Christie’s pension plan puts NJ Democrats in a bind as budget deadline looms

Christie’s pension plan puts NJ Democrats in a bind as budget deadline looms (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — No one wants to be the politician who guts spending, raises taxes or reneges on a promise. But thanks to Gov. Chris Christie and a sluggish economic recovery in New Jersey, those are the choices facing Democratic leaders in the state Legislature…

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Prieto says he and Christie have found ‘common ground’ on renewal of key property tax law

Prieto says he and Christie have found ‘common ground’ on renewal of key property tax law (via NJ.com)

TRENTON ‐ After a two-and-a-half-month stalemate, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) and Gov. Chris Christie have reached “common ground” on renewing a crucial law that mayors say has taken a significant bite out of property tax growth…

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Christie dancing with the star

Governor Chris Christie danced with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show last night and said that “hypothetically” he could beat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election.

The appearance made me feel nostalgic for the #Stonger Than The Storm ad campaign and Jay Leno.

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Chris Christie’s court pick has a pro-choice, anti-free press record

Chris Christie’s court pick has a pro-choice, anti-free press record (via NJ.com)

Don’t look now, but our self-avowed “pro-life” governor just nominated a pro-choicer to the state Supreme Court. I’m not talking about Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, the liberal Democrat whom Christie reappointed in a deal with the Democrats. If Rabner…

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Christie gave raises to 27 staff members this year, report says

Christie gave raises to 27 staff members this year, report says (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie in the last two months gave raises to the staff members who run his press shop, his schedule and his public appearances, according to a report by The Record. Of the 27 staff members who got their salary bumped, 24 are…

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Christie and Doherty Kick Off Summer in Belmar

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Christie and Guadagno to kick off summer season in Monmouth County on Friday

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, left, and Governor Chris Christie, on the Belmar boardwalk in 2011.

Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will be celebrating the beginning of the summer season on the Jersey Shore with multiple visits in Monmouth County on Friday..

Christie has a busy morning.  He’s scheduled to co-host the Boomer and Carton Sports Radio Talk Show at 8am and be on hand for the ceremonial opening of the Belmar Boardwalk at 9:30.

In the afternoon, Christie cuts the ribbon on Asbury Park’s new boardwalk at 1:30 and then heads to Ocean County to walk the Seaside Heights boardwalk at 3:30.

Guadagno will address the 89th Annual New Jersey State FFA Convention at Monmouth University’s Pollack Theater at 9 am.  Anyone who knows what the FFA is, without using google or another search engine, gets a free subscription to Greg’s List.  Members of the FFA and the Lt. Gov’s staff are not eligible to win.

Guadagno will visit the Keansburg Amusement Park at noon.  She then heads to Burlington County for a Memorial Day Flag Placement Ceremony at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery in Williamstown.

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Governor Christie’s Remarks On Cutting Pension Payments To Balance The Budget

Governor Christie: I have made the decision that we are not going to blindside our students, we are not going to blindside our seniors, our higher education institutions or those who rely on the safety net the state provides to balance the budget with only six weeks left in the fiscal year. So you have to make choices and we are making them. We’re choosing to be responsible in terms of the way we fund these critical priorities that matter to the people of the state. And we are choosing not put at risk those programs that I mentioned and those services that the people of the state rely upon, especially on such extraordinarily short notice. I’d love to give people tax relief. I’d love to also be able to fund programs that are priorities and that matter a great deal to me and to the people of this state. But until we decide to be adults and deal with the problem we know we have we’re not going to be able to do that. And so today I’m doing what I need to do to fulfill my constitutional obligation to balance a budget. Today I’m going to pledge to make the payments that we need to make to not dig the hole any deeper. But in a time when we’re confronted with this type of challenge I cannot also pay for all the sins of my predecessors, and so we’re going to do this now. We’re going to continue to try to get better as we move forward but you’re going to continue to hear from me and you will hear from me soon with specifics on the way we need to change the pension and the health benefit system. I’ve been saying over the course of the last number of months that come Fiscal Year ’16 New Jersey is going to be paying more for health benefit costs for retirees than we pay for active employees. If there is any greater symbol for how untenable the system has become I don’t know what it is. And so we need to deal with this problem and we need to deal with it directly. I will fix the problems that have been foist upon us today. But I’m going to need cooperation from the Legislature and elected officials across the state to deal with this problem going forward.

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Christie conditionally vetoes Sandy ‘Bill of Rights’

Christie conditionally vetoes Sandy ‘Bill of Rights’ (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today stripped down a bill drafted in response to concerns about how well the state has distributed federal Hurricane Sandy relief aid, saying it included mandates that would be impossible to implement and featured “partisan…

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Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long leaves the Democratic Party

Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long. photo credit:RedBankGreen.com

When Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal promised retribution and accused Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long of abandoning her principals by endorsing Governor Chris Christie for reelection, Long said, “Whether Vin likes it or not, I’m still a Democrat.”

Now she’s not a Democrat.  Long quietly changed her registration to Unaffiliated in February.  The Asbury Park Press was the first to report Long’s new status.

“I did this quietly and without fanfare,” Long told MMM, “to talk about why I did it would defeat the purpose.”  Prodded, Long said, “its a long story, no pun intended.”

Political insiders in Sea Bright have been aware of Long’s new status for a few weeks.  One insider said that something happened in the county Democratic Party that Long considered  personally hurtful.

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