How Chris Christie Did His Homework

Matt Bai’s article on Governor Chris Chrisite in the NY Times Magazine is a MUST READ.

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The Public Employee Union Problem

By Art Gallagher

Yesterday in Government of the unions, by the unions and for the unions I said that “public employee unions are as serious a threat to Americans’ freedom as is radical Islam. Maybe more so. ”   That wasn’t hyperbole.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt and George Meany, the first president of the AFL-CIO, warned of the dangers of public employee collective bargaining.  From Daniel DiSalvo’s The Trouble with Public Sector Unions:

The emergence of powerful public-sector unions was by no means inevitable. Prior to the 1950s, as labor lawyer Ida Klaus remarked in 1965, “the subject of labor relations in public employment could not have meant less to more people, both in and out of government.” To the extent that people thought about it, most politicians, labor leaders, economists, and judges opposed collective bargaining in the public sector. Even President Franklin Roosevelt, a friend of private-sector unionism, drew a line when it came to government workers: “Meticulous attention,” the president insisted in 1937, “should be paid to the special relations and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government….The process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service.” The reason? F.D.R. believed that “[a] strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to obstruct the operations of government until their demands are satisfied. Such action looking toward the paralysis of government by those who have sworn to support it is unthinkable and intolerable.” Roosevelt was hardly alone in holding these views, even among the champions of organized labor. Indeed, the first president of the AFL-CIO, George Meany, believed it was “impossible to bargain collectively with the government.”

In New Jersey, the unions run our governments on the state, county and municipal levels.  Fortunately, Governor Chris Christie is fighting to correct some of the economic imbalances the unions have imposed upon the people with the cooperation of their lap dogs…previous governors and legislatures that the unions elected and shared the largess with.   Yet Christie is fighting to only tame the beast while killing the beast is appropriate. 

Examples of unions dictating government policy, spending and even risking public safety are so prevalent that we don’t even notice.  The unions tyranny is so complete that we just surrender rather than fight.

A minor example is Christie choosing not to layoff government workers during the current budget cycle.  Governor Corzine signed a no layoff contract with the unions just prior to his reelection campaign kickoff.   Vice President Joe Biden told Corzine that he wouldn’t cross a union picket line to appear at Corzine’s event.  Corzine caved to the unions demands and signed a deal that tied his successor’s hands. 

Much more serious examples come from our cities of Newark and Camden.   Both cities are in serious fiscal trouble.  Both cities, already high crime areas, are experiencing increases in violent crime.   In both cities unions forced police layoffs.  The most senior and highest paid members of the police department got to keep their jobs while younger junior officers were let go.  The younger officers are being recruited to join police departments in other states for less pay.  The unions didn’t even give them the option of accepting less pay to keep working at home.  Our leaders, the governor and the cities mayors accepted this situation because they had no choice.

The police situation in Newark and Camden is insane.  It is not government of the people, by the people and for the people.  It is government of the unions, by the unions and for the unions.

Unions, and their lap dog lawmakers have designed a system that trumps the economic law of supply and demand.  There is a huge supply of labor available.  Millions of those people are getting by with checks from the government.  The government can’t put these people to work, as police officers or in other functions, because of union rules and contracts.  This situation is insane.  We are living it.

This is not a system that protects the middle class, as the unions are protesting.  This is a system that rewards the few at the expense of, and literally to the detriment to the safety of us, the many.

Is there any doubt that Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Camden Mayor Dana Reed would hire as many police officers as they could and pay them the wages they could afford if “the system” allowed them to?  Is there any doubt that those jobs would be filled and that there would be a waiting list to fill vacancies?  I think not.

Newark and Camden are extreme but real examples of unions controlling our government and public safety.  There are less extreme but just as real examples all over New Jersey.   Our elected leaders throughout the state on all levels of government are constrained primarily by union contracts and civil service rules in their efforts to reform their jurisdictions and deliver government services efficiently.

It is insanity and we are living it.  It is tyranny and we are subject to it.

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Government of the unions, by the unions, for the unions

By Art Gallagher

Despite the rhetoric coming from Paul Krugman, Dick Durbin, President Obama and other demagogues on the left in the wake of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to scale back public employee unions’ power, no one has yet attempted to “break the unions.”

That’s a shame because public employee unions are as serious a threat to Americans’ freedom as is radical Islam. Maybe more so.  

In many states throughout the union, including New Jersey, public employee unions have more power and influence over government policy, operations and spending than our elected representatives.  From our governor down to the councilman and school board member, elected office holders ability to manage and govern their jurisdictions are constrained by laws and contracts that protect employees from the public will.

Walker’s proposal in Wisconsin to remove unions ability to negotiate for pensions and benefits and Governor Christie’s reform agenda in New Jersey are considered bold because over the last 50 years unions have systematically and gradually taken over our governments. Their political power was extreme and unchecked.   Before Christie took on the NJEA over the last year and thrived, no politician dared take on such a powerful special interest.  Sure there where those who tried, but you don’t remember who they are and neither do I, because the unions destroyed them.  Christie, and now apparently Walker, could be the right men at the right time to lead America back to a truly representative form of government in the States.

Yet, as bold and radical as the governors seem in the context of the last 50 years of growing union power, their proposals are relatively modest.  Far from really “turning Trenton(or Madison) upside down” or doing “big things” Christie and Walker are modestly tinkering with the existing systems.

As Daniel DiSalvo, an assistant professor of political science at City College of New York, told the Star Ledger’s Tom Moran in a Q and A published yesterday:

Christie has created a big storm, in part because of his aggressive style. But what he’s proposed is not that controversial. It leaves intact the entire collective bargaining structure. Yes, he would impose short-term pain, but the Walker plan goes to the root of the problem.

Walker’s plan might go to the root of the problem, but it only exposes the root, it doesn’t cut it:

Q. Is Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker really proposing to end collective bargaining?

A. Not exactly. He’ll retain it for police, firefighters and state troopers. But he is proposing a drastic rollback for teachers and other public employees. They will retain the right to bargain over wages, but not benefits.

Politically, Christie’s success over the last year and Walker’s anticipated success could well be due to the moderateness of their proposals being sold to the public with bold rhetoric.  Christie took on the NJEA last year by calling for wage freezes and health care contributions of only 1.5% of teacher salaries in order to save jobs.  The union looked petty in their vocal opposition and the public sided with the Governor by overwhelmingly rejecting school budgets at the ballot boxes.  The public continues to support Christie’s agenda and now the debate in Trenton is over how much spending to cut, not whether to cut.  That’s a big change, but it is not systematic change.

But systematic change was not politically possible a year ago.  It is becoming possible, but it won’t be swift.  The unions took over our governments incrementally over a period of a half century.  We, the people, did not notice it happening for the most part.  Now that the public is waking up to the relative largess of public employee compensation and benefits, systematic change becomes increasingly possible, but it will have to be accomplished incrementally.

DiSalvo makes the case why public employee unions must be broken in his National Affairs article published last fall. Every political leader should take the time to read the article.

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Christie: People Are Ready To Hear The Truth

Governor Chris Christie addressed the American Enterprise Institute in Washington this afternoon.

Here’s a highlight from the Q and A:

Christie’s entire appearance can be viewed here.

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It’s Time To Do Big Things

Governor Chris Christie will take the national stage again on Wednesday with an address before the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

Christie will continue the It’s Time To Do Big Things theme that framed his State of the State address and his town hall meetings thus far this year.

You can view Christie’s remarks to AEI live on Wednesday, 1PM – 2PM by clicking here.

Politico has a preview here.

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Governor Christie Releases Recommendations for New Capital Program for SDA Districts

Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced a complete revamping of the Schools Development Authority construction program and the first-ever statewide prioritization of SDA school construction projects to bring accountability to the spending of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually for school improvements and expansion. The new program embodies the fundamental reforms taken at the SDA since Governor Christie took office.  The recommendations will be presented to the SDA Board of Directors in the coming weeks for their review and approval.

The new approach is the result of a comprehensive review conducted over a six-month period by an internal working group consisting of SDA and Department of Education officials and reflects a wholesale strategy shift from the SDA’s earlier 2008 Capital Plan.  The changes reflect a commitment to the efficient and proper use of public funds, an objective prioritization of statewide educational needs and the advancement of sound design and construction principles.  For the first time ever, the reforms will allow the Authority to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient, cost-conscious manner – unlike the wasteful, hands-off-the-steering-wheel approach of the prior program. 

“We all know that the prior program was associated with the absolute worst kind of government waste, mismanagement and lack of supervision, where much was promised, too much was spent, but too little was returned,” Governor Christie said.  “I could not responsibly or in good conscience let that history repeat itself at this agency.   We will move forward smartly and deliberatively to deliver value to the school districts and to our taxpayers.”

“The completion of the Capital Plan Review marks a new day for school construction in New Jersey,” said CEO Marc Larkins. “With a statewide prioritization in place, new project delivery processes planned, and a full understanding of the SDA’s capacity, the Authority is poised to move forward with an efficient, responsible school construction program that will address the needs of our students and communities statewide.”

Highlights of the 2011 Plan include:

·         A carefully considered, objectively prioritized Capital Program rather than merely a list of 52 projects

·         An annual selection of projects to be undertaken – starting with 10 in 2011

·         A strategic approach to standardization in school projects, allowing for design replication on multiple projects,  resulting in estimated savings of nearly $4 million per project over less efficient prior project delivery methods

·         Allocation of $100 million for the advancement of additional emergent projects in the SDA Districts

·         A statewide Prioritization Plan to be reviewed annually, providing a framework for project advancement so that only those projects most needed and most efficient will proceed into construction

The new approach and reforms represent a shift away from design excess, costly change orders and mismanagement, and will allow the SDA to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient manner.  The present review evaluated all projects using the same factors, where prior reviews showed a bias in favor of certain types of projects, including, for example, early childhood centers. 

The comprehensive review resulted in the recommendation to advance the following 10 projects in 2011, representing a state investment of almost $584 million:

·         Bridgeton – Cherry Street Elementary School 

·         Elizabeth – Academic Magnet High School

·         Long Branch – Catrambone Elementary School

·         Jersey City – PS 20 Elementary School 

·         Jersey City – Elementary School 3

·         New Brunswick – A. Chester Redshaw Elementary School 

·         Newark – Oliver Street Elementary School 

·         Paterson – Marshall & Hazel Elementary School

·         Paterson – PS Number 16 Elementary School

·         West New York – Harry L. Bain Elementary School

The SDA review yielded a consistent and fair analysis of projects statewide with all districts and all projects rated for the same factors.  For the first time, the SDA considered total project cost, cost per student and efficiency of construction.  Using the same uniform process and selection criteria, the SDA will identify the next group of school construction projects for 2012.

Governor Christie directed a comprehensive review of the SDA early in his administration. In addition, the State Auditor heavily criticized the SDA’s 2008 Capital Plan in June 2010.  Among the criticisms raised by the State Auditor was the requirement that every SDA District receive a project and that certain projects included in the 2008 Plan had never been properly evaluated.

Since Governor Christie vetoed a change order proposed by the SDA in January of 2010 and Larkins was named CEO in March of last year, the agency has seen sweeping reforms.  The highlights of the reforms are improvements in handling change orders, with a renewed emphasis on protecting state resources, and a structural overhaul of the agency.  The new change order process affords more Board oversight of agency operations, and the new organizational structure moves away from a departmental model to a “team-based” approach.  The SDA has also reduced staffing by almost 20% and made other operational changes, reducing the organization’s budget by more than $4 million per year.

With the completion of the Capital Program and the organizational structure needed to support the program in place, the SDA will continue to implement strategies to execute projects more efficiently.  Through the annual advancement framework, the Authority will promote design standardization leading to design replication on multiple projects. In addition, the SDA will continue to identify alternate methods of project delivery including design-build, which allows for overlapping of design and construction schedules leading to faster project delivery.

Beginning in March last year, with Larkins’ appointment as CEO, the  SDA has undergone a sweeping reorganization.  The new structure moves away from a departmental model for the delivery of school projects to a “team-based” approach. This structure provides for greater continuity, better communication and supervision throughout the life cycle of a project. In short, the Authority can now deliver projects more efficiently and with the strictest adherence to cost controls.

The Authority fully funds and manages new construction and modernization of school facilities projects in SDA Districts. Other SDA District projects for which the Authority is responsible are renovations and repairs deemed emergent by the DOE due to health and safety reasons.  

The SDA also makes grants available to the 574 Regular Operating Districts (RODs) throughout New Jersey for projects approved by the DOE.  These grants fund at least 40 percent of eligible project costs, with the remaining share coming from local communities, contingent on budget or voter approval.  The SDA portfolio contains more than 1,000 active ROD grants, 388 of which have been advanced since May of 2010, and total more than $126 million.

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Love for Christie, Right and Left

By Art Gallagher

The Chris Christie for President buzz just won’t go away, no matter how strongly the governor declares he’s not running.  Pretty soon the state police will consider putting Christie on a suicide watch.

Ann Coulter’s comment at CPAC…that the GOP either run Chris Christie or Mitt Romney will be the nominee and lose…has reignited the smoldering Christie for President banter.

In cable TV and radio interviews today,  Coulter has said Christie is the only Republican who can defeat President Obama, and the governor would have her support even though she questions how conservative he is.

From the left, we have Star Ledger columnist Tom Moran, who helped make Christie a national figure with the famous, “You should see me when I’m really pissed” video.  Moran wrote a piece for Sunday’s paper/website which was essentially a white flag of surrender from New Jersey’s Democratic establishment.

After comparing Christie to Oprah, detailing the powerful Democratic support Christie has won over in Hudson and Essex counties, and explaining how hopeless it has become for Trenton Democrats to oppose Christie’s reforms, Moran himself endorsed the Christie agenda:

He’s winning this argument because he’s right on the core issue — New Jersey has promised more than it can deliver. Governors all over the country, in both parties, are moving in the same direction out of necessity.

 

If Christie can win over Moran, maybe Coulter is right.

Perhaps the question should not be, “Is Chris Christie ready to be president?” as he repeatedly protests that he is not.  Perhaps the question should be, “Is Kim Guadagno ready to be governor?”

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NATURAL GAS VETO BAD FOR BUSINESS AND CONSUMERS

By Michael Laffey

On Tuesday February 8 it was reported in the Asbury Park Press, http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110208042 , that the Governor vetoed   a proposal to build a liquefied natural gas port facility 17 miles off the coast of Asbury Park. This decision is bad for New Jersey business and consumers and the Governor should be urged to reconsider this decision.

Natural gas in its liquid form is not stored under pressure and is not flammable or explosive. When exposed to the environment it quickly evaporates. It therefore cannot result in a slick if it is spilled. The vapors when mixed with air are not explosive in an unconfined area.

Natural gas:

• creates less carbon dioxide per BTU than any other carbon based fuel
• is easily transportable
• burns without soot or sulfur dioxide
• is the  very plentiful and therefore very inexpensive compared to other fuels
• does not pollute soil or groundwater if released

These facilities operate all over the world.  This is not a new or unproven concept. Massachusetts already has two of these facilities.  The building of this facility would have created no environmental or safety risk to New Jersey and does not constitute a risk to our tourism industry. 

Building of this facility would create good paying jobs for New Jersey residents. It would lower energy costs for consumers and businesses.  The Governor wants to attract business to New Jersey and create jobs and this project would do both

This reason this proposal was opposed by environmental groups was because it involves fossil fuels. The unrealistic goal of those opposing the facility is to put fossil fuels out of business.  They do not want anything built that would provide low cost fuel to consumers because then expensive inefficient alternative energy sources can not compete.

No matter what your position is on global warming and fossil fuels the fact is that fossil fuels are not going to be replaced by solar and wind power anytime soon. A proper weighing of the economic benefit versus risk of this project leaves no doubt that it should be allowed to move forward.

As a counter to these misguided environmental lobbyists the Governor needs to hear from the people who would get jobs from this project and the businesses and consumers who would benefit from lower energy costs.  We need to urge the Governor to reverse his position. He needs to hear from the people who would benefit from this project rather then the misguided special interest groups who currently have his ear.

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Christie: Cable TV Welfare Is Dumb

By Art Gallagher

Governor Chris Christie called an Corzine era law that would help low income seniors and the disabled pay their cable TV bills “a dumb idea.”

“It was a dumb idea in my opinion,” Christie said. “To have the taxpayers of New Jersey pay for cable TV, I mean seriously, has cable TV become a constitutional right now we are going to pay for, in this time of budget constraints?

The Corzine administration implemented the tax on cable bills to fund the program, but never got around to implementing the distribution of the funds.  The Christie administration used the $9.2 million generated by the tax to plug the budget deficit last year.

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Governor Christie Signs Landmark Legislation to Revitalize Atlantic City

Legislation marks key step in Christie Administration’s comprehensive plan to renew regional economy

Trenton, NJ – Today, Governor Chris Christie signed into law sweeping legislation to enact his reform plans to revitalize the ailing gaming and tourism industries in Atlantic City, and set the region on a new course for economic growth, job creation and prosperity.  Recognizing the significance and importance of Atlantic City’s regional economy to the state as a whole, Governor Christie put forward a comprehensive, bold reform plan in July aimed at turning around the deep and unprecedented challenges facing Atlantic City’s gaming and tourism industries. 

The bills signed by Governor Christie today, S-11 and S-12, represent critical steps in following through on his commitment to the tens of thousands of New Jersey families whose livelihoods depend on the regional economy, and will set the stage for Atlantic City to once again be a world-class destination resort and an engine of job creation and economic growth.  S-11 authorizes the creation of a tourism district within Atlantic City, with the charge of improving public safety, public health, marketing and infrastructure projects and improvements; S-12 provides for the reform and modernization of New Jersey’s casino regulatory structure.

“The challenges faced today by the Atlantic City tourism and gaming industries have been a long time in the making, and significant steps are needed to stop the decline and set a new course of economic growth, job creation and return Atlantic City to the ranks of the best destinations in the world.  But, it can and must be done for the economic health of New Jersey as a whole,” said Governor Christie.  “Since we announced our plan for reform just over six months ago, we have already taken steps to secure that future – to stabilize the City’s finances and create jobs through new business investment.  Today, we are going much further to signal to businesses, to the public and to the people who call Atlantic City home that a new, brighter and more prosperous future is coming again.”

The signing took place at the site of the Revel casino resort, a 53-story, 6.3 million square foot, 3,800 room hotel and casino that, upon completion, will be the biggest such property in Atlantic City.  Governor Christie also announced the approval of $260 million in tax-increment financing by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority that will support much needed infrastructure improvements in the South Inlet neighborhood adjacent to the Revel development and pave the way for completion of the $2.5 billion project and thousands of new jobs.  The project estimates the creation of 5,500 permanent jobs, 2,600 construction jobs, 1,100 manufacturing jobs, 400 vendor/supplies jobs and 250 professional/consulting jobs.  Along with job creation associated with ancillary utility and infrastructure improvement projects, total job creation for the Revel project is estimated at more than 10,000 jobs.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority also today approved a new policy requiring as a condition of any tax increment financing package of $50 million or more, including the Revel financing approved today, that the state receive success reimbursement payments from the project commensurate with the extent of state financial participation.

S-11 implements several critical elements of Governor Christie’s revitalization plan for Atlantic City.  The bill authorizes the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to establish a tourism district within Atlantic City.  Within the territorial limits of the tourism district, CRDA will be authorized to establish land use regulations, implement a tourism district master plan, promote public health and safety initiatives, advance commercial development, undertake redevelopment projects and institute infrastructure improvements.  The bill also provides for the merger of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority into CRDA.  CRDA will also enter into a public-private partnership with a not-for-profit consisting of a majority of New Jersey casino licensees, through which they will commit funds totaling $30 million annually for the development and implementation of a marketing program aimed at promoting Atlantic City. In October, the Casino Association of New Jersey announced the formation of such a non-profit and the commitment of the casino industry to contribute at least $30 million annually to promote Atlantic City and support the tourism district.

S-11 directs the Attorney General and Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Mayor of Atlantic City and municipal law enforcement officials, to develop a public safety plan for Atlantic City to be implemented by a District Commander appointed by the Superintendent.  The plan will include the development of law enforcement best practices, the procurement and deployment of new technology and equipment, and the development and implementation of a coordinated law enforcement strategy to address public safety concerns both inside and outside of the tourism district.

S-12 reforms the state’s regulatory structure for casinos by modernizing, streamlining, and eliminating duplication in the regulatory statutes, many of which were authored more than 30 years ago.  Under the bill, the Casino Control Commission (CCC) is assigned the lead role in initial casino licensing matters as well as in adjudicating regulatory disputes.  The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) is charged with focusing on the day-to-day regulation of all casino operations.  These changes move away from the duplicative and overlapping investigative, oversight, and regulatory functions previously held by the two-bodies and creates a more well-defined system of regulatory authority by the entities.

In addition, S-12 accounts for the significant technological advancements that have taken place since the inception of the regulatory statue by eliminating the current requirement that the Casino Control Commission be continuously present, through inspectors and agents, at all times during the operation of a casino.  The bill provides for registration as opposed to licensure of certain casino-related employees and removes certain periodic license renewal requirements.  The bill would, however, add a requirement for designated information to be provided periodically by licensees to the CCC and DGE in order to verify ongoing compliance with all legal requirements. 

Finally, the bill makes various other changes to state law to remove impediments to efficient and productive casino operations and provide additional flexibility in their operation. 

On July 21^st, Governor Christie welcomed and endorsed the recommendations of the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission chaired by Jon F. Hanson.  The actions taken today fulfill many of the goals outlined in that report, and move forward Governor Christie’s commitment to ensuring the growth and success of Atlantic City’s economy, and the state’s gaming and tourism industries.

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