Bret Schundler, closet liberal

The Star-Ledger ^ | May 5, 2005 | Paul Mulshine

[Ziva]

Any day now I expect Bret Schundler to call a press conference and make the following confession:

"Throughout my life I have always grappled with my identity. At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and grasp the truth. And my truth is that I am a liberal American."

But it does seem a little strange to see a candidate who has been tagged by the media as a right-winger taking the sort of left-wing positions Schundler's been espousing in this primary campaign.

During a televised debate, Schundler was asked by Steve Lonegan, the arch-conservative mayor of Bogota, about the state Supreme Court's decision in the Abbott vs. Burke case. This is the decision, reviled by conservatives, in which the court ordered that all sorts of goodies be lavished on urban schools at the expense of suburbanites.

"Bret, do you support the Abbott decision?" Lonegan asked.

"Do I believe the state should provide funding for low-income school districts?" Schundler answered. "Yes."

This is the way liberals talk. They talk about "the state" as a wealthy entity distinct from us poor taxpayers. Thanks to the Abbott decisions, New Jersey has been unable to solve its property tax problem.

snip

Schundler's inherent liberalism was obscured until now by his stance on abortion. A politician who calls himself pro-life will immediately be branded a conservative by the media, even if he's a big-spending liberal.

snip

In 2001, Schundler told a reporter how his father used to tell the Schundler kids how "our calling was to solve the problems of the world." Fine. But not with my dough.

The worst that can be said of it is that Jon Corzine could endorse a similar plan.

[Ziva]

I'm supporting Mayor Steve Lonegan for governor. Learn more about his accomplishments and platforms at http://lonegan.com

[marron]

What is Abbott vs. Burke?

I have no problem with the idea that dollars per student should be the same throughout the state, unless it is demonstrable that it costs less to educate kids in one district than another. Is that what Abbott vs. Burke is about?

[Ziva]

It is not a matter of equal, it is a matter of the state giving $17,000 per student to the Abbott districts, far in excess of what most suburban school districts spend.

The Abbott districts are among the most fiscally mismanaged in the state. See last Friday's article in The Record Poor schools paid for posh travel, which begins:

"Officials from some of New Jersey's poorest school districts spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on travel and entertainment - including a $5,000 trip to England, $2,000 for rooms at the Borgata in Atlantic City and $113 for dinner at Emeril's restaurant in Orlando, Fla. - according to a new report.

"The superintendents, principals and school board members in the so-called Abbott districts racked up thousands of dollars in flights, meals and hotel receipts in the past three years, according to the analysis by Republican state Assembly members." continued here

[qam1]

Already posted

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1397451/posts

[tang-soo]

It is not a matter of equal, it is a matter of the state giving $17,000

My son is graduating from a top notch private prep school here in Columbus, Ohio. The tuition this last year was $16,000.

[marron]

Thanks.