Today's Morning Update July 2, 2009
TODAY’S MORNING UPDATE: What You Need to
Know, Quote of the Day, Today’s News
What You Need to Know:
- Expanded Absentee
Ballot/Vote-by-Mail bill (AS 2451) signed into law allowing for larger
window of voting
- Obama to campaign for Corzine at
July 16 rally
Quote of the Day:
Asbury Park Press: “The Wall
Street Wizard promised four years ago to change the way Trenton budgeted, but
he just couldn't say no to the state employee unions and the Democrats in the
Legislature, so the budget ballooned year after year. He also didn't say no to
hiring thousands of temporary and politically appointed state employees who are
not union members. Now, he's forced to use billions in one-shot gimmicks,
including this latest "found" money, but all that just pushes the
bill off into the future. The middle class is already stuck with 8.8 percent
unemployment, skyrocketing property taxes and real pain. Corzine's gimmicks
will just make it worse in the years to come. Eight years of Democratic
shenanigans from the McGreevey and Corzine administrations is enough. It's time
to do something to really change New Jersey," Glenn Ferguson, LTE:
“’Found’ money another gimmick,” July 1, 2009)
Today’s News Clips:
- Christie Makes Inroads Among NJ
Democrats Against Corzine, CQ Politics
- Budget "pass" misses
mark, Asbury Park Press
- Christie maintains lead over
Corzine in poll, Examiner.com
- How does $725M magically appear?,
Courier Post
- Evesham returns to GOP control,
Courier Post
Christie Makes Inroads Among NJ Democrats
Against Corzine
By CQ Political Staff
CQ Politics
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris
Christie is leading New Jersey Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine 45 percent to 39
percent with 15 percent undecided, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson
University poll conducted June 22-29. The margin of error is 3.5 points.
That's somewhat closer than a Public Policy
Polling survey released Tuesday in which Christie led 51 percent to 41 percent,
but Fairleigh Dickinson's Peter Woolley says "Even though it's early in
the campaign, it is remarkable that a Republican is running ahead in New
Jersey."
Christie's favorable-to-unfavorable ratio is
34 percent to 25 percent with another 28 percent saying they had not formed an
opinion. Fifty-four percent see Corzine unfavorably compared to 31 percent who
express a positive view of him. Among Democrats, 48 percent view Corzine
favorably and 37 percent view him unfavorably. Only 66 percent support him for
re-election while Christie gets 20 percent of Democratic votes.
Editorial: Budget "pass" misses
mark
Asbury Park Press
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
When Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed the $29
billion budget for the 2010 fiscal year, he could have dislocated his shoulder
patting himself on the back.
Taxpayers should not be fooled into believing
the budget actually involves the state spending less money and making
"tough choices." Corzine's claim that the spending plan taking effect
today is $4 billion less than the $32.9 billion budget enacted a year ago is
true in only the most narrow technical sense. Actually, only $30.1 billion of
that amount was spent as the economy crashed and burned.
The smoke and mirrors don't end there. The
$29 billion bottom line also doesn't count $2.2 billion in federal stimulus aid
aimed toward supporting key line items, mostly school funding and Medicaid, off
the books.
The biggest spending cut? That's a $940
million reduction in pension payments, which will have to be made up later. The
continuing assault on New Jersey's taxpayers and pushing off debt to future administrations
are nothing to brag about.
Christie maintains lead over Corzine in poll
by Mark Impomeni
North Jersey Conservative Examine
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Republican candidate for governor Christopher
Christie continues to lead incumbent Governor Jon Corzine, according to a new
poll released in the governor's race. The Public Mind poll shows Christie
with a statistically significant 45-39 percent lead over Corzine, although
Corzine has narrowed the gap from 42-33 since the last poll by the group in
April. This is the sixth consecutive survey showing Christie with a
healthy lead over the Democrat, and the only one of the six to show him garnering
less than 50 percent.
Editorial: How does $725M magically appear?
Courier Post
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Taxpayers should have doubts about tax
amnesty money showing up at the last second.
When can you trust a politician? (Never,
right? Perhaps.)
At the very least, it's hard for us to
believe the all-too-perfect sequence of events that led to the state suddenly
finding $725 million in money brought in by a tax amnesty program -- money that
seemingly fell from the sky at the zero hour and helped Gov. Jon Corzine and
state legislators restore property tax rebates for some New Jersey homeowners.
Evesham returns to GOP control
By BRIDGET SMITH
Courier Post
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Three new council members took office here
Tuesday night, returning Republican control to the governing body two years
after a surprising upset by Democrats.
Flanked by family members, Kurt Croft, Joe
Howarth and Deb Hackman took office at the annual reorganization meeting.
The three were elected in May on a platform
of fiscal responsibility and have vowed to conduct an audit of the township's
finances. They have also opposed a plan to build a senior center on Tuckerton
Road.
But on Tuesday night, there was little talk
of potential disagreements, with both sides on the five-member council focusing
instead on working together to improve the community.