All Bets Are Off
Rarely, if ever, do I write about government issues. I could lie and say it's because I don't like taking sides, but in reality, it's not that. Mostly it's because when it comes to such matters, I'm just ignorant.
But while I was in semi-sunny Florida, a story started brewing that I couldn't resist writing about. This was the impending stalemate of New Jersey's government shutdown. I knew it was big news because it managed to trickle down to me, and I wasn't even in Jersey at the time. Read on while I try to give the New Jersey Government For Dummies version of this story.
Apparently our Governor, Jon "the slime" Corzine wanted to increase the state sales tax from six to seven percent and keep half the proceeds for property tax relief. When he couldn't do that, he took his ball, also known as his power over the government, and went home. Essentially if he couldn't play with the government, no one could play with the government.
Now from what I hear, problems have happened in New Jersey government before. I know. I didn't believe it either, but it's true. Only in the past, when issues had reached a stalemate, eventually a compromise was reached that did not encompass the drama queen tendencies Corzine exhibited last week. This was because Corzine effectly went through with the shutting down of the New Jersey government for apparently, the first time in state history.
So for a week, all government activities came to a screeching halt but perhaps most important to New Jersey residents (and hundreds or thousands of tourists) the shutdown also meant the closing of all twelve casinos in hotspot, Atlantic City.
Now there's something you need to know about New Jerseyans. You can take away our lottery tickets. You can take away our parks. But for the love of God, you can not seperate a New Jerseyan from his right to drink, swear and gamble!
Adding insult to injury, the shutdown occurred right in the midst of a huge holiday weekend. Not letting people play blackjack is one thing, but doing so during a major holiday weekend?! Talk about taking a gamble.
Then news came Saturday morning that a compromise was reached. I'll admit it. A small part of me wanted it to drag on just a little longer so this post would be timely. Plus, it's kinda cool to watch government officials linger in a hissyfit showdown. But my cooler head did prevail and I also breathed a sigh of relief that I could resume harassing my state officials early Monday morning, should, you know, the mood strike me.
Now all that's left to understand is the compromise itself. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done as this was the result:
"Under a compromise reached Thursday, the Democratic governor and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. agreed to increase the sales tax, and put half the money earned from it toward easing property taxes, among the nation's highest. The tax increase would raise $1.1 billion. Corzine had wanted all the money to go toward helping close a $4.5 billion budget deficit and help ease future budget woes. The increase is expected to cost the average New Jersey family $275 per year, according to fiscal experts."
So let me get this straight. The government was shutdown with dramatic flair as neither side would budge about the budget, and then a compromise was reached. But doesn't the compromise give Corzine exactly what he wanted in the first place or am I just having a blonde moment?
It wouldn't matter if you thought Corzine was being brave or if he was in the right. Most New Jerseyans are even more ignorant than me and now, no matter what he does, Corzine will inevitably go down in history as the governor who had fun, fun, fun until the day he took the Borgata away.
But while I was in semi-sunny Florida, a story started brewing that I couldn't resist writing about. This was the impending stalemate of New Jersey's government shutdown. I knew it was big news because it managed to trickle down to me, and I wasn't even in Jersey at the time. Read on while I try to give the New Jersey Government For Dummies version of this story.
Apparently our Governor, Jon "the slime" Corzine wanted to increase the state sales tax from six to seven percent and keep half the proceeds for property tax relief. When he couldn't do that, he took his ball, also known as his power over the government, and went home. Essentially if he couldn't play with the government, no one could play with the government.
Now from what I hear, problems have happened in New Jersey government before. I know. I didn't believe it either, but it's true. Only in the past, when issues had reached a stalemate, eventually a compromise was reached that did not encompass the drama queen tendencies Corzine exhibited last week. This was because Corzine effectly went through with the shutting down of the New Jersey government for apparently, the first time in state history.
So for a week, all government activities came to a screeching halt but perhaps most important to New Jersey residents (and hundreds or thousands of tourists) the shutdown also meant the closing of all twelve casinos in hotspot, Atlantic City.
Now there's something you need to know about New Jerseyans. You can take away our lottery tickets. You can take away our parks. But for the love of God, you can not seperate a New Jerseyan from his right to drink, swear and gamble!
Adding insult to injury, the shutdown occurred right in the midst of a huge holiday weekend. Not letting people play blackjack is one thing, but doing so during a major holiday weekend?! Talk about taking a gamble.
Then news came Saturday morning that a compromise was reached. I'll admit it. A small part of me wanted it to drag on just a little longer so this post would be timely. Plus, it's kinda cool to watch government officials linger in a hissyfit showdown. But my cooler head did prevail and I also breathed a sigh of relief that I could resume harassing my state officials early Monday morning, should, you know, the mood strike me.
Now all that's left to understand is the compromise itself. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done as this was the result:
"Under a compromise reached Thursday, the Democratic governor and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. agreed to increase the sales tax, and put half the money earned from it toward easing property taxes, among the nation's highest. The tax increase would raise $1.1 billion. Corzine had wanted all the money to go toward helping close a $4.5 billion budget deficit and help ease future budget woes. The increase is expected to cost the average New Jersey family $275 per year, according to fiscal experts."
So let me get this straight. The government was shutdown with dramatic flair as neither side would budge about the budget, and then a compromise was reached. But doesn't the compromise give Corzine exactly what he wanted in the first place or am I just having a blonde moment?
It wouldn't matter if you thought Corzine was being brave or if he was in the right. Most New Jerseyans are even more ignorant than me and now, no matter what he does, Corzine will inevitably go down in history as the governor who had fun, fun, fun until the day he took the Borgata away.
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