Video: How did Christie balance the budget and cut taxes in New Jersey?
posted at 2:55 pm on January 12, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
We need a palate cleanser today, and if our Top 50 posts from 2010 give any indication, Chris Christie’s the man to deliver it. The governor of New Jersey appeared on Fox & Friends this morning to discuss Christie’s success in balancing the state budget while cutting taxes and maintaining services. The acid test of that approach came during Snowmageddon, and unlike his counterparts across the river, Christie’s team kept the roads clear — even if Christie didn’t “ride a snowplow” himself. Christie has a response to Rudy Giuliani’s criticism of his vacation at the very beginning:
Has Christie set a national example on fighting the unions, as the hosts suggest? I agree with Christie; there really is little choice at the state level, especially in California, one of the examples used. There is no other way to solve the budget catastrophes facing the states without squaring off against the public-sector unions and their bloated pension obligations. Fox fails to mention another Democrat who appears ready to fight the unions, Andrew Cuomo in New York, although at the moment those indications still look like trial balloons. But Christie is also correct that he has proven that taking on those unions doesn’t result in political collapse, which will certainly embolden other executives.
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Christie isn’t perfect but he’s doing a great job helping NJ out of their current financial mess.
hawksruleva on January 12, 2011 at 2:58 PM
Courage to Stand
MNHawk on January 12, 2011 at 2:59 PM
ND’s looking into doing something about public employees,i.e. teacher pension, funds.
Let’s face it, figure out how fair it is to have the state garauntee one set of people’s pension, no matter how the stock market behaves over the time that $$ is invested vs private sector 401Ks etc. riding out whatever stor sets upon their investments?
Since it’s unreasonable for the federal govt to garauntee pension amounts, I think that states should stop donig it.
And I am a public school teacher here in ND.
I keep asking the liberals I work with why they think it’s fair the state should insure them against failure & not anyone else.
I have so far yet to receive an answer.
Badger40 on January 12, 2011 at 3:01 PM
stor= STORM.
Badger40 on January 12, 2011 at 3:01 PM
We just got our “in the middle of the night” 60% tax increase here in Illinois.
Please send help ASAP Mr. Christie.
Knucklehead on January 12, 2011 at 3:04 PM
And yet, we saw a poll saying New Jersey would choose Obama over Christie. *pffffffffft
Way to go Chris! :D
capejasmine on January 12, 2011 at 3:06 PM
Nice contrast to Illinois raising their state income tax yesterday.
Or in this state where the new governor’s job creation plan yesterday was to take 2 million in stimulus funds and audit 500 schools to see how to make them more energy efficient. (the public employees benefit plan is 1.1 billion in the red)
We need more Chris Christies.
ORconservative on January 12, 2011 at 3:07 PM
This is from Nikki Haley’s inauguration speech today..
She gets it. Sorry, Illinois, you can’t have her!
SouthernGent on January 12, 2011 at 3:07 PM
Not likely…we got JERSEY ATTITUDE per the Gov.
NJ Red on January 12, 2011 at 3:08 PM
It’s a race to the bottom between Illinois and California. The sad thing is, though, that the productive people and businesses are the only losers.
search4truth on January 12, 2011 at 3:09 PM
You have to like Christie if you have an ounce of common sense.
SC.Charlie on January 12, 2011 at 3:09 PM
I applaud Christie for his fight with the Unions.
He really is presenting a way of dealing with them.
portlandon on January 12, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Complete and utter bullsh!t.
So I guess, living in Monmouth County, being stuck inside for four days because Rt’s 35 and 36, along with all side roads, jug handles, etc. were completely UNPLOWED.
Go to the Asbury Park Press website, search the message boards during that period, and review all the complaints for all the citizens of this county …….. there you will get the real story.
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:11 PM
It would be nice if Christie also made a statement about the whole Loughner “climate of vitriol” thing and brought up the prayers for his death by the teacher’s union leader.
Doodad Pro on January 12, 2011 at 3:19 PM
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:11 PM
I don’t know what happened in Monmouth County but here in Ocean County everything went very smoothly. I was on my way to work in Atlantic County the Tuesday after the storm. Maybe something to do with the particular people running the show in Monmouth, both state and county.
NJ Red on January 12, 2011 at 3:23 PM
By not being a liberal? :D
capejasmine on January 12, 2011 at 3:31 PM
We should clone him and send him to poor, sad nearly destitute, left wing for decades, Illinois—the state that gave us Obama and company.
jeanie on January 12, 2011 at 3:33 PM
I’m not sure how it works in New Jersey, but doesn’t Christies responsibilities lie with state, and fed highways, and the county roads are the responsibility of the county officials?
capejasmine on January 12, 2011 at 3:33 PM
Can NJ loan Christie to Illinois? Please…if only for a day or two…
PatriotRider on January 12, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Monmouth County was “ground zero” for the storm …… 3 foot of snow with 6 foot drifts. Basically all roads were deserted for almost 4 days.
Do you know who’s from Monmouth county ?? The non-existent Lt. Gov., who was also away from the job she was hired for while Christe donned Mickey Mouse ears, when this disaster struck.
What gets me is that he knew what a clusterfark this turned out to be, and he had the actual nerve to come to Freehold, Mon. Cty ( after the clean up, of course and with a fresh tan ) and tell us citizens that what you experienced was not what actually happened, and that he and his administration did a great job. I think he gave himself a grade of A at that press conference, and the clean-up effort of a B plus.
Allrighty then.
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:38 PM
There’s a simple answer to the states’ pension problems, -all state/county/city employee pensions, those in-payment now and in the future, take a haircut down to some reasonable maximum amount per month, like $5,000 or so. End all indexing. Problem solved.
slickwillie2001 on January 12, 2011 at 3:40 PM
According to Christie, his responsibilities at the time was towards his family …. that’s what he told us.
I’m pretty sure the job requires him to provide for it’s citizens.
This was not some ordinary storm here, he treated the people of Monmouth with scorn when he heard their complaints.
What a leader, and I voted for the man ……. and let me remind everyone that New Jersey voted to get RID OF CORSLIME, not elect Chirstie.
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:43 PM
I Love this guy.
New Patriot on January 12, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:38 PM
I can’t figure his explanation, however, we had close to 3 feet too in Atlantic and Ocean and all the drifts, too. All the county roads were pretty clear in Ocean and Atlantic on Tuesday as well as Route 9. The Parkway was clear. I easily navigated 35 miles in the a.m. on Tuesday.
NJ Red on January 12, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Sorry, I voted FOR Christie…I never vote dem in NJ.
NJ Red on January 12, 2011 at 3:47 PM
I like his bold stand on finances – but wish the source of such problems – our Godless social culture, would be put right again. Morality and immorality infect all areas of life -contrary to the casual thinking of too many social “conservatives.” If there is no right and wrong , if there is no fixed truth, if there is no God and the rules He gives us to truly live in peace, then it matters not what economic or control society we have -for any and all can be justified as acceptable. Our forefathers understood the right relationship and for that reason we have been given rights by Nature’s God – not man.
Don L on January 12, 2011 at 3:49 PM
The problem is most people think “govt worker” they think of someone making $40-50K a year. So when a gov starts “attacking” govt workers, a lot of middle class voters think they’re attacking blue collar workers unfairly.
What needs to happen is to educate the masses about the toll booth collectors who make $200K a year with retirement at 45.
angryed on January 12, 2011 at 3:51 PM
Que…?
(Mexifornia chimes in again)
Seven Percent Solution on January 12, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Well, as Christie said, lots of regular union guys are out of work for extended periods of time in this economy and they have to pay higher property taxes so that the public unions get free benefits and pension. That really burns me up. I work with a woman who has a retired NJ State worker (at 55)husband and it costs her $2 to go to the doctor. I’m private and it costs me $30 to go to the doctor. My property taxes are what makes the difference for her. Ticks me off, let me tell ya.
NJ Red on January 12, 2011 at 3:56 PM
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’d never vote for a demonrat here in New Jersey. Republican voters here are few and far between ……. he won with the indy’s and even democrat voters who were sick as sh!t of Corzine and his absolute hatchet job on New Jersey’s economy.
P.S. please excuse all my spelling mistakes and such from previous posts above, I am worn out from even more snow removal today.
Jerome Horwitz on January 12, 2011 at 4:00 PM
Hey! It snowed here in Missouri too! We got more snow on Monday. Our governor is a democrat and I do not expect him to cancel a pre-planned family vacation to stay in the state and pretend that he can make everything all better.
Christie is doing a good job in NJ seeing what he had to work with.
Vince on January 12, 2011 at 4:12 PM
Im in Illinois. My GF has been wanting to move to Missouri as her Parents have retired there and her daughter just entered college in Springfield. I just told her a lot of my equipment will be up for sale. Between taxes, high license fees, insurance, and the cut throat undocumented competition, I can no longer compete here. They have basically taxed me out of the sate at all levels. Home prices have dropped 40% but RE taxes havent and wont go down. Our gas prices are already high so summer promises to be a real killer. Im selling both pieces of property, most equipment and getting the hell out of this state, which is controlled by Chicago. Chicago is killing this state. It was cook county that single handedly elected Quinn, a man who lied on the campaign trail. I can not consciously keep bashing California when Illinois is literally following the same path.
CriticalUpdate on January 12, 2011 at 4:20 PM
Well you sound mighty angry & instead of the gov, I propose you turn your anger toward your county officials.
Here in ND, I live right near the county line.
The county I live in is excellent at ploughing their roads, maintaing them, grading the dirt roads periodically, etc.
The county next to me is absolutely AWFUL.
They have problems all the time.
Our previous gov Hoeven was, IMHO, good at what he did, but he’s not the guy who makes sure the roads get plowed in ND (& we have lots of snow).
It is very simple:
My county is run by people with brains.
The county next to me is run by a bunch of moronic, petty a-holes.
I know bcs I see them all of the time & have to interact with.
So b!tch to your county officials. Keep riding their a$$e$ about this kind of crap.
Call them everyday if you have to.
Be a thorn ni their side til they do something right.
Badger40 on January 12, 2011 at 4:34 PM
I am confused, are they mad because he didn’t call the psychic hotline to find out about the snow and cancel his vacation or are they mad because he didn’t cut his vacation short once the snow had fallen? If it was the coming home from vacation early, could they tell me exactly which airport the governor would have flown into since they were all closed?
Cindy Munford on January 12, 2011 at 4:36 PM
In the trucking business?
Here in ND, we may not have it as bad as you, but I do find it extremely annoying how state DOT’s don’t know the half of their own regulations.
My husband gets really exasperated filling out all the reports & crap & trying to honestly comply with rules & regs so they don’t fine us for anything.
Badger40 on January 12, 2011 at 4:37 PM
I have good friends who live in Monmouth County and the photos of their house after that storm were stunning. They literally had 5 foot drifts outside their front door! That was a monumental storm. I haven’t lived anywhere where they can easily deal with that much snow and drifting in a couple of days. My friends didn’t blame Christie, they blamed Mother Nature and just dug out.
rockmom on January 12, 2011 at 4:41 PM
Here in ND we are used to that kind of snow & since I’ve lived here in ’99, I have never been really snowed in for more than a day or two.
So many people think it is the job of govt to INSTANTLY take care of their every need.
I do not depend upon my county to dig me out of the snow.
We have a tractor & we help our neighbors.
Last spring when we were without power for 2 weeks in sub0 temps, we never called the power company, Slope Electric, to complain.
Many people in the towns did.
It was a horrendous storm that knocked down THOUSANDS of power poles. Snapped them like twigs.
And all I could hear on the news & in the papers were whining spoiled babies complaining they had no heat etc.
Slope worked around the clock & brought in lineworkers fromall over the nation, but it took a lot of time to get people power.
Some were out a month.
But I guess I am used to being self sufficient bcs I live in the far out country down here in SW ND.
People need to be prepared for disasters.
Badger40 on January 12, 2011 at 4:46 PM
Videos of Christie answering questions thrown at him over the past months are very instructional. He stays calm and speaks of the problems and the answers he has figured out and his math is good much to the surprise of the person questioning him. I loved the teacher that attacked him when he first started his governorship and his answers are enlightening along with the math. Still love it.
mixplix on January 12, 2011 at 5:56 PM
Thanks, Ed.
That cheered me up after a tough day….
tommylotto on January 12, 2011 at 8:59 PM
hey Badger40, where abouts in SW ND do you live? Bowman area?
I am a life long N’Dakotan out here in Fargo. :)
exsanguine on January 13, 2011 at 8:16 AM