard. Please contact Governor
Christie and NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin to demand that more public hearings
be held so that the working people who will be most severely impacted by the
proposed rules will actually be able to be part of the public discussion.
The Associated Press is reporting that a group of Iowa Republican fundraisers is coming to New Jersey this month with the purpose of recruiting Governor Chris Christie into the race for the 2012 presidential nomination.
Bruce Rastetter, Iowa entrepeneur and GOP fundraiser
The group, is led by Bruce Rastetter, the CEO of Hawkeye Energy Holdings, America’s third largest ethanol producer, will meet with the governor on May 31 at Drumthwacket.
Rastetter, who met Christie last year at a fundraiser for Iowa Governor Terry Branstad last year, is a major player in Iowa politics. He was the chair of Branstad’s inaugural committee. Branstad appointed Rastetter to the Iowa Board of Regents.
“There isn’t anyone like Chris Christie on the national scene for Republicans,” Rastetter said. “And so we believe that he, or someone like him, running for president is very important at this critical time in our country.”
“He clearly understands smaller government, less government spending, job creation, and how to create a better education system — certainly, all the things I and those accompanying me care about,” Rastetter said.
Christie has been steadfast about not running for president.
I gave it twenty minutes, but I couldn’t take it anymore.
Governor Chris Christie is far more compelling when speaking policy and politics than he is when talking about sports. Craig Carton was far more entertaining as a “Jersey Guy” than he was during the twenty minutes I endured watching the Boomer and Carton show on MSG this morning. Christie is sitting in for Boomer Esiason.
They loved Christie at Harvard. We love him at his Town Hall meetings. I have called Christie the best communicator since Ronal Reagan. Please Governor, when it comes to extended appearances on the radio, stick with Eric Scott and talk about New Jersey.
Maybe someone from the NJEA, Tom Moran or Steve Lonegan will call into the show and make it interesting.
Christie will be on the show until 10 AM. The number to call in is 877-337-6666.
By Art Gallagher