Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 01:15:00 PM EST
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Chris Christie addressed the League of Municipalities yesterday. Here's how the Star Ledger started their story:In his first major speech since Election Day, Gov.-elect Chris Christie told local officials today they better step up and become part of the solution, or he would become their problem. Something tells me we are going to see alot of tough talk from Christie as he attempts to use the bully pulpit the voters have given him. Christie said he wants to change the mindset in Trenton:The entire country is facing enormous challenges, but the state of New Jersey is facing particular challenges, particular challenges which have been caused, in my view, by all of us asking the question, 'What's in it for me?' What's in it for me personally? What's in it for my town? What's in it for my county? What's in it for my trade group? What's in it for my union? What's in it for business?
"As a result, state policy has become over years, without particular blame to any one particular party or any set of particular leaders, state policy has become a hodge-podge, a patchwork of 'What's in it for me?
"And when times are good, we can survive 'What's in it for me?' We can paper it over, and we can survive it. We can even kid ourselves that we're doing the right thing. But when times of challenge come, as they have come, there is no more hiding that ill motive has brought us to this place. It remains to be seen how he changes that mindset, past the rhetoric he is conveying. He's already lowering expectations and saying things are wore than they expected to find. Here's some video from his speech:Responding to a joke in Christie's speech about not there with miracles, Assemblyman Joe Cryan had this to say following Christie's speech:"Gov.-elect Christie may be saying not to expect miracles, but New Jerseyans do expect him to stick to his few specific promises, such as cutting income taxes for all taxpayers and reinstating property tax rebates." Governor Corzine spoke after Christie, who didn't stick around for the speech and he talked about some of his accomplishments as well as some of the problems facing the state:Corzine said his administration made strides - cutting spending, capping property tax increases and creating a new formula to fund schools. He highlighted the concessions he received from state workers' pay packages during a budget crisis. But he said the problems in the state are still "enormous" - the biggest being the state's debt, unfunded pension and health care obligations, and the highest-in-the-nation property taxes.
"Bold and unpopular actions are the only way - the only way - to deal with these issues," Corzine said. Reducing property taxes will require addressing the "fragmentation of government" with consolidations and shared services, he said. It sure doesn't like a fun ride and that'll be made worse for Democrats by the fact that Christie will be driving. |
| Jason Springer :: Christie: I'm going to do everything in my power to force change |
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