A Salute to Governor Christie of NewJersey (thnks MISH)

Governor Christie Calls Unions "Crass Bullies of State Street"; Says Unions Have a Choice "Givebacks or Layoffs"

Every time I listen to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie I want to stand up and salute. Today is no different. Here is a series of article by theStar-Ledger for your consideration.

This is the Moment to Fix It

Chris Christie:'This is the moment' to fix state finances

Blunt and unapologetic about the consequences of his cuts, Gov. Chris Christie hit the road Wednesday to peddle his first state budget.

In a Bayonne firehouse, a series of television interviews and a meeting with The Star-Ledger editorial board, Christie made his case for immediate and dramatic changes to the size and cost of government and the pay and benefits of public employees.

He said an $820 million reduction in aid to school districts will force them to choose between "givebacks or layoffs" for teachers and other employees. He took on their union with relish, saying the "800-pound gorilla" New Jersey Education Association will also face a choice: "Do they want to lose members or do they want to reopen contracts?"

"This is it. We’re in the middle of a crisis, I’ve got everyone’s attention, this is the moment to fix it," the governor said. "My view is, I’m a Republican who’s been elected in New Jersey. If I play along the margins and don’t try to fix these problems, then I didn’t deserve to be elected in the first place ... I’m going to fix it or I’m going down trying."

A day after proposing a $29.3 billion budget balanced with widespread cuts instead of tax increases, Christie predicted the final budget lawmakers must agree to by July 1 will be "very close" to his plan. But he stressed he will not raise taxes on the wealthy or businesses to offset about $1 billion in other cuts that ruling Democratic legislators say unfairly hit the poor and middle class.

"I don’t care. I don’t care about this rhetoric. They send it to my desk, it’s coming back," Christie said.

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Governor calls for ‘real change’ at the local level