Corzine Delivers Final State of the State Address
Posted January 15, 2010

Part State of the State speech, part farewell address, Governor Corzine's remarks on Tuesday (text here) offered a revealing depiction of his political philosophy – while simultaneously highlighting a key reason that, after four years of his administration, New Jersey remains in a state of fiscal disaster.

Spotlighting property taxes as "the great unfinished business of the last 50 years," Corzine blamed the lack of relief on structural deficiencies, noting that "until we reform our state's antiquated structure for providing local government services … we're never going to get the job done" and stating he's "learned that there is only so much that Trenton can do without structural reform. And by that, I mean constitutional change."

Interestingly, as Paul Mulshine notes, "It took him four years to find out we need constitutional change to address property taxes? Then why did he promise back in 2005 that he was going to hold a constitutional convention to address that exact issue?"

As we all know, such a convention never happened.

Moving away the failure to provide property tax relief, Corzine honed in on what he termed "the positive," citing accomplishments including:

• "implementing a comprehensive Energy Master Plan that will meet our aggressive carbon emissions objectives in the decades ahead;"
• "install[ing] more solar panels than any state except California;"
• "implement[ing] highway safety initiatives … that have reduced traffic fatalities to their lowest levels since the 1940s;
• "put[ting] in place the toughest state pay-to-play ban in the country, [and] end[ing] dual office holding and no-bid contracts;"
• "mak[ing] sure government better reflects the great diversity of this state;"
• "reduc[ing] the size and scope of government, cutting the state workforce by over 8,500 positions and shuttering departments," and
• "pass[ing] the first economic recovery package in the country…."

Yet, despite these "positives" (some of which are debatable as such), New Jersey's budget deficit is projected to be $9.5 billion (far higher than the $5 billion when Corzine took office), and our property taxes continue to be the highest in the nation.

In the close of his speech, however, Corzine gave the reason, albeit unintentionally.

Speaking of the "values that informed my tenure," the governor stated his "most compelling reason to enter public life was to seek a better world for our children."

As worthy an objective as this is, unfortunately, it is misplaced. The aim of public service should not be to create a better world for anyone but rather to protect the freedoms that allow Americans to create a better world for themselves.

Corzine referred to deficits beyond money – "deficits of decency, opportunity, security, and hope," which he embraced as his mission to address. He stated, "As a father and a grandfather, I believe that the first priority of government after providing for domestic safety must be to protect the health and welfare of our children."

Again, this sounds noble, but as a guiding philosophy, it spawns spending on social programs at the expense of fiscal responsibility.

Corzine referred to a "constitutional right to a thorough and efficient education" and to "the fundamental right of every child to go to the doctor when he is sick" as well as a child's "basic, human right to receive the care, vaccinations and medications he or she needs to start healthy and to stay healthy."

The governor's passion for children is admirable, but his attempt to use the arm of state to enact social change is misguided.

Government's purpose is not to engineer social justice but rather to uphold liberty and justice. And until we realize government's job is not to provide for the people but to protect an environment in which the people can provide for themselves, our state's fiscal crisis will remain dire.

As Governor Corzine prepares to leave office, it's no secret that we have disagreed with many of his policies. At the same time, we believe he considered his intentions pure.

Yet, in making New Jersey "a beacon for progressive government," Corzine also unintentionally strengthened New Jersey's unwanted position as the poster child for fiscal chaos.

The upcoming years will bring new choices and new opportunities – and, hopefully, they will also bring a return to the true purpose of government.

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