Lastly, it’s important to note here as well, that this is the product of compromise. Now, compromise can be reached in a variety of different ways, through a variety of different paths, but I want to thank the Senate President and the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the Senate and of the Assembly for traveling on this journey to the compromise with me. It is extraordinarily important that we all stand up for the principles we believe in, but also recognize that we are sent here to get the work done that the people have sent us here to do. Mayors, council people, have been crying out for this reform for a long time. And I suspect that if myself, the Speaker, and the Senate President along with the minority leaders had told you back in January of 2010 that by December of 2011, we would have a 2% hard cap on property tax levies, and a 2% hard cap on interest arbitration awards, you probably would have told us we were crazy. This is the product of people standing up for their principles, listening to the people who voted for us, and compromise where compromise is needed. The last part which I forgot, is this mirrors the 2% levy cap in respect that pension and healthcare benefits are excluded from the cap. However, the other commitment that we have made to each other and all of this have said this repeatedly over time, is that when we return in January to our work that we are going to get pension and health benefit reform benefit done. Each one of these things is a building block to finally controlling property taxes in New Jersey. We’ve got the levy cap, we’re dealing with interest arbitration, we have some other tool kit items that we’re going to have to turn to as well and then we’re going to turn to pension and health benefits as well. We’ve made that commitment to each other both privately and publically. So again, I thank the leaders of the Legislature for their willingness to work with me, their willingness to compromise, and to come to an agreement that makes sense for the people in the state. There’s nothing more important than getting property taxes under control in this state and changing the system. And I think for the first time in a long time, we have taken meaningful steps towards doing that.
Most of the mainstream news reported from Governor Chris Christie’s press conference yesterday has to do with the progress being made on the “tool kit” of municipal government reforms that will enable local officials to reduce the cost of government and live within the 2% property tax increase cap that the State government passed last summer.
Thanks to the Star Ledger’s Paul Mulshine for reporting that Christie also acknowledged that he is considering a pardon of Brian Aitken, the young New Jersey man serving seven years in prison for transporting guns he purchased legally and in a method that he had been instructed to transport them by the New Jersey State Police.
The news reports of of Aitken’s plight make a compelling case that a gross injustice has been committed. As a media skeptic and critic, I wonder what facts are missing from the stories. If the stories are reasonably accurate there is no question that Aitken should be released, his record cleared and he should go on to live the productive life he was apparently leading prior to his arrest.
I trust Christie to review Aitken’s case quickly and to make a just determination.
Conditional Veto Expands and Strengthens Bill Provisions to Better Protect Taxpayers and Provide Relief for Strained Local Budgets
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today issued a conditional veto of Senate Bill 2220, a tool kit bill and element of the Christie Reform Agenda, to strengthen and improve upon the bill and more effectively stop the abuse of sick and vacation benefits, or supplemental compensation. While the bill accomplishes a large part of Governor Christie’s reform goals for these benefits, the Governor has identified provisions in the bill that can be improved upon to further assist strained local budgets and help meet the reality of Cap 2.0.
“This bill represents a good-faith continuation of the public employee benefits reform I signed into law earlier this year that will serve as a critical cost-savings tool for municipalities and school boards that must live within our property tax cap. I applaud the bill sponsors and the legislature for taking action on this critical reform measure. By working together, as we have in the preceding days, we are showing New Jerseyans and the country that real change is possible when to come together to work on real, meaningful solutions, in the public’s best interest,” said Governor Christie. “The changes I’ve put forward for this legislation make common sense and important improvements to strengthen the bill’s provisions and more effectively curb the unreasonable and abusive public employee payouts that come at the public’s expense.”
Governor Christie urged the legislature to act quickly to adopt the substantive changes in the conditional veto, and continue building upon the progress that has been made on critical elements of the Christie Reform Agenda, including comprehensive reforms to the interest arbitration system announced today.
“In these difficult economic and budgetary times, New Jersey taxpayers can no longer be asked to foot the bill for a system that is rife with waste and abuse. Sick days provide time off for employees who are sick, and do not represent an additional form of compensation for employees who are fortunate enough to remain healthy. Whatever rationale once justified this type of abuse, the time has come for the practice to end,” added Governor Christie. “Those individuals who abuse the public trust must not be allowed to further exploit the system for their own enrichment. The changes identified by my Administration and addressed in this conditional veto go further to put an end to these practices. I urge the legislature to continue the important progress we’ve made in delivering real reform to the people of New Jersey by acting quickly to adopt these changes and providing an important element of the tool kit to local governments.”
Governor Christie’s Conditional Veto makes the following improvements to S-2220, to improve and strengthen the legislation, better protect taxpayers and provide even greater budgetary relief to municipalities:
Strengthen the public trust by suspending supplemental compensation for any employee under indictment for a crime that involves or touches his or her public office, and mandate the forfeiture of any supplemental compensation if convicted;
Phase out the practice of distributing cash payouts for sick days by prohibiting supplemental compensation for sick days that accumulate after the effective date of the legislation for all state, local government and school district employees;
Require that sick days accrued prior to the effective date of this legislation be used before those days accrued after the effective date;
Expand to all current employees at any point during their employment, not just hires after the effective date of the bill in the twelve months before retirement, the requirement that a physician provide written verification for use of six or more consecutive sick days; and
Require that vacation days accrued prior to the effective date (those not subject to the one-year carry forward provision) of this legislation be used before those days accrued after the effective date (those subject to one-year carry forward restriction).
With 12 Days Left in the Legislative Session, Governor Christie Praises Legislative Leadership for Working Together and Taking Action
Trenton, NJ – With just 12 days left in the legislative session, Governor Chris Christie has reached a bipartisan agreement to enact critical elements of the Christie Reform Agenda. Working together with Senate President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, the result is action on transformational, long-overdue interest arbitration reform that will provide municipalities with the help they need to keep property taxes down for New Jerseyans.
As part of the Christie Reform Agenda, the Governor unveiled an aggressive plan to curb property tax costs through comprehensive arbitration reform. Arbitration reform, in addition to other pieces of the Reform Agenda, get at the root of the problem facing many local governments struggling to live within their means – ever-expanding operational costs. The Governor has been traveling the state since September, talking about the importance of enacting a tool kit of reforms to help local government leaders directly address cost drivers and manage within Cap 2.0 without adversely impacting core government services. Since the introduction of these reforms in May, hundreds of mayors and local elected officials across political parties have voiced their support for the tool kit, and underscored the tool kit’s importance in helping them manage their local budgets.
“Today we have shown that once again by putting the interests of New Jersey’s hard working men and women first we can achieve real, sustainable reform. Building on the first steps we took to reduce property taxes with “Cap 2.0,” we are transforming the interest arbitration process and providing a long-term solution that will help local governments keep property taxes down and costs under control,” said Governor Chris Christie. “New Jerseyans have waited a long time to see real reform happen in Trenton, which is why they deserve nothing less. Today’s agreement is a positive step in that direction, but we still have more work to do before the end of the year.
“There is no doubt that by going after the issues normally considered to be off limits politically, we are changing the conversation in New Jersey and getting results. Now we’re showing the rest of the country that if you work together on substantive solutions, you can change the way government works. We’re just starting to turn Trenton upside down and I’m confident that if we keep this same pace and continue to work together on what matters, we’re going to be able to go even farther,” concluded Governor Chris Christie.
The Christie bipartisan agreement on interest arbitration reform mirrors the Governor’s call for a meaningful cap that matches the tax levy cap of 2.0. This 2 percent cap will be applied to all salary items, such as across the board and cost of living increases, step increment payments and longevity pay. While pension and health costs are exceptions, as part of the Reform Agenda, the Governor has called for considerable measures to modernize and improve the pension and benefit system and has received assurances from Democratic leadership that these reforms will be passed in 2011.
Moreover, important to Governor Christie’s commitment to delivering meaningful and substantive reform, there will be no additional exceptions for non-salary economic terms moving forward. The agreement creates a prohibition on allowing non-salary economic issues to be arbitrated above the cap, unless already included in an existing contract. This is an important provision because arbitrators will no longer be able to create new cost items in successor contracts.
The agreement also creates fast track interest arbitration that will transform the system by establishing concrete deadlines to help accelerate the impact of the new cap.
The Christie Bipartisan Agreement on Interest Arbitration Reform
·Meaningful Cap 2.0 That Mirrors Tax Levy Cap. Provides a meaningful cap of 2 percent that will be applied to all salary items, such as the cost of across the board and cost of living increases, step increment payments and longevity pay.
·No Exceptions for Additional Non-Salary Economic Terms Moving Forward. The agreement prevents arbitrators from awarding any new economic items moving forward. The agreement creates a prohibition on allowing non-salary economic issues to be arbitrated above the cap, unless already included in an existing contract. All salary items are subject to a maximum 2 percent cap. This is an important provision because arbitrators will no longer be able to create new cost items in successor contracts
·Eliminate Accruing Labor Costs By Improving the Arbitration Process. The agreement transforms the system by putting in place concrete deadlines to help eliminate delays in the arbitration process, from contract negotiation to the receipt of the actual award. Traditionally, once a contract expires, labor costs continue to mount until a new contact is reached. Enforcing deadlines and speeding up the process will ensure timely implementation of new contracts and the cap on interest arbitration awards.
o45 Day Fast Track on Arbitration. Establishes a concrete deadline of 45 days from the filing of a request for interest arbitration to the date of award without any extensions. Both parties may request interest arbitration on the day the contract expires and awards will be implemented on the same day. All appeals must be decided within 30 days, if arbitrators do not comply with the 45 day deadline, they will be penalized.
oCaps Arbitrator Pay. The agreement will cap arbitrator compensation at $1,000 per day and $7,500 per case. Capping arbitrator pay will further incentivize speedy resolution of arbitration cases.
oIncreases Ethical Standards and Training for Interest Arbitrators.
oRandomizes the Selection of Interest Arbitrators.
·2011 Effect with 2014 Sunset. The law takes effect on January 1, 2011 and is set to sunset on April 1, 2014.
·Ensuring Responsible Implementation. The agreement also creates a Task Force to examine the impact of interest arbitration reform and the effectiveness of the cap on restricting municipal spending. The taskforce will study the impact of the cap on taxes, services, expenditures, public safety, recruitment, retention and professionalism. The Governor will directly appoint four members and two members will be directly appointed by the Senate President and Assembly Speaker. The Task Force will provide its recommendations no later than December 31, 2013.
With Repubican Randy Altschuler’s concession on Tuesday to incumbent Congressman Tim Bishop in New York’s 1st congressional district, the 2010 midterm elections have come to a close. Republicans picked up 63 seats while taking control of the House of Representatives, and picked up 6 seats in the U.S. Senate.
The 2010 midterms have frequently been compared to the 1994 midterms when Newt Gingrich lead the House GOP to pick up 54 seats, while Republicans picked up 8 U.S. Senate seats and controlled both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954.
With the midterms behind us pundits and political junkies are shifting their focus to the 2012 Presidential election. Many have pondered whether President Obama will move to the center ala Bill Clinton after the massive loss in the ’94 midterms, “triangulating” Republicans, Independents and their issues on his way to a scandal plaqued second term, or will Obama finish out his term like Jimmy Carter, dogged by a stagflation economy, unrest in the Middle East and challenged by the left in his own party.
My friend Alan Steinberg argues that Obama’s recent deal with Congressional Republicans to extend the Bush-era tax rates for two years ehances the President’s reelection prospects because of the likely improvement in the economy that will result. Steinberg says that the far left wing of the Democratic party condeming Obama for the deal will also help him by making him look like a centrist. Steinberg says an Obama primary victory over a left wing opponent like Howard Dean would boost the President further with an aura of success and centrism.
Alan overlooks the historical fact that every incumbent President since Gerald Ford who faced a credible primary challenge won the primary but lost the general election. Ford was challenged by Ronald Reagan in the 1976 GOP primary and lost the election to Jimmy Carter. Carter was challenged in the 1980 Democratic party by Ted Kennedy and lost the election to Reagan. George H.W. Bush was challenged by Pat Buchanan in the 1992 GOP primary and lost the election to Bill Clinton.
Taxes could well be the issue that dominates the 2012 election. Just as George H.W. Bush’s broken “NO NEW TAXES” pledge cost him dearly with the Republican base that never revered him like they did Reagan, Obama’s broken pledge to raise taxes on the rich and redistribute wealth could yet cost him dearly with his Democratic base. Just as Bush I was no Reagan, Obama may prove to be no Clinton. Clinton, despite moving away from his leftist base, “felt their pain” in 1996. So far Obama’s message to “the professional left” is “you are a pain.”
Should a Democrat like Dean or Hillary Clinton really become a pain and challenge Obama in the primary he or she might argue that the Clinton era tax increases on the wealthy lead to a booming ecomony, the first balanced federal budget in memory and even a surplus.
Of course such a Democrat will ignore the fact that the Clinton 1993 tax increases did not boost the economy as Democrats had expected it would. The “Clinton boom” and balanced budgets didn’t occur until after 1997 when the Republican Congress lowered the capital gains tax rates, added a child credit, lowered the death tax and increased the IRA exclusions.
There is another development on the horizon that might make the 2012 election look more like ’92 when Bill Clinton defeated Bush I, than like ’96 when Clinton was reelected over Bob Dole or like 1980 when Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter.
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg might end up the 2012 version of H. Ross Perot, the billionaire businessman who ran for President as a third party candidate against Bush I and Clinton in 1992, capturing 19% of the popular vote, and many think Bush I a second term.
Bloomberg sounded an a lot like a presidential candidate yesterday when he bashed both major political parties, Washington gridlock and offered a “centrist way” to fix America. Perot built the Reform Party in 1996. Bloomberg would embrace the No Labels movement of centrists that has been building a grassroots organization over the last year. No Labels will have a major event, their “official launch,” in New York of all places on Monday December 13. The event will be simulcast in the Internet on Monday December 13.
The other factor making 2012 look like 1996 in my crystal ball is the Republican field of Presidential contenders. So far only New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has the charisma of a Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton or candidate Obama. Christie says he’s not running. I believe him. He will have his hands full in New Jersey in 2011, making the kind of national travel throughout the year that would be required to compete in the GOP primaries that start in February of 2012 very unlikely. The rest of the Republican field doesn’t have “it.” They are reminiscent of Bush I, Bob Dole and John McCain.
In a head to head race of Obama vs a current Republican contender other than Christie, Obama would have to be favored at this point, assuming he keeps moving to the center. If Bloomberg runs as a No Labels candidate and spends the $1.5 billion that has been speculated, history could be made rather than repeated.
Governor’s Action Necessary Pending Legislative Resolution on Horse Racing Recommendations
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today vetoed the New Jersey Racing Commission’s establishment of a full standardbred and thoroughbred racing schedule for Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands, as the Administration continues its review of recommendations to end annual taxpayer subsidies for the horse racing industry and make it self-sustaining.
The Racing Commission’s action at its November 10 meeting establishing a full race schedule for 2011 conflicts with the primary recommendation contained in a supplemental report under review by the Administration to substantially reduce the number of live racing days at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands Racetrack for next year. At the November 10 meeting, the Racing Commission approved a request from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to establish the full race meeting schedule for next year.
Governor Christie’s veto is not critical of the Commission or the NJSEA for doing what is currently statutorily required, as the Administration is considering scaled-down race meets among possible solutions for making the horse racing industry self-sustaining. The Governor’s veto was necessary pending a legislative resolution on horse racing recommendations and solutions.
“While the recommendation is being reviewed, it would be inappropriate to approve the NJSEA’s request to race 141 Thoroughbred races dates at Monmouth Park and 141 Standardbred races dates at the Meadowlands Racetrack particularly in light of the taxpayer subsidies required to sustain such a lengthy race calendar,” Governor Christie said in his veto letter, dated today.
“An appropriate solution for the state-owned racetracks, which does not unduly burden the taxpayers of this State, must be reached before a schedule for the 2011 racing season can be approved,” the Governor wrote.
Tom Moran is the editorial page editor of the Star Ledger and the reporter who unwittingly made Governor Chris Christie a YouTube sensation.
Moran decided that its time to grade the Governor. In a column published on Sunday, the pernicious pundit acknowledges that independent polls indicate that the voters are rating the Governor with A’s and B’s. He spends the rest of the column telling the voters (us) why they (we) are wrong about Christie. Moran say Christie only gets a C.
Moran gives Christie high marks for courage, calling the Governor a cage fighter for his cause. Despite this A, Moran gives Christie demerits for failing to compromise. This has been a theme of Moran’s throughout the year. Christie came to Trenton promising to turn the place upside down. Moran wants him to be nice while breaking the furniture.
Moran even gives the Governor a B on the budget, even though he calls Christie’s claim that he plugged an $11 billion budget hole “farcical.”
On the 2% property tax cap, Moran says Christie will earn a spot on the honor roll if it works, but so far it hasn’t. Duh. It hasn’t even gone into effect yet, and the “tool kit” negotiations with the Democratic legislative leadership are ongoing. Moran criticises Christie for not caving and accepting Oliver’s and Senate President Steve Sweeney’s first offer.
Moran takes Christie to task for calling Oliver a liar over her assertion that she tried to meet with Christie over the “tool kit.”
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver was shocked when she learned that the governor had accused her of lying.
“That has irreparably affected my ability to work with this governor,” she says. “For him to cast aspersions on my integrity and say I would lie? That did it. That showed me I really cannot have a trusting relationship with this governor. Because he will distort the truth. He will stand up and lie.
“It was a game changer for me, a total game changer.”
Will Oliver’s resignation as Speaker be forthcoming? If she can’t or won’t work with the Governor she has no business being Speaker. Oliver should be grateful that the Governor and most of the media gave her (and Moran) a pass when she called the Governor racist in an earlier Moran column.
Moran seems to think it is a problem for Christie that Oliver and U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg “hate his guts.”
U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg felt this sting as well. After he criticized the governor for killing the Hudson River tunnel project, the governor lashed out.
“All he knows how to do is blow hot air,” Christie said. “So I don’t really care what Frank Lautenberg has to say about much of anything.”
This is the downside of the governor’s straight talk. He has to work with Oliver and Lautenberg, like it or not. And now they both seem to hate his guts.
“Look, I worked with Tom Kean and Christie Whitman, and had no problems,” Lautenberg says. “This is really unusual. There’s been hardly any communication from his office, and I’m on the Appropriations Committee. I put my heart and soul into this, and to have someone calling me names and trying to shame me? It’s incomprehensible.”
Lautenberg is old and has been very sick for most of the year. He can be forgiven for not noticing that Christie is not Tom Kean or Christie Whitman. Now that he’s woken up, he’ll start comprehending, if his heart and soul are really in his job. How effective has he been for us on the Appropriations Committee anyway?
Moran is right about one thing. Christie hasn’t delivered yet. But that is not the measure by which to grade a Governor 11 months into his term. Moran is a liberal ideologue masquerading as a moderate. Like ideologues on the right who are critical of Christie because he hasn’t fixed all the inequities of New Jersey government in 11 months, he is driven only by his own narrow agenda.
The NJEA is having a news conference in Trenton today to propose education reforms including “significant reform of the tenure system.” That is remarkable. Even if the proposed reforms are full of loop holes, which as a Jersey cynic I suspect they will be, the fact that the NJEA has entered the reform conversation is truly remarkable. Chris Christie made that happen.
Civil Service and binding arbitration is going to be reformed. Mayors and councils are going to be unbound from the ties that have driven property taxes to catastrophic levels and be empowered to truly manage their communities rather than rubber stamp state mandates. That is unbelievable. Chris Christie made that happen.
The 2% property tax cap, even with its exceptions, will truly force a reduction in the size of government, especially when inflation kicks in. Share services will become a reality out of necessity, rather than something community leaders pay lip service to during elections.
Chris Christie has changed the tone and transformed the direction of government in New Jersey. “Changed has arrived” he declared in his inaugural address. He is deliverying change. Trenton is not quite upside down yet, but it is surely tilted. He can’t be graded by the old score card, because he has changed the game in New Jersey and given Governors throughout the nation, and our leaders in Washington new rules.
Rather than a report card, lets judge Christie with a scorecard.
Christie is leading by a wide margin as the first quarter of his term comes to a close. Yet, the opposition of special interests and trough swillers have been studying the films and making adjustments. The final minutes of the quarter are critical as the effectiveness of the tool kit will be determined. Next year, the second quarter, is when the real heavy lifitng will start. Legislative redistricting, the budget and the legislative election will dominate the agenda. Municipal budgets drawn under the 2% cap will dominate the news. As the economy improves, if it does, “we don’t have the money” will not work as well in forcing reforms.
Christie gets an A for his first year. Next year will be the real test. Mid-terms will be in November. If the voters give Christie and A or B in the form of a Republican legislature, we’ll find out what “turning Trenton upside down” really means.
Governor Chris Christie held his 15th Town Hall meeting since September in Parispanny yesterday afternoon.
NJ’s mainstream media was anticipating a good show and YouTube moments because the Governor had dubbed Parispanny School Superintendent Leroy Seitz “the poster boy for greed and arrogance” at an earlier Town Hall meeting. Seitz had renegotiated his contract with the Parsipanny Board of Education in order to avoid the pay cap that Christie is imposing effective in February.
Brian Aitkin, photo from Free Brian Aitkin facebook page
By Art Gallagher
Brain Aitken was sentenced to seven years in prison for transporting unloaded and disassembled guns in the trunk of his car. The arresting officer suggested that Aitken store the guns in his father’s safe, but they wouldn’t fit, so he was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to seven years in state prison.
According to the reports brought to my attention by MMM readers, here, here and here, Aitken had purchased the firearms legally while residing in Colorado. He had sought and followed guidance from the New Jersey State Police on how to legally transport the guns during his move back to New Jersey.
Aitken turned down pleas bargain offers from the Burlington County prosecutors office because he believed he had carefully followed the law.
The judge presiding over Aitken’s case, James Morely, declined to instruct the jury about exemptions to the concealed carry law for transporting guns during a move between residences. Aitken’s attorney raised the issue during closing arguments but not during the evidentiary phase of the trail. The jury requested the exemption information multiple times during deliberations. Morely declined to provide the information.
Morely did not issue Aitken’s sentence. He was removed from the bench after the verdict was delivered and before the sentencing because Governor Chris Christie declined to reappoint him, reportedly because of his judgement in a case involving a Moorestown NJ police officer having sex with cows. Judge Michael J. Haas issued Aitken’s sentence.
Evan Nappen of Eatontown is Aitken’s attorney. Nappen’s summary of the facts of the case can be found here.
Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll has written Governor Christie asking for an immediate pardon or commutation of Aitken’s sentence. Carroll’s letter can be found here.
Reports are that Governor Christie is reviewing the pardon/commutation request. The media campaign that Aitken’s family is waging is so compelling that the questions, “how could this happen?” and “what facts are missing from this story?” must be addressed. Christie’s office should conduct a thorough and expeditious review.
