Someone had to do it.

damageddude: He has spent all his time attacking teachers and lower level state workers, many of whom do not get paid all that well (though compared to those who really get paid low wages, they seem rich). Meantime he is not doing a thing, at least publicly, to tackle the real corruption and waste brought about by patronage jobs nor spoke of eliminating high level, six figure positions in state government. Even us dumb sheeple can smell a hypocrite without getting smacked around.

Of course, we the sheeple are the idiots fighting with each other over the crumbs the fat cats in Trenton drop without questioning why the folks in Trenton aren't tightening their belts too.

So what you're saying is that a Bush Republican is sticking it to the lower and middle class while ignoring, with a wink and a grin, the immense strain that his rich, crooked friends are placing on the system?

Well color me farking shocked.

/yes, I b-b-b-but Bushed
//he was a Bush appointee and a major fundraiser
///the comparison is valid as all hell

Don't you dare cut any of my services. If you raise my taxes, I'll put on my Patriot Elvis costume and throw a brick through your window. Put all my groceries in one bag and don't make it heavy, or I'll ride you out of town on a rail.

damageddude: He has spent all his time attacking teachers and lower level state workers, many of whom do not get paid all that well (though compared to those who really get paid low wages, they seem rich). Meantime he is not doing a thing, at least publicly, to tackle the real corruption and waste brought about by patronage jobs nor spoke of eliminating high level, six figure positions in state government. Even us dumb sheeple can smell a hypocrite without getting smacked around

there's probably not enough money there at the patronage jobs to save as much.

most state budgets are overwhelmingly dominated by money for education, medicaid, social services and corrections. if you want to save real money, you have to cut them.

Christie is from my hometown - Livingston, New Jersey - which is what surprises me the most about this. Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

He has revealed himself as a pure ideologue. I hope he gets caught with a cheap hooker and resigns in disgrace.

He was going to be hated no matter what he did. It's going to be very painful everywhere in this country when we finally admit we have to increase taxes in a dramatic way or cut many services people regularly use.

fark that fat fark.

FishyFred: Christie is from my hometown - Livingston, New Jersey - which is what surprises me the most about this. Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

But don't you see? That's exactly why he had to cut so much in education! If he doesn't, one of those little brats may end up going to law school and taking his job.

pd771: He was going to be hated no matter what he did. It's going to be very painful everywhere in this country when we finally admit we have to increase taxes in a dramatic way or cut many services people regularly use.

The frothing outrage in this thread is why more politicians don't do what they have to do.

skullkrusher: dervish16108: FishyFred: Christie is from my hometown - Livingston, New Jersey - which is what surprises me the most about this. Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

But don't you see? That's exactly why he had to cut so much in education! If he doesn't, one of those little brats may end up going to law school and taking his job.

what did he cut in education. TFA says he made cuts to school aid but no reference to how much.

He wants a total of $1 billion cut from education.
And guess where all that money is going to come from...

brigid_fitch: Yes, but not this way. My local school district is looking at a 17% cut. A friend of mine teaches in Bridgewater & they have to lay off 68 teachers because of Christie's budget cuts. 5 of my county library branches will have to close & the majority of the programs have to be scrapped, including book-trading! (Where you order a book from one branch to be shipped to your local branch). The Office of the Child Advocate, which oversees DYFS, is being eliminated. State aid is being eliminated from most museums & parks. He's cutting back on NJ Transit service AND raising fares, so we'll have to pay more for less.

Typical Republican--cut back on state services that will disenfranchise kids & middle-/lower-class rather than scrutinize middle management in state government & raise some taxes to grow revenue.

NJ101.5 talk show hosts in the sfternoon are fully 100% behind Christie and blame all this on the NJEA and teacher unions, saying the unions are not taking a wage freeze which will lead to teachers getting fired.

I have to wonder who should I believe.

pd771: He was going to be hated no matter what he did. It's going to be very painful everywhere in this country when we finally admit we have to increase taxes in a dramatic way or cut many services people regularly use.

Yeah, but he didn't campaign on solving the budget crisis by firing teachers. He campaigned on fixing New Jersey's financial mess by cleaning up corruption. Sure, it was a load of bullshiat. I said so when he was running. But just because we "know" a politician is lying doesn't mean he's immune to being called a liar.

Why am I remembering that wonderful Simpsons bit of an argument between Skinner and Krabappel over funding and taxes?

A lot less revenue, a lot less service. A terrible situation to be sure.

Most of my family live in NJ (and I'm from there originally). MOst of them are pretty upset about Christie's plan, but my solid GOP cousin loves it. When I talk to him about how schools are cutting teachers, eliminating all sports programs and many will soon be asking parents to send in supplies like toilet paper in with their kids, his response is that superintendents make too much money and they should take a pay cut, and that school districts should just reduce their administrative costs to make up the difference, all the while giving the standard GOP lip service that teachers deserve to make more money. He doesn't understand that 1) superintendents make that much money everywhere and if you cut their salaries in half then you'll soon be forced to replace them with Joe Blow from superintendents-r-us university who couldn't get a job anywhere else, and 2)the vast majority of a school districts budget is taken up in teacher salaries, facility upkeep and supplies. Cut admin costs and you've saved about .05% of the yearly district budget.

If the state keeps cutting aid to municipalities, those municipalities will soon be forced to raise local taxes (already sky-high) to make up the difference - or face firing police and eliminating other essential services.

The big problem with NJ is that it simply is a high-cost-of-living state. In order to live there you need to make a high salary, and those high salaries mean that every service you pay for, you pay premium for.

Could just tax hairgel at like 90% and the state would be in surplus.

GoldSpider: pd771: He was going to be hated no matter what he did. It's going to be very painful everywhere in this country when we finally admit we have to increase taxes in a dramatic way or cut many services people regularly use.

The frothing outrage in this thread is why more politicians don't do what they have to do.


Raise taxes?

FishyFred: Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

If the Livingston school district were really that great, then the cheerleaders would have been impressed by his intelligence and offered him BJs, instead of their boyfriends giving him wedgies and calling him fat.

Page 35 of this PDF shows where the 2008 budget went.

Link PDF (new window)

Most of it (74%) was direct aid.
Seems the natural place to cut. How much fat could be trimmed from the 2% that goes to legislative operations? They can't touch 12% from debt servicing and contracted employee benefits without defaulting.

While I know some of the NJ Farkers may not agree, can we find a way to get Whitman to come out of retirement and help fix the state again? (Like she did after the utter failure that was Florio).

If the state keeps cutting aid to municipalities, those municipalities will soon be forced to raise local taxes (already sky-high) to make up the difference - or face firing police and eliminating other essential services.

But won't the state be forced to raise taxes instead? Why is the state the middleman instead of the towns taxing the actual people who use their services?

The Great Gazoo: Raise taxes?

That too. The solution ultimately has to include both tax increases and spending cuts.

This "Whatever you do, keep your hands off of MINE!" mindset has got to stop. That goes for the union goons, the teabaggers, and everyone in between.

AurizenDarkstar: While I know some of the NJ Farkers may not agree, can we find a way to get Whitman to come out of retirement and help fix the state again? (Like she did after the utter failure that was Florio).

Please, PLEASE let this be Poe's Law.

Cubicle Jockey: But won't the state be forced to raise taxes instead? Why is the state the middleman instead of the towns taxing the actual people who use their services?

Because a lot of things (like schools) are regulated at the state level, NOT the municipal level. Which makes this whole thing retarded.

New Jersey has a lot of tremendously rich people. It has NYC suburbs AND Philadelphia suburbs. They should be raising the cut in the highest tax bracket.

FFS, the father of one of my classmates made FOUR BILLION DOLLARS last year! The median income in Livingston is over $100,000. We can farking afford it. But when was the last time we raised taxes on those earning the most?

Cuts in education mean shiat if you still have 12 administrators pulling in 200k each in each district, along with 15 high school principles who have a total of 8 months of teaching between them.

This state is farked. He's got nothing but unpopular choices, and so far his choices haven't pissed me off nearly as much as Corzine's...for example, closing down our state parks to save like $5 total

skullkrusher: and since public schools are paid for through property taxes, maybe Christie though Livingston was well taken care of and didn't need additional state money?

And yet, like every other school district, they would count on that money.

El Chode: This state is farked. He's got nothing but unpopular choices, and so far his choices haven't pissed me off nearly as much as Corzine's...for example, closing down our state parks to save like $5 total

How about raising the sales tax? Corzine did that and it was probably a smart move in retrospect.

Cutting funding to schools, though, is just asinine.

FishyFred: How about raising the sales tax? Corzine did that and it was probably a smart move in retrospect.

I'll tell you a GREAT way to raise some funds: take a lesson from Delaware. See, DE has their lack of sales tax, but that's not what I'm talking about. Raise sales tax 1%, keep it off clothes as bait. Lure in the NY, PA, and DE folk, and then tax the shiat out of them to get in and out of our state.

People we say we've got the most annoying tolls in the nation, but mile for mile, you pay more to drive through Delaware.

Similarly, we've got numerous interstate compacts between NY and PA and DE. The NY side of things doesn't affect us, but we need to fine the everliving shiat out of DE river pollutors. They're all on the PA/DE side, those states are lax enough as it is, and our environmental fines go in the the public treasury.

Finally, increase the tolls coming in and out of PA. Those assholes just leave our state to avoid paying our taxes, yet they keep coming back for cheap gas, and most frustratingly, to cause ALL of our traffic. I think there was a study done a year or so ago that said up to 30% of all traffic in Morris County alone came from PA.

They drive slow, they don't know how to use on ramps, and they camp in the left lane. They don't pay our taxes but clutter our infrastructure, and the cops keep pulling ME over for passing them. I go to court, and I fight my tickets. These yokels can't afford to come back and fight.

Oh, and also, fix NJ transit. It now costs more than a tank of gas and takes on average 20-30 minutes longer to get from Morristown to NYC. That is the OPPOSITE of what mass transit is supposed to do.

1st step: Improve travel times so more people take the trains
2nd step: More use means more money, so the ticket price should drop to a reasonable amount. It needs to cost less than a tank of gas for 2 days of round trip travel
3rd step: More North-South rails. 287 alone is lined with corporate parks and (relatively cleaner) heavy industry.

Its up to the school districts what gets cut....for instance Plainfield NJ just hired a new superintendant of schools, for 6 figures, and he brought his girlfriends with him and also gave them six figure salaries....even though they are not qualified for the positions.......

How many teachers are you willing to see fired so scumbags like the superintendant from plainfield can give out patronage jobs.


Dont protest at the state house protest at the school board building....administrators get clothing, vehicle and housing allowances as well as six figure salaries......they will not cut their own expenses...they will take it out on teachers.


Does anyone have a citation about Christie attacking teachers?


One of the school boards, I think its in Clark just awarded a contract to a vendor for gadgets and gizmos like electronic whiteboards.......to the brother of a school board member.......there is no transparency its a how many of my friends and family can we enrich with tax payer money type scam.


Why do districts need new math and english books every year or 2.....have their been that many break throughs in new english grammer and spelling or adding and subtracting that requires re-writes of text books?....I mean hostory books I can understand....history is always being created....but not math and english.

In NJ schools have princpals, assistant principles, vice principles, assistant vice principles, vice principles of discipline, asst vp of discipline, vp of curriculum, asst vp of curriculum.....most of which are making way more then the teachers do.....if you want to cut costs...get rid of redundant administration.......but guess who decides what gets cut......yep...the administrators.....


there are over 600 school districts in NJ....and 21 counties......thats around 579 nore 6 figure salaries then you need.

My mom was complaining about this over the weekend. The local high school (which I graduated from about a decade ago) had a team of administrators for each grade, which embodied a "principal" and three or four others, all making six figures. EACH GRADE. I thought it was overkill when we had a vice principal for each grade. I guess some of them were forced to resign due to Christie's cuts and were complaining about it. Not that I'm for stripping education down to bare bones, there are some cases where the waste is disgustingly obvious.

Current Jersyans, are the education cuts standard across districts? It would seem to be more prudent to cut things on a case by case basis rather than across the board.

FishyFred: New Jersey has a lot of tremendously rich people. It has NYC suburbs AND Philadelphia suburbs. They should be raising the cut in the highest tax bracket.

spurring some of those border-town rich people to cross the nearby border. and you get nothing

damageddude: He has spent all his time attacking teachers and lower level state workers, many of whom do not get paid all that well (though compared to those who really get paid low wages, they seem rich). Meantime he is not doing a thing, at least publicly, to tackle the real corruption and waste brought about by patronage jobs nor spoke of eliminating high level, six figure positions in state government. Even us dumb sheeple can smell a hypocrite without getting smacked around.

Of course, we the sheeple are the idiots fighting with each other over the crumbs the fat cats in Trenton drop without questioning why the folks in Trenton aren't tightening their belts too.

What about the patronage jobs in education administration and school boards?


I dont think hes been attacking teachers...unless you have a citation for that....it sounds like you're reading from the NJEA website and havent a shred of individuality in you.

El Chode: Raise sales tax 1%, keep it off clothes as bait. Lure in the NY, PA, and DE folk, and then tax the shiat out of them to get in and out of our state

no sale tax on clothes in PA right now.

Giltric: In NJ schools have princpals, assistant principles, vice principles, assistant vice principles, vice principles of discipline, asst vp of discipline, vp of curriculum, asst vp of curriculum.....most of which are making way more then the teachers do.....if you want to cut costs...get rid of redundant administration.......but guess who decides what gets cut......yep...the administrators.....

Maybe this is too personal, but I'm gonna be a lawyer in this state in less than a year (hopefully). I went to 4 years undergrad + 3 years law school and can expect to start around $55k for salary.

Many administrators do the 4 year undergrad + 1 year masters and start out making twice that.

That annoys the shiat outta me. My mom teaches in West Jersey. Their superintendent has a total of 3 months classroom experience.

albo: El Chode: Raise sales tax 1%, keep it off clothes as bait. Lure in the NY, PA, and DE folk, and then tax the shiat out of them to get in and out of our state

no sale tax on clothes in PA right now.

True, but NJ is taking all your outlets, so unless I want some Amish britches, I've got no need to travel to Pennsyltucky.

jmtrix587: skullkrusher: dervish16108: FishyFred: Christie is from my hometown - Livingston, New Jersey - which is what surprises me the most about this. Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

But don't you see? That's exactly why he had to cut so much in education! If he doesn't, one of those little brats may end up going to law school and taking his job.

what did he cut in education. TFA says he made cuts to school aid but no reference to how much.

He wants a total of $1 billion cut from education.
And guess where all that money is going to come from...

Certainly not from the administration level....they themselves will be deciding what gets cut.....gotta keep mine ....know what I mean /wink

albo: FishyFred: New Jersey has a lot of tremendously rich people. It has NYC suburbs AND Philadelphia suburbs. They should be raising the cut in the highest tax bracket.

spurring some of those border-town rich people to cross the nearby border. and you get nothing

Plus they're already paying double taxes since odds are they're working in NY or Philly. You think paying taxes every year is rough just to the state you live in and the feds? Try getting a tax booklet from farking Philadelphia demanding the money you made, the money you saved up so hard just to get the fark out of Philadephia.

Giltric: Certainly not from the administration level....they themselves will be deciding what gets cut.....gotta keep mine ....know what I mean /wink

They've all taken pay freezes. The thing is, the administrators include provisions that provide retroactive pay raises next year, while the teachers all get fired.

Any state that makes it illegal to pump your own gas is a trash state. Get over it, haters.

El Chode: so unless I want some Amish britches, I've got no need to travel to Pennsyltucky.

ouch!

that's not because of your comment; i'm posting from the Cape May beach and just stepped on some washed-up medical waste

Giltric: damageddude: He has spent all his time attacking teachers and lower level state workers, many of whom do not get paid all that well (though compared to those who really get paid low wages, they seem rich). Meantime he is not doing a thing, at least publicly, to tackle the real corruption and waste brought about by patronage jobs nor spoke of eliminating high level, six figure positions in state government. Even us dumb sheeple can smell a hypocrite without getting smacked around.

Of course, we the sheeple are the idiots fighting with each other over the crumbs the fat cats in Trenton drop without questioning why the folks in Trenton aren't tightening their belts too.

What about the patronage jobs in education administration and school boards?


I dont think hes been attacking teachers...unless you have a citation for that....it sounds like you're reading from the NJEA website and havent a shred of individuality in you.

You know what happens when you give the instructions to cut $1 billion in education funds with no real direction?

The school boards aren't going to cut it from themselves, of course.

That cut comes from teachers wages, laying off teachers, cutting departments and new programs, cutting extracurricular activities, music and arts. And that is EXACTLY what happened.

Every rational, sentient being in this state knew this would be the immediate consequence.

So who suffers? Teachers and students who have done nothing wrong.

But guess what? Bullshiat standardized tests and overbloated school administrations/school boards won't suffer the least. The people and things who really matter in education... right?

And you want a citation? Just look up any school district in NJ in recent news and you'll see how many teachers and programs are being cut.

albo: El Chode: so unless I want some Amish britches, I've got no need to travel to Pennsyltucky.

ouch!

that's not because of your comment; i'm posting from the Cape May beach and just stepped on some washed-up medical waste

Look up at my post about interstate compacts. Odds are you just got a case of DuPontitis

Giltric: jmtrix587: skullkrusher: dervish16108: FishyFred: Christie is from my hometown - Livingston, New Jersey - which is what surprises me the most about this. Livingston has one of the best public school systems in the state. Christie's success in life started with access to some of the best public education our country has to offer. He knows that most of that public education money was well spent because he was a beneficiary.

But don't you see? That's exactly why he had to cut so much in education! If he doesn't, one of those little brats may end up going to law school and taking his job.

what did he cut in education. TFA says he made cuts to school aid but no reference to how much.

He wants a total of $1 billion cut from education.
And guess where all that money is going to come from...

Certainly not from the administration level....they themselves will be deciding what gets cut.....gotta keep mine ....know what I mean /wink

Uh yeah.. that is pretty much a less long winded way of saying what I just said to you. So we're both on the same page haha