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If the State would negotiate the insurance plans for all state workers as one group, the cost savings would be astronomical. There are 200,000 member of the NJEA. How many State employees, county and municipal employees, State Colleges and Universities, County Colleges - all on government insurance benefits. The savings could be in the $4-5 Billion range PER YEAR!!! Everyone could keep benefits that were competitively negotiated and the State would be out of it's financial hole in 2 years with no other changes to the budget. I just wish someone other than me would see this and start looking at real solutions. Firing anybody right now is not going to help the economy. Cutting waste, absolutely...but not firing necessary teachers. The schools are overcrowded as it is...some classrooms have over 30 students. How does firing teachers solve that problem? But, if you become competitive in bidding insurance and perhaps other services...real savings can occur. I do feel that school districts should be regionalized...get rid of red tape, bureaucracy and top-heavy school districts and create county-wide districts. One superintendent, one board of ed...economies of scale...the cost savings there would be huge as well. There are so many other solutions...why are we continuing to look at the same failed options...tax increases, decrease of services...increasing unemployment. I voted for Christie, but he and all the democrats in Trenton need to get their collective head out of their collective ass and begin making these types of changes. I'm fed up!