New Jersey: The Whining Starts

Well, okay, the whining actually started 60 seconds after Governor Christie finished his budget address last week. But the whining has started in the Star Ledger, with this article:

"N.J. residents, groups urge Senate panel to save

programs from Gov. Christie's budget cuts"

(http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/nj_residents_assess_gov_chris.html)

This article provides a good indication of what we'll be hearing here in New Jersey over the next few months, as Gov. Christie attempts to make good on his campaign promise to bring the state back into some semblance of fiscal sanity.

Here's the article's list of those who would suffer as a result of Christie's proposed cuts:

• Epileptics
• College students
• People with cerebral palsy
• Adults who can't take care of themselves
• Families of the disabled
• Children
• Seniors
• Colleges
• Elementary schools
• Cancer research groups
• Family planning groups
• Low- and moderate-income people

The article goes on to quote someone from a group called "Better Choices for New Jersey" (http://www.betterchoicesfornj.org/), a group that wants to employ fiscally responsible "revenue solutions" (i.e. tax increases) to solve the state's fiscal emergency. These are the "fiscally responsible" solutions they propose on their website:

• Adjust state income tax to more closely reflect ability to pay.
• Curb business tax breaks and loopholes.
• Raise registration fees for gas-guzzlers that pollute our environment.
• Increase the alcoholic beverage tax by 10% (this is on top of the 25% increase in FY2010!)

We should do everything we can to support Governor Christie in his effort to save New Jersey from fiscal ruin!