The good out-weighs the bad MAYBE. Where Christie takes a dive to me, is his messing with the Highlands Council, and even WORSE is his goofy ''income tax'' cut. Typical G O P baloney to help the wealthy and ''connected'' and ignore the real inequity the PROPERTY TAX. (2% cap rule not-withstanding) What we need is comprehensive change of the school funding and NOT rely on property taxes, and forget that useless income tax reduction.

A good political lesson here, keep your head down for a while and your numbers go up.

The income tax cuts are just a recycled Whitman Plan that got us into so much trouble with property taxes. You are right. It is all about the cost of educating NJ's students resting on the back of Property Tax payers alone and the new November vote which eliminates the people's right to pass or fail a budget as long as the school budget stays under 2 percent increase is a ploy to look like you are doing something about property taxes. Even a 2 percent budget can have flaws that the people ought to be able to fail if they want to. We still have the local funding but have taken away a major tool in determining how local education is delivered. Christie is a Grandstander waiting for his next opportunity and he always was.

I'll grant him that, the Big Guy is a political genius. In a state literally owned (and almost ruined) by the Democrats, he has wrung a number of major concessions out of them, while reversing his favorability numbers in the process. If he campaigns for Gov. Romney, possibly (though not likely) joins him on the ticket, and succeeds in flipping New Jersey red in November, he is a shoe-in for 2020.

Christie is a bully and an embarrassment to our state.

If we want to fix property taxes, we need to address the main driver of those costs - education. Senator Michael Doherty has a bill, Fair School Funding, which would fund each child across the State at the same amount of money - as the NJ Constitution requires (not this baloney about "thorough and efficient, which came from the Courts). That would require the wasteful and bloated urban districts to be more responsible for their own spending, which would be the best thing we could do to lower property taxes. Clearly, the present school funding has failed both the children AND the taxpayers.

Governor Christie should put his Town Hall meetings on hold for awhile and tend to that New Jersey Benefit Health Exchange Bill that has been sitting on his desk since sometime in March. The Governor should VETO the damn thing. The people of NJ do not want this evil framework of Obamacare to be established. Cut the legs out from this and bury it forever. Governor DO YOUR JOB!!

I support the GOV becuz he know that if he cuts taxes on everyone and cuts business costs, corporations will return to our state instead of Fleeing like they were under previous Democratic administrations. People forget that the rich and corporations have the means to move anywhere they like to avoid taxes.

Rich Corporations (who are getting richer BTW) are not leaving NJ because of taxation. When they do leave it is because they find cheaper labor. You have bought into the line that lower taxes mean more jobs. That is just not true. Look at the Cover of Forbes showing the 16 percent increase in profits by the top 500 companies. These Companies are run the the expectations of Wall St. not the advantage of America. It is only the middle class that is expected to sacrifice wages, give up their young for war and degrade education for their children.

Chris Christi has taught that the Governorship requires attention to DETAIL. We have not had one Governor, to my recollection, that has done as much homework! Future Governors should take a lesson from this one..." The devil is in the details"

I'm sure Mr. Christie will be doing a nationwide victory lap on these numbers, yet NJ still lags behind NY, PA and CT in job growth, property taxes are still highest in the US, state employees are still double dipping on salary and pensions, still getting obscene sick-time payouts and this guys is a hero for taking on the NJEA? And what are the people of NJ getting out of the $225 million tax credit to Prudential for moving around the corner in Newark? Now go on and campaign for Mitt and Walker and the others and tout how "great" NJ is doing...

Dan I don't believe in your strictly liberal Democratic talking points. I know where you are coming from. I believe that Gov, Christie is following the Reagan model and that is one that I know works. During Reagan Tax cuts increased money money in the US treasury becuz of increased economic activity. With Obama's policies we have a stagnant economy and tax funds to the treasury are down. Record unemployment when you consider the Labor Force Participation Rate. Obama's policies are anti-capitalist in spite of what he claims.

Yes, the devil is in the details.
New jersey has become the Poster State for Agenda 21 under Governor Christie!
Just examine "the details" of the NJ development and redevelopment plan AKA ....
THE NJ STATE STATEGIC PLAN. Under this plan the American Dream of homeownership will be abolished, cars will be outlawed and you will have bikes to pedal to work. You will be nudged into stack and pack housing in an urban area ( like a rat in a cage),work at a job locally, walk to work, eat the food you are allowed to eat,...And cease to think for youself, but still pay your taxes to BIG BROTHER! This STATE PLAN is AN Agenda 21 OFFERING and the NJ TAXPAYERS DO NO WANT IT! Examine the details of the Foreclosure Plan".....using the foreclosed homes for affordable housing. Literally giving houses to felons, drug users, people who cannot afford them, etc at the taxpayers expense. Totally a REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH.....but it is our wealth...THE TAXPAYERS OF NJ! Don't give us the baloney of Social Justice or some other sob story as a foil for your socialist agenda. We, the people abhor what you are attempting to do to OUR REPUBLIC. Where are you Governor Christie????? If you are not a closet Rhino or Socialist why are you not standing up against these appalling assaults on our sovereignty and our freedom?
Yes, the devil is in the details!

If you remove the citizens who wouldn't be allowed to serve on a jury due to direct personal financial interest in his state employee stancess, I do not see how anyone could watch this speech from last week and not admire Christie, at least personally:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22315987#utm_campaign=www.njspotlight.com&utm_source=22315987&utm_medium=social

It's easy to not admire a Governor who promised to LOWER property taxes while running for office, when in reality property tax bills has been higher each year throughout his this tenure.

Well Dan there never was a budget surplus during the Clinton years becuz all they did was borrow from the social security trust fund and move the money around to make it appear there was a surplus. 2. I would never trust CNN money as a source.

Governor Christie could do a lot more than he is to help business create jobs in this state. Taxes are the almost the highest in the country -- and the US has the highest corporate taxes in the world. He is all for redistributing wealth through statist solutions. He should not only veto the health care exchanges, but also the foreclosure transformation act. Then he needs to uphold the law in the executive branch and remind his office of planning just what the state planning act says, and that they have to start over since they did not vote within the mandatory 60 days after the last public comment event. Then, Christie could distance himself from the carbon trading gimmick and the windmills-off-the-coast boondoggle near Atlantic City. Billions spent for expensive and unsustainable so-called "green" jobs which do nothing but steal taxpayer money with endless subsidies and bonding/rebonding. Christie needs to get prosecutors in to uncover the thievery in the state lottery system and state pension system, etc. Just as a start. Eliminate that, then the state could save some real money.

Governor Chris Christie is a RHINO (Republican In Name Only). He is doing a horrible job protecting the citizens of New Jersey from Unconstitutional legislation being forced down our throats by the federal government. Over the last 4 years there have been multiple pieces of Unconstitutional Tyrannical legislation that have been passed in Congress by "both" sides of the isle, and Christie still refuses to evoke the 10 amendment and push for the Nullification of these bills, especially Obamacare, and The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has provisions in it that allow the president to have the military arrest and detain indefinitely with no rights to habeas corpus, any American citizens considered a threat to America, more notebly the government. The classifications though, of who is considered a terrorist are so vague that if you are stockpiling food you could be considered a terrorist. If you speak out against the government too often you could be labeled a terrorist. Are we living in America anymore more because it sure doesn't feel like it to me. It feels more like Communist Russia for God's sakes!!! Governor Christie is a blowhard. He talks tough, but he's nothing more than left of center loyalist to whatever the federal government forces on us and I will never again take part in the election game set up by both parties where we are forced to chose between the lesser of two evils. Screw the establishments on both sides!!!
Nullify Now!!! 10th Amendment!!!

If you care to learn a little bit more about Governor Christie I would recommend reading this series: http://conservativenewjersey.com/the-myth-of-christie-conservatism-intro

Christie appears to be doing well having bureaucrats plan the future of NJ behind closed doors (with the help of their chosen stakeholders). We expected different.

I wish Christie knew the limits of government.

Let developers fund development. Let people develop their own property. Then they will develop where needed. If you encourage development in certain areas, and curtail development in others you force changes to property values.

Christie has minions planning the future of NJ (what happened to freedom?) and has been appointing Sharia(sp?) friendly judges. Can he at least veto the healthcare and foreclosure crap coming down the pike? We can't afford to pay for the crap NJ is paying for already. GIVE US A BREAK!!! Don't crater our property values and take the value out of the last asset we have.

Gov.? Do you even know what Agenda 21 is? Liberal money pandering at the cost of America. Giving up our assets and our freedom for us. "Sustainable" is NOT sustainable.

Can you veto the Healthcare exchanges? We don't need a healthcare exchange. We need the cheapest insurance that covers our needs. Simple works best. Cut the crap.

Can Christie veto the Foreclosure act? Using my tax dollars to buy my neighbors house is plain ludicrous. The low sale price lowers property values in the neighborhood, and putting something other than a competent care-taking neighbor in the house will further lower property values nearby.

The state of New Jersey has passed legislation to join several other states in kowtowing to the Obama Administration by implementing a statewide exchange. These federally-regulated "exchanges" will replace the individual market in health care with crony collusion between insurance companies and bureaucrats. Tell the Gov to veto this bill.
States shouldn't waste money preparing and launching potentially unconstitutional provisions of the health law.
While some have argued that states should launch their own exchanges in order to mitigate ObamaCare's effects, these compliant states will be disappointed when they find they've only aided and abetted a federal top-down takeover.

ObamaCare says: 'An Exchange may not establish rules that conflict with or prevent the application of regulations promulgated by the Secretary [of Health and Human Services (HHS)].'
Make no mistake about it, the exchanges will be federally controlled. Have you ever noticed how many people in the insurance business are connected in one way or another to government?
Have you ever noticed how many people connected to the insurance business are also connected to politics at one level or another?

in the next four years, he wants teachers to pay 29% out of their salary for health insurance

Evaluating Christie should be simple. As a candidate for governor Christie explicitly stated he would LOWER property taxes. There should be no debate on this. Every vote should now ask, are my property taxes any less than they were before Christie assumed office? This isn't rocket science.

Cara: If you go to the website I co-founded you will find out I am no Christie fan, but I also do not believe in a person being blamed for something that he never said. No he never promised to maintain property tax rebates. Here are his promises on taxes from his 88 ways. I will have to put it in two comments because of character limits on the Patch:

CUTTING TAXES
1. Thirty Three:
I will cut New Jersey’s income taxes across the board for all taxpayers. Our tax rates are oppressive and are driving residents out of state. No more.
2. Thirty Four:
I will encourage investment and expansion of New Jersey-based small businesses by offering an additional income tax cut for those who derive business income from New Jersey-based small businesses.

Cara: Secon part

3. Thirty Five:
I will reduce the corporate business tax rate to give New Jersey businesses a competitive advantage. With our tax rates among the highest of our neighboring states, reducing the corporate business tax rate will create a better business climate with which to attract private sector investment to New Jersey.
4. Thirty Six:
I will eliminate the “double-taxation” on New Jersey’s S-Corporations for the 80,000 taxpayers currently paying the corporation “minimum” tax, putting our state in line with the other 47 states and federal government which have implemented this policy.
5. Thirty Seven:
I will eliminate the hidden “investment tax” on New Jersey-based businesses which acts as a penalty for businesses for being based in New Jersey. Instead of being taxed for only the amount of sales in New Jersey, the “investment tax” also factors in the level of investment (i.e., real estate, payroll, etc.) a company has in New Jersey. I will immediately reverse this.

Cara:

If you want real property tax CUTS the only way that will happen is when the state constitution is respected by both the supreme court and the legislature. The constitution says that ALL of the income tax revenue must be used for property tax relief. The way that should be done is via school funding. If every school child in the state was treated equally by spending the same amount per student by the state, property taxes for over 85% of the home owners in the state could be CUT by 25% or more. There is a bill in Trenton that would do this, the Fair School Funding Plan. If you tell me which town you live in, I can tell you exactly how much your town would get back in funding. It will amaze you!

Richard,

Christie did promise to cut property taxes by maintaining rebates (see my post above). You need to do an etch-a-sketch reset!

Cara:

Wharton would get back $2,104,121 for the local school system. Which high school does Wharton send their children to and I can tell you how much they would get.

KMN:

Once again, a tax rebate is not a tax cut. His property tax relief was the cap. You now have the relief of not being responsible for anything over that 2%. The tax payers themselves would have to vote to increase it. And who is responsible for the property tax increasing each year? The town council, plain and simple. So you only have yourself to blame for those tax increases.

Nice try to KMN
The line you quote says "giving New Jerseyans a little relief is by cutting property taxes" does not say it was something he could do or that he promised; just something that would be nice in the current economic climate.

In his 88 ways to change New Jersey he listed 5 things he was going to do regarding taxes. Not one of them had to do with property taxes. Say what you want, he never promised a property tax cut since he, as the governor of the state, has no control over property tax rates.

Richard,

Not having control over something has never stopped a politicial figure like Christie from making a campaign promise, he knew he could not keep. We'll agree to disagree on this one and let voters decide if they want to hold his feet to the fire.

KMN,

If you go to the website conservativenewjersey.com you will find that there is no love lost between me and Christie. With that said though I do not remember one time that he specifically said he or his administration would cut property taxes. His handlers were always very careful not to allow him to say anything that would come back to haunt him.

By the way, what town do you live in and I will tell you exactly how much more money you would get back if Fair School Funding became the law.

Your situation with Christie makes no difference to me. I can read and interpret what appeared on Christie's website during the heat of a close campaign. Christie promised to cut property taxes. These exact words appear on his website. He is accountable. You might except the spin, I don't.

Btw, the GOP campaign chairperson in my township is on record as saying Christie would cut property taxes if elected.

Lastly, back when Christie made the promise in 2009, I pointed out on my website, that this was a promise he could not keep, because it was out of his control. The GOP in my township insisted he would live up to the promise. So much so that I have a hand shake agreement with the Republican Party Chairmain in my township to personally endorse Christie in my local paper if my property taxes do indeed go down.

KMN:

The GOP campaign chairperson's statement is hearsay as far as I am concerned. And again, I have no source of him ever saying he could cut property taxes.

I think the man personally is a fraud. Go to our website, conservative new jersey and read the piece about Christie (on the right side). But with that said, I have to defend a person when he is attacked for something he never said.

Again, what town are you in and I can give you an idea of just how much money would be returned to it if you would help support the only plan that will give a true property tax CUT!

Richard,

I don't need to hear him say it. What appeared on his website is enough for me. You may not interpret what appeared the way I do and that's your prerogative. I know what I read and what the message was his campaign tried to convey. Christie promised to lower property taxes. Period.

KMN

And Christie never said a "Property Tax Cut" and that is period. He never promised to lower property taxes. Say what you want, it is not true.

KMN

And in that quote he does not say he can or will do it. He does not say, "if elected governor I will cut you property taxes". And the reason he did not say that is because he knew he could not do it. It is that simple.

I have no doubt you believe what you are saying.

Outsource all testing and teaching to Pearson. $10/hr, no benefits, and if you don't like it, work at Walmart. Problem solved!

Governor Christie, is a progressive who believes in Big Government. He is ,implementing the same Obamaesque plans and techniques that are engineered to destroy OUR REPUBLIC and Our Way Of LIfe. AGENDA 21 concepts are now mirrored in the NJ STATE PLAN.
People read up on both plans and see how they superimpose on one another.
Don't believe what you are being told. Look below the surface. We the American people are being sold out by both parties. WAKE UP!