Posted on 07/03/2006 9:01:47 AM PDT by Swanks
"State shutdown simply 'puzzles' many in North Jersey" (but no doubt causes death by last Friday in a Republican Administration)
Listen to the tone of this puff piece from this shameless simpleton on the NJ Gov't shutdown. The poor would have been dying in the streets last friday if the Republicans controlled the Gov't.
It took all weekend but they close with a 'blame republicans' soundbite for the sheeple to parrot.
From the Meadowlands to the malls, New Jerseyans were perplexed and conflicted Sunday by Governor Corzine's decision to shut down many state services in a bid to end a budget stalemate with legislators.
Most confusing to many was the decision to halt sales of lottery tickets, which generate $2 billion a year in revenue.
"I think this is a very wrong decision, bad for the people selling lottery tickets," said Bob Kanjlia, the owner of Fort Lee Stationery. "They're losing money by shutting off the lottery."
Kanjlia said many customers didn't understand what the budget had to do with the lottery, which is run by state Lottery Commission employees in Trenton.
The budget impasse between Corzine and his fellow Democrats in the Assembly forced the state to miss its July 1 deadline to adopt a new budget, leaving the state with no authori-zation to spend money. Assembly leaders bitterly oppose Corzine's plan to increase the sales tax by one cent for every dollar spent -- from 6 percent to 7 percent.
When Corzine ordered the shutdown Saturday, only essential operations such as the state police, child protection and transportation services and hospitals were left running.
Gambling operations were ordered closed because they are overseen by state inspectors. Pending court disputes kept casino gambling and horse racing active on Sunday, though harness racing at the Meadowlands was canceled Saturday night before an appeals court judge stepped in.
Betting on simulcast broadcasts of races around the country was allowed at the Meadowlands, however, and regular customers were relieved.
"Every day I come here hoping I'll win back some of the hard-earned money I've left here," said Prince Arthur, of Orange, gesturing toward The Meadowlands Racetrack.
Closing down some areas of the government to save money until an agreement is reached makes sense, according to Arthur. But gambling generates many millions of dollars for the state, he pointed out.
"That doesn't make any sense. You don't shut down places like this. Let the money-making activities go on," he said.
The reprieve at the racetrack, however, has a limited time span. An appeals court on Sunday ordered tracks to close at the end of the day Tuesday unless the budget battle is resolved by then.
Industry officials were relieved that the tracks could still remain open during the lucrative holiday weekend.
"We are thrilled," said Dennis Drazin, lawyer for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. If the impasse continues, Drazin said, the horsemen will be back in court.
"If somebody were to try to shut us down, we would most likely seek relief in the [state] Supreme Court. I don't anticipate that right now," he said.
Casinos, which also rely on state monitors, have gone to court to prevent a shutdown. On Sunday, an appeals court was weighing the matter, but it remained uncertain when it would hand down a decision, said Winifred Comfort, a spokeswoman for the Judiciary. In a related action, the head of the agency that oversees gaming ordered Atlantic City's 12 casinos to shut at 8 a.m. Wednesday if New Jersey fails to enact a budget by then.
There seemed to be little consensus across the state on Corzine's effort to raise the sales tax, the issue that led to the shutdown.
James Kim, 25, of Palisades Park said he didn't think increasing the sales tax to 7 percent would be "such a big deal."
"It's better than going to New York," he said.
Joanne Bonanini, 50, of Englewood Cliffs, disagreed.
Bonanini moved from New York to New Jersey two years ago and likes the lower sales tax here. "I like 6 percent," she said.
Nicholas Corbiscello, a former Fort Lee mayor, said he's dead set against an increase in the sales tax. "Most of them are Democrats down there, so I don't know why [Corzine] can't get them under control," Corbiscello said. "The Republicans are going to make hay out of it."
Mohammed A. Rouf, 46, of Lodi was shopping Sunday at the malls along Route 46 in Wayne. Rouf said he agreed with the decision to shut down the government. If there's no money to pay the workers, then they shouldn't be working, he said.
Ethel Marger of Fort Lee said she wasn't happy about Corzine's decision to shut down government, but added: "I don't know what choice he has."
Marger blamed state Sen. Richard Codey, who preceded Corzine as New Jersey's head of state.
"My first question is why didn't the former governor do something about the problem while he was in office?" she said. "We all liked him, but now I'm realizing he didn't do his job."
1) between 1940 and 2005 NJ population growth was 175%. Gov't employee growth however was over 2000%. Or, over 10X the growth of population.
2) Gov't employees now number 86,000 in NJ complete with lifetime pension, health, etc.
3 In 2000-2002 recession revenues from taxes declined 23%. However Gov't spending increased 23% in the same timeframe.
4 The 2007 budget despite a $4.5 B deficit includes another new 1,300 Gov't employees.
How 'Californique' of you folks in New Jersey.
Joizey's just trying to be another socialist utopia , I see.
Since when does a Democrat make sense.
THIS MAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERSED IN FINANCES.
Unabelievable!!!!
If this was repub the headline would be screaming that this bodes bad for the gop in nov
I'm speechless - I am without speech!
where is the media??
its Democrats... I keep forgetting
Patronage pure and simple.
Sounds like a Dummiecrat
They're arguing over taxes and they SHUT DOWN race tracks and casinos??? Tax generators?? These people are DUMB... Dumbocrats
He has transferred that expertise to ripping off taxpayers.
But our jug handles are second to none!
This is about in fighting between who gets what spoils between the southern NJ Rat power base and the northern Rat power base / union thugs who got Corzine in the Gov chair. The southerners are getting a little too grabby with the 2007 bounty and the northerners are causing the shutdown by not going along.
Sending a message to Corzine he might remember who put him there, else politically he sleeps with the fishes.
Show me da money, Corzine.
My first question is why leftists never ask this question when things go wrong in a Republican administration that should have been handled by the departing Democrat admin...
I know. Wanna turn left? Get over in the right lane.
And don't even get me started on the traffic circles.
New Jerzimbabwe
Women, children and illegal aliens will continue to be most harmed.
"Gov't employees now number 86,000 in NJ complete with lifetime pension, health, etc."
Geesh. Aren't there some states with less population than that? (Just kidding!)
For some reason the term sheeple is not used as much on this forum as it used to be. After reading this article, I believe it applies to much of the population of New Jersey. And when it comes to fleecing, Corzine and all the rest in power are world class fleecers.
But good for the people buying them.
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