A Poll, A Report, and . A Smaller Government?
Posted February 25, 2008

It’s been a busy week in the world of New Jersey politics, with some of the biggest news happening not inside but outside the State House.

A Poll

According to a new poll, released Wednesday by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, most New Jerseyans are not happy with the state of state affairs. The poll found that a full “66 percent of voters say they are ‘somewhat dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’ with the way things are going in New Jersey today, while 33 percent are ‘very satisfied’ or ‘somewhat satisfied.’”  Furthermore, only 32 percent of voters believe that Governor Corzine should be re-elected to a second term, while 51 percent say he does not deserve re-election. 

When it comes to New Jersey’s two U.S. Senators, the numbers were far from rosy, too, with 58 percent of voters believing Senator Frank Lautenberg is too old to run for re-election and only 30 percent approving of the job Senator Bob Menendez is doing. Meanwhile, only 26 percent give a stamp of approval to the state legislature, with a whopping 54 percent disapproving of the legislature’s job performance.

Not surprisingly, this same poll found that a full 73 percent of voters disapprove of the governor’s toll hike plan, with only 22 percent approving.

A Report

And speaking of Governor Corzine, while tolls and taxes may be foremost in his mind, they have not been the only things clamoring for his attention. The governor found time on Tuesday to comment on a report, issued by New Jersey’s Civil Union Commission, which concluded that “[c]ivil union status is not clear to the general public, which creates a second-class status” for gay couples.  The report stated, “The commission also heard testimony that the term ‘marriage,’ were it applied to the relationships of same-sex couples, would make a significant difference in providing equality to same-sex couples in New Jersey.”

In response to this report, Governor Corzine stated that he had “significant concerns” about the rights of gay couples in civil unions as compared with married couples. According to his spokeswoman Lilo Stainton, “He [Governor Corzine] will sign a bill [allowing gay marriage], but doesn’t want to make it a presidential election year issue.”

Translated: Governor Corzine is ready to sanction the destruction of traditional marriage as soon as the timing seems “convenient” for him. 

 

A Smaller Government

Apparently, Governor Corzine does believe the timing is right (finally?) to slash some state spending. According to some lawmakers, at least three entire state departments – Agriculture, Personnel, and Commerce – may be on the chopping block. Without giving details, Spokeswoman Stainton confirmed, “The governor will discuss downsizing government during his budget address [on Tuesday].”

Whether the governor proposes eliminating whole departments or not, the Star Ledger reports that Corzine “will recommend slicing spending by more than $2 billion,” and this may include cutting as many as 3,000 – 4,000 state jobs. Unfortunately, Corzine’s cuts do not seem to be where it counts – i.e. social programs, pension reform, etc.

Yes, it has been a busy week in Trenton. But busy does not equal beneficial, and we will continue to keep our elected leaders’ feet to the fire and hold them accountable for the decisions they make and the steps they endeavor to take at the expense of New Jersey’s families. 

 

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