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Christie See, Christie Do

by: A New Jersey Farmer

Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 06:27:56 AM EST

( - promoted by deciminyan)

Cross-posted at A New Jersey Farmer.

With apologies to monkeys everywhere.

So it seems as though Chris Christie is channeling his inner Christie Whitman with his proposal to cut New Jersey income taxes by 10% across the board. We know how well Whitman's 30% tax cut worked out. New Jersey borrowed massive amounts of money to pay for pensions and government projects, which led even lesser governors to stop paying into the public employee's pension system, which resulted in the underfunded system becoming the state's unofficial bird, the Albatross, when the economy bottomed out in 2009. I wish the rest was history, but unfortunately it's become the present and future for hard-working middle class public employees across the state.

A New Jersey Farmer :: Christie See, Christie Do

Now the big question is, where are are the cuts going to come from? Once the income tax reductions are factored in, the state will lose $1 billion dollars in income. The obvious target will be public schools, because starving the system will weaken the NJEA. Plus, if the state moves to an evaluation-based merit pay scale, then salary guides will become a thing of the past and teachers will compete amongst themselves for scarce resources while districts start cutting experienced workers (who won't have fair dismissal protections) in the name of cost savings. A few teachers will make big raises and get copious press, while the rest will have raises held hostage because their student's standardized test scores will fall outside the "outstanding" range.

There are other places to cut as well. Aid to municipalities can go down so they can make unpopular cuts to local programs without the governor having to take responsibility for them. With a 2% cap, most towns will not be able to raise money to sustain services. Programs for the poor, the indigent, health services, child care and nutrition are always juicy targets.

It's now up to the dynamic duo of Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Senate President Steve Sweeney to stand up to Christie to move their agenda. They caved in last spring on, in order, the pension and benefits bill and the state budget while managing to wrangle absolutely nothing for their side. They didn't even attempt to bargain on the benefits bill by holding up the governor's budget priorities. This wasn't just a cave, it was their own personal Lascoux, but the only animals on the walls were jackasses.

This time around, the Democrats need to have something that resembles a strategy. If the governor wants to hand wealthy citizens a $7,000 payout and the rest of us about $100 per year in return for fewer services, then they need to make a stand. That means enacting a gay marriage bill, making sure schools are fully funded, expanding mass transit to reduce traffic, and enabling towns and cities to provide services for those caught in the recession's grip.

I'm sure Christie is angling not just for reelection but, barring a Romney win in November, also a run for the presidency in 2016, so tax cutting must be on his resume. He's an effective politician; we need to give him that due, but Democrats in the legislature need to represent their constituencies too, and that means having a backbone when it comes to fighting for what's right.

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Tags: monkeys, income tax, featured, taxes, Albatross, Education, sheila oliver, Steve Sweeney, Chris Christie, (All Tags)

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Christie See, Christie Do | 19 comments

Are you saying then... (1.00 / 1)

Plus, if the state moves to an evaluation-based merit pay scale, then salary guides will become a thing of the past and teachers will compete amongst themselves for scarce resources while districts start cutting experienced workers (who won't have fair dismissal protections) in the name of cost savings

That the entire private sector doesn't who isn't protected by tenure and LIFO doesn't have 'fair dismissal protections?'

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 13:48:10 PM UTC

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I am saying (0.00 / 0)

That without fair dismissal, teachers are subject to decisions based not on actual job performance, but on whim, politics and whether one gets along with one's principal. If the system is going to be meritorious, then teachers will need to have both the intellectual and professional freedom to do their jobs.

In response to the private sector, I'm saying that instead of trying to tear down what public sector workers have and buying into the Republican argument that all workers should be equal in their lack of benefits and prerogatives, that private workers should have exactly the same rights and representations that public workers do. I will work with anyone in the private sector to ensure that employees have basic rights and someone to represent and argue on their behalf in a system that respects rather than punishes.

by: A New Jersey Farmer @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 22:50:03 PM UTC

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Let's Make This Simple: (4.00 / 1)

Name one job in the private sector that is equivalent to teaching.

A job where you are judged on the performance of others, and you can't choose them or dismiss them if they fail.

A job where you have to give honest assessments of student performance (and other aspects of the student's character) to parents who may be politically powerful.

A job where your employer is an elected body who hold the purse strings for your salary.

A job where you work with children every day.

There is no job like public school teacher. Parallels to the private sector are not relevant.

http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com

by: Jersey Jazzman @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 12:35:10 PM UTC

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See.... I agree... (0.00 / 0)

It IS a unique profession. That is why industrial style work rules designed to protect assembly line workers don't really fit with the profession.

If you are torquing bolts on the assembly line, as long as each bolt hits the perscribed foot-pounds, and pace is kept with the line, it doesn't really matter who is performing the work, they should all be paid the same, and LIFO makes perfect sense.

But teaching isn't torquing a bolt. There are many differences between teachers 'work product'. There is a reason there is glut of phys. ed teachers and dearth of physics teachers. To cling to the notion that 'we all torque bolts similarly' is wrong.

All I am saying to Mr. Farmer is the idea that given the chance, everyone over 50 in education would be fired is silly.

It's not the wild west out here, employers get sued for age discrimination and other employment abuses. In the public sector these suits would be much easier to prove, since budgets, personell info, etc are all public documents. It's not that easy to fire people 'on whim' out here and would be much harder in the public sector.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 14:19:56 PM UTC

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No tax cuts as long as the pension fund is drastically underfunded (3.50 / 2)

The state has a moral and legal obligation to fund the pension. It did not do so for a number of years. The result of which was to leave the pension less than 70% funded. Any "extra" money should go to the pension before anyone thinks of a tax cut. At least until it is well over 80% funded.

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 15:42:47 PM UTC

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Right on point. (0.00 / 0)

I know so many people approaching retirement from the school system and fearing for their pension. It's certainly not right.

I think the diary makes a great point. Christie is setting himself up for a future presidential run at the expense of New Jersey. A tax cut would not help New Jersey, but it would help him in the eyes of conservatives around the country.

by: Blue12345 @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 17:37:15 PM UTC

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I'd agree with that... (4.00 / 1)

it's pretty disingenuous to suggest we have money for tax cuts, but we couldn't have possibly funded the pensions fully.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 18:33:40 PM UTC

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Christie already tried (0.00 / 0)

to put some money into the pension fund last year ,but the supreme court made the state give it to our Abbott districts instead ....tough choices

by: True Sue @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 22:59:39 PM UTC

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Christie didn't try. (3.00 / 1)

He vetoed the millionaire's tax. Twice.

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

by: deciminyan @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 23:42:11 PM UTC

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Come now... (0.00 / 0)

I agree with 12 miles here, but you're being disingenous. You know FULL well the legislature had spent the entire millionaire's windfall (had it passed) on... guess what... senior property tax rebates (not pensions) well before Christie veto'd the increase.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 14:23:00 PM UTC

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He only put money in to get the pension bill (0.00 / 0)

through the Legislature. It was part of the deal.

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 00:13:16 AM UTC

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Christie made a smart move (0.00 / 0)

Just like Obama's SS cuts that made fools out of all who opposed it so to will the same fate fall on any Democrat that speaks ill of this tax cut ....and CC knows it

by: True Sue @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 18:07:50 PM UTC

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Don't think so (0.00 / 0)

It may have been the smart political move, but New Jersey voters know the state's budget problems. And how much the state gives in education aid. There will be little if any adverse political consequences if the Democrats oppose this.

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 18:13:19 PM UTC

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I disagree (0.00 / 0)

Democrats have to oppose the Christie plan, but they have to be able to counter with a plan of their own that saves more people more money.

They can do this if they propose to eliminate property taxes entirely and replace them with income taxes.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 21:43:32 PM UTC

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Too drastic (0.00 / 0)

The timing's not right. It's something better coming from a candidate for governor.

They need to stress the proposal's fiscal irresponsibility, it's threat to education funding, aid for seniors, and the pension system.

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 22:11:02 PM UTC

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That message won't resonate... (0.00 / 0)

...with voters. It just won't. Blue Jersey is not representative of your average voter.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 15:31:12 PM UTC

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I have a higher opinion of the intelligence (0.00 / 0)

of New Jersey voters than you obviously do.

After the budget problems of the last few years, I believe a majority of voters are wary of pie in the sky panaceas. And have come to realize not only the effect a loss of revenue has on the state budget, but it's relation to local property taxes.

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 17:19:52 PM UTC

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Good luck... (0.00 / 0)

...with that. I think that recent history proves otherwise.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 17:34:10 PM UTC

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So what does the working class (0.00 / 0)

get to keep every week? With the Whitmann tax cut it was about a dollar a week, the cost of a newspaper.
Of course Christie's wealthy elite supporters would save far more so as to contribute to his presidential run. Christie run? Not even jogging.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Thu Jan 19, 2012 at 22:20:31 PM UTC

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Christie See, Christie Do | 19 comments