newjerseynewsroom.com

Republican candidate for Governor says "we're paying caviar prices for failure"

Republican candidate Chris Christie Wednesday attempted to put the focus the gubernatorial campaign on the record of incumbent Democrat, Gov. Jon Corzine, saying, "Failure will no longer be funded. We're paying caviar prices for failure.''

At a campaign stop in Paramus, Christie placed the blame for New Jersey's economic problems on Corzine and charged the governor is out of touch with New Jerseyans.

"It is not the change anyone voted for in 2005, and it is time to show him the door,'' Christie said. "We can no longer afford Jon Corzine in New Jersey.''

Speaking without printed comments, Christie focused on improving education, including his plan for supporting the opening of more charter schools and provide state aid for children who enroll in them.''

Christie also said cuts in state aid for New Jersey colleges have led to what he called the brain drain of students leaving the state for their education and not returning after graduation.

"The Wall Street wizard does not understand the connection between higher education and our economy, he said.

Christie did not get specific about how he would cut government spending an taxes, but he pledged to line-item veto spending proposals that he would hurt the state fiscally.

Sean Darcy, a Corzine campaign spokesman, said the governor will continue to focus on the economy, job creation, education and health care.

"On election day, I think people across the state are going to have a very clear choice,'' Darcy said. "One is someone who has been out there everyday trying to get people back to work. And someone who has never created a job, and has no plan to create jobs now.''

As Christie spoke of his plans for improving education, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), Corzine's lieutenant governor candidate, appeared at a school in Hackensack where she criticized the Republican for a comment he made on national television in which he said that as governor he would refuse $2 billion in federal education aid if it came with guideline.

Weinberg said rejecting the aid would lead to a $2 billion property tax hike.

"These children are the foundation of New Jersey's economy," she said. "Christie's refusal of these critical funds is nothing more than a reckless attempt to garner favor with the extreme right wing of the Bush Republican Party. Governor Corzine has consistently stood with the children of this state while Chris Christie engages in the kind of petty politics New Jersey cannot afford."

Appearing on the Fox television In May, Christie praised then-Alaska governor Sarah Palin and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford for turning down federal aid, saying their refusal "makes sense. If they're going to put strings on that money that are going to tie your hands and make you expand programs and not be able to have the freedom of choice that people elected you for, then you shouldn't take the money."

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM