“Show a Little Jersey Attitude:” Gov. Says

Gov. Chris Christie says it's time for "big things" in New Jersey.

The Governor delivered his second State of The State address on Tuesday at the State House in Trenton.

As expected, education reform, teacher tenure, taxes and pension reform are key items on Christie's 2011 agenda. 

Looking ahead, Christie says his focus is on three major areas:

  • Stay the course of fiscal discipline.
  • Fix the pension and health benefit systems.
  • Reform public schools.

The governor is also pointing to his record of accomplishments during his first year in office. Christie says "we achieved a balanced budget in fiscal year 2011, but our long-term deficit problem is far from solved."

He says next month he'll present state lawmakers with a spending plan for fiscal 2012 that will call for a balanced budget with spending cuts, "and it will not raises taxes."

Gov. Christie is calling on the legislature to approve a package of reforms for the state's pension system, which is facing an estimated $54 million deficit. "I am fighting for your pension." says Christie, addressing those enrolled in the pension system.

The Republican Governor took office nearly a year ago after winning an upset victory over incumbent democrat Jon Corzine. Christie says "we have turned Trenton upside down," which is what he promised in his 2009 victory speech.

The State of the State message is short on details. But, on the hot-button issue of education reform, he says schools must have more power to remove underperforming teachers. "The time to eliminate teacher  tenure is now," says Christie.

Other education priorities include:

  • Reform poor-performing public schools or close them.
  • Reward good teachers based on merit.
  • Base teacher layoffs on a merit system and not just on seniority.

NJ Democratic State Committee Chairman, Assemblyman John Wisniewski of Sayreville, says Christie's message left out some key facts.  "What you won't hear is that, in Chris Christie's New Jersey, property taxes rose last year by an average of 7 percent and over 100 towns had double digit increases," Wisniewski wrote on PolitickerNJ.com

Wisniewski adds that unemployment remains above 9 percent at a time when the governor says New Jersey is coming back.  He calls on Christie to sign into a law the Legislature's jobs creation package and to propose a budget that protects "our seniors and middle class, not the mega wealthy."

Citing a list of first year accomplishments, the Christie administration points to 2,334,420 YouTube video views, 23,457 @GovChristie twitter followers and the "countless number of times Governor Christie has been asked if he is running for president" and answered "no."

Christie began his speech by calling for a moment of silence for victims of the Arizona shooting.

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