Jon S. Corzine: Is He Right for New Jersey?

Mr. Corzine was elected Governor in 2006. Prior to that, he was US Senator for the State of New Jersey. One of the platforms of Gov. Cozine’s campaign was not to raise taxes. Well that campaign promise was short-lived. Instead of calling for the property tax increase himself; he authorized cities and townships to raise property taxes. This was just the beginning. In 2007, Gov. Corzine raised the state sales to 4%. Gov. Corzine stated that he did not know the extent of the deficit of the state budget. If memory serves me correct, Gov. Corzine served as a US. Senator for the State of New Jersey. How can he not know about the deficit in the state budget? What were we paying him to do as our Senator? The state budget is public knowledge. Gov. Corzine was given several contingency plans to consider before he would have to raise the sales tax. Instead of considering these alternate plans, Gov. Corzine acted like a spoiled child that did not get his way and shuts the state government down. His “My way or the highway” attitude has done nothing but cost the citizens of New Jersey more money. He was not done yet. Gov. Corzine then calls for an increase in tolls on the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. This one makes me scratch my head, when Richard Codey was in office to finish out Jim McGreevey’s term as Governor; he was lobbying to abolish the tolls on the Garden State Parkway. What a contrast in terms and philosophies. Once again instead of considering alternate plans Gov. Corzine insisted on raising the tolls, another shot to the chin to the New Jersey residents.

When Governor Corzine was elected he appointed Zulima Farber Attorney General. Governor Jim McGreevey would not appoint Ms. Farber to the New Jersey Supreme Court due to unpaid parking and traffic tickets which had led to an arrest warrant being issued for her. Ms. Farber abused the authority of her office for personal reasons. Ms. Farber’s boyfriend, Hamlet Goore was stopped by the Fairview Police Dept for operating an unregistered vehicle. The police issued Mr. Goore a ticket and they were going to impound the vehicle. Mr. Goore contacted Ms. Farber and mysteriously the tickets were withdrawn and the vehicle was never impounded. Ms. Farber was investigated for the incident and was found that she violated the state’s code of ethics. Gee, I wonder if the average New Jersey resident would be extended the same courtesy?

Governor Corzine is also a hypocrite to the laws in New Jersey. In April of 2007 Gov. Corzine’s vehicle was involved in a serious car accident. Gov. Corzine suffered serious injuries. It was reported that the vehicle that Gov. Corzine was traveling in was going in excess of 110 MPH on the Garden State Parkway. The reason why Gov. Corzine’s vehicle was speeding was because he was late for a meeting in the Governor’s mansion. He was meeting the Rutgers female basketball team. Gov. Corzine was issued a ticket for not having his seatbelt fastened but that does take away the fact that his vehicle was speeding and endangered the lives of the other people traveling on the Garden State Parkway that day.

In closing, the facts speak for themselves. Gov. Corzine runs the State of New Jersey like he is still running Goldman Sachs. He does not listen to opinions regarding certain issues that affect the welfare of the people that elected him. This is something for all New Jersey residents to consider before the next Gubernatorial Election.