Wednesday - January 20, 2010

A Fresh Start In NJ

New Jersey Gov.-elect Christopher J. Christie nominated school-choice advocate Bret Schundler yesterday to head his education department, sending his strongest policy and political message yet with a Cabinet appointment.

The former Jersey City mayor has long-supported alternative education programs such as vouchers and school choice, as well as the less controversial charter schools.

Yesterday, Schundler struck a note of cooperation with potential adversaries, saying, “We have political leaders on both sides of the aisle willing to make changes that will make a difference in the lives of our students.”

Schundler has run for governor twice on a firm conservative platform, citing the success of charter schools in Jersey City. As mayor, he gained a national reputation for cutting taxes and unemployment in the Hudson River city.

Unions are wetting their britches, but trying to do some CYA.

The NJEA argues that increased government support of charter schools and other alternatives would divert funds from public schools, weakening them. It ran television ads and sent literature attacking Christie’s positions during the campaign, which he referenced yesterday.

When asked at a Statehouse news conference what sort of message the Schundler selection sent to the teachers union, Christie said, “I don’t think the appointment of Bret Schundler sends any signal to the NJEA. The election of Chris Christie sends a message to the NJEA.”

Christie campaigned saying he supported charter schools, as well as allowing students in failing public school districts to attend public schools in districts open to them. Haddonfield, for example, accepts tuition-paying students from Camden.

Christie ran to the right in the Republican primary, where he faced unexpectedly strong opposition from Steve Lonegan, who is more conservative than Schundler.

Political scientist Joseph Marbach at Seton Hall University said that with the Schundler choice, “Christie’s living up to his promise that he was going to shake things up in Trenton.”

And that was just one appointment. Within hours of being sworn in, the new governor stopped Trenton cold for 3 months, put a collar on the unions, and outed outgoing governor Corzine’s sneaky back door money transfer scheme and his lie about the state’s revenue flow.

In his first news conference as governor, Chris Christie signed eight executive orders which ranged from making pay to play rules apply to unions and suspending for 90 days new state rules and regulations.  He also disclosed that the Corzine administration had figures showing the state’s anticipated cash flow is $1 billion less that what Corzine publicly acknowledged. And that, he told my colleague Mike Symons, means the state could be unable to make payroll even sooner than the March date previously discussed. All of this, Christie said, will be taken up with his advisors tomorrow. Christie said Corzine’s treasurer, David Rousseau — “the latest member of the Mercer County Tax Board” — stalled turning over the figures despite repeated requests. The governor also said the Corzine crowd moved the $121 million to the so-called distressed cities via wire transfer before Christie took the oath of office so he couldn’t stop it.

Give ‘em hell ‘guv. The party is just beginning.

Republican Chris Christie was sworn in Tuesday as New Jersey’s 55th governor, vowing to deliver the far-reaching change he said voters elected him to bring about.

“You voted loudly and clearly for change, and you have entrusted us with what may be our last, best hope for a stronger New Jersey — the New Jersey of our youth, full of hope and opportunity,” Christie said in his inaugural address. “New Jersey, you voted for change and today change has arrived.”

Christie takes over a state plagued by the nation’s highest taxes, a deficit that could hit $10 billion by July and unemployment near 10 percent.

His swearing in marked a reminder of President Barack Obama’s vulnerability on the same day another Northeastern election threatened to derail parts of his agenda.
...
He seized on the dual themes of voter discontent and change in his 33-minute inaugural address.

“Rarely in New Jersey’s history have we faced the challenges we face today,” Christie said. “There is fear and uncertainty. But fear and uncertainty are not necessary and do not have to be permanent. We have the tools for a brighter future, if we change direction.”
...
Christie will sign his first executive orders Wednesday that increase the state’s fiscal transparency.
...
[newly elected lieutenant governor] Guadagno praised Christie for selecting her as a running mate and noted that there were now two former federal corruption prosecutors running the state.

“Chris Christie has made us believe again,” she said, then joked: “Heck, look — the Jets are in the playoffs!”

Now ... that last one would take a real miracle!

Posted by Drew458     on 01/20/2010 at 03:22 PM   
Filed Under: • Republicans •  
• Comments (1) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner