Gov. Christie - the Non-Crist
Overtaxed New Jersey voters sent a clear message in yesterday's voting on 479 public school budgets: Enough is enough. A stunning 54% of the budgets went down to defeat, the most since the recession year of 1976. The results have clear implications for a bitter power struggle between New Jersey GOP Governor Chris Christie and the state's powerful 200,000-member New Jersey Education Association.
With turnout up significantly, voters were clearly responding to Governor Christie's call for voters to reject budgets in districts where teachers have not agreed to a plan of "shared sacrifice" proposed by the governor. Given the state's distress, he asked for a one-year wage freeze and teachers to contribute at least 1.5% of their salaries toward their own health benefits. The governor said the cuts were necessary in the face of a massive $11 billion budget gap.
But local school districts have balked at any changes, even though New Jersey has the fourth-highest teacher salaries in the nation. More than 80% of school budgets put before voters instead demanded property tax increases on homeowners at a time when many families are financially strapped. Few of the budgets reflected any of the shared sacrifice the governor asked for. Only 20 of the state's nearly 600 districts have so far implemented a pay freeze on teacher salaries.
In a recent visit to the Wall Street Journal, Governor Christie said he recognizes the political peril he faces because of the tough stands he's taking. "Lots of folks want me to fail so they can go back to budgets as usual," he said. "I'm here to say that's no longer possible and it's time to make tough decisions."
It looks as if New Jersey voters are both watching his back and demanding more accountability from one of the most expensive public education systems in the country.
-- John Fund
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