Except when it comes to his own staff, of course:
TRENTON — There are nearly twice as many people making $100,000 or more per year in Gov. Chris Christie’s administration than under his predecessor, according to an Associated Press analysis that the governor’s office disputes.
The AP analysis found that while Christie, a Republican, is proposing laying off 1,300 state workers, he is spending nearly $2 million more on annual salaries than his predecessor, former Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat.
According to an Asbury Park Press online database of 2009 public payroll records, 18 people made $100,000 or more in 2009 under Corzine. According to payroll records posted on Christie’s website on April 8, 34 people in his administration make six figures — including the governor himself, who makes $175,000 by law.
Christie’s payroll is $8.9 million for 117 people. That figure doesn’t include Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who makes $141,000 — the same as all cabinet members because she also serves as the secretary of state.
Using Christie’s figures and those from the Asbury Park Press, the average salary under Corzine was $67,961; the average under Christie is $76,068.
Christie spokesman Mike Drewniak disputed the difference in salaries, saying Corzine parked staff members in other departments to make it look as though there were fewer people on his payroll.
Another big spending Republican! We need to constantly call them out on their fiscal conservative lies!
Gov. Cutter also said teachers are like drug dealers using kids as mules to carry stuff home to parents about, oh, things like upcoming school board elections and school budget public questions.
Not prudent to tell people anything other than what Gov. Cutter wants them to know, such as, as he’s repeatedly stated publicly, they should vote against school budgets in any districts where teachers’ unions have not agreed to wage freezes for one year and paying toward their health insurance going forward. No need for negotiations — what’s a contract worth with scum like teachers or drug dealers?
Those teachers, always trying to get kids hooked on reading and such “stuff.”
The full quote from Gov. Christie was broadcast on WNYC’s Brian Lerher Show this morning (about 2:15 in — my transcription and it may not be perfect):
And would Gov. Cutter consider taxing the highest earners in NJ as former Democratic governor Jon Corzine had done? Nah, the wealthiest are already paying more than their fair share, per Gov. Cutter. From the Wall Street Journal:
But, cut library support by 50%? Why not? What are a few cuts to internet access, book delivery services, access to data bases and web only journals? It’s only those po’ folk that have to go the public library to use the internet. And those unemployed lucky duckies (so-called in a Wall St. Jrnl op-ed of a few years ago) who use it to look for work and write resumes and letters of application. Sheesh. Can’t they contribute to the profitability of the private sector and pay through the nose for internet access? That’s what’s wrong with these people!
Gov. Christie’s comments are right out of Union Busting 102. That’s the thuggish version. Union Busting 101 just claims teachers are lazy leeches on the public, don’t work hard, and have summer vacations paid for by the taxpayers.
BTW, Christie lives in Mendham, NJ, a rather wealthy community (but with poorer folk as well) which may be able to weather the state cuts already authorized by the Cutterinator. Or not.
And how needs to consider a wage freeze a wage cut just because there is something called cost of living increases?
So very, very Reaganesque: Cuts are not cuts, just as cuts to programs weren’t called cuts even though they would mean lower amounts available due to cost of living increases….
Christie is sorta like a Sopranos version of Reagan.