Flying Jersey Boss One

by: deciminyan

Tue Nov 15, 2011 at 10:00:00 AM EST

Case in point: Much has been written about Governor Christie's use of a taxpayer-funded State Police helicopter to attend his son's baseball game. While the governor eventually paid back the incremental operating cost of that ride, the incident emphasized how out of touch he is with the realities facing his constituents.

Now the governor's consigliere, George E. Norcross III, is emulating the state's chief executive with a helicopter of his own.

No doubt, Norcross' company will receive approval for these flights. Despite the proximity to power lines, the noise that will permanently impact residents, and the safety concerns in the busy Route 73 corridor, I'm sure Norcross and his colleagues will be flying in and out of the site soon.

Executives like Norcross feel their time is valuable, and they say that the use of an expensive and environmentally-unfriendly mode of transportation is justified. But is the noise and safety risk to the neighbors worth it?

There's a better solution. If Norcross needs a chopper, why not use the South Jersey Regional Airport? It's less than seven miles from his office, in a more rural area, and is better equipped to handle aircraft safety than a makeshift helipad on a parking lot. This would be a step in the right direction and would make Norcross a better neighbor to the other 99% in the area.