School Spending Plan and the Toll Tax

Last night the legislature passed Corzine's school spending plan. As I have said here all along, I have no issue with the plan itself. I do have an issue with 532.8 million dollars of new spending in year one without Corzine describing where he will get the money. The second issue I had is that this is being passed by lame duck legislators who will not be around to be held accountable.

Then the Governor comes up with his new toll tax plan accompanied by a spending freeze. Well, we all know that if an NJ politician predicts a decrease, we will get flat or slightly higher spending in the end. So, a prediction of a freeze will result in "moderate" spending increases.

So, if the Governor is true to his word, he should tomorrow announce a decrease in the his final budget proposal of 532.8 million dollars. Why? Because that is the only way his State of the State speech was not a flat out lie today. You see, when you propose a freeze 12 hours after the legislature increases spending a half a billion dollars, your freeze is a spending cut.

Let's hear it Governor? By the way, did anyone in the press ask this very question of Mr Corzine today?

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