Do You Support Trenton's A.C. Takeover? 
Blame Obama and Biden for Christie's State Worker Layoff Predicament
| March 10, 2010 
"My lawyers have now told me that I am bound by that deal. If I could stop it, I would, except the previous governor tied my hands. I cannot lay off one state worker, I cannot furlough a state worker until January of 2011. That was a great election-year deal he made for us. It is an exquisite pair of handcuffs he put on his successor, but I guess he didn’t think he was going to have a successor."
Yes, you read that correctly, Save Jerseyans. The reformer you elected to clean up Trenton has had his hands tied by the cowardly actions of none other than Carla Katz's ex-boyfriend (Former Governor Jon Corzine). Governor Chris Christie now has only six days left to develop a plan capable of balancing New Jersey's budget but, thanks to his fiscally-challenged predecessor, Chris can't fire a single state worker until after Christmas.
How did this happen, you ask? Many state residents will certainly be shocked to read about this latest development in this morning's paper. You, however, won't be surprised at all, Save Jerseyans, since this blog screamed bloody murder when Corzine's shady CWA public employee union deal initially transpired back in June 2009.
Let's take a trip in the time machine back to early June, shall we?
It's the eve of a highly-publicized campaign swing by Vice President Biden on behalf of the embattled incumbent Jon Corzine. Coinciding with Biden's visit is an inconvenient conflict for the Corzine cause. New Jersey's Communications Workers of America (CWA) chapter is incensed over their contract and the potential for wage freezes and unpaid furloughs so, to drive their point home, the union leadership threatens to disrupt Corzine's rally with Biden. The White House doesn't want bad relations with the unions, let alone one of the largest public labor groups in America (and the largest in New Jersey). Consequently, the Obama crew put pressure on Corzine's people to cut a deal with the CWA before Biden's arrival.
What ultimately resulted was the following fateful deal:
Under the deal, a previously negotiated 3.5 percent wage increase for CWA workers that had been scheduled for July 1 will be postponed until January 2011. But union workers "will not suffer any diminution in their pension benefits as a result of the deferral of such payments," according to the agreement, which must be ratified by the CWA membership.
The next phase of the wage increase also will not be affected and is still scheduled for July 1, 2010, according to a letter to members from CWA District One Vice President Chris Shelton.
If the state initiates layoffs before 2011, the July 2009 raises will be reinstituted, the CWA said.
If elected in the fall, Christie said, he would do everything in his power, including declaring a financial emergency in the state, "to make sure we don't have to honor this deal."
"This governor may be unwilling to say no to the state worker unions, but I'm going to be willing to say no to them," Christie said during his conference call with reporters, repeatedly calling Corzine "timid."
Christie wants to lay off thousands of state workers, an idea Corzine has criticized as increasing the ranks of the unemployed and uninsured.
Well, now Chris's legal team has made it abundantly clear that his hands are tied until 2011 (just as this post's opening Christie quote already indicated). Thinking long-term, New Jersey can't be financially healthy again unless it downsizes its state workforce. To borrow a business term, we simply have "too much overhead." Nevertheless, Governor Christie can't hope to balance the budget if he also allows the July 2009 raises to be reinstated in accordance with that damn June 2009 amended deal.
Are you angry yet, Save Jerseyans?
Once again, Jon Corzine seriously wounds the Garden State from beyond the political grave! Yet, as I've already alluded to, much of the blame for this statewide mess falls on two federal figures by extension -- Joe Biden and President Obama himself -- for forcing this deal in the first place simply so Joe wouldn't be embarrassed at a political rally! Biden does a good job of embarrassing himself without anyone else's assistance.
For what it's worth, I think Chris is following the right strategy under these extremely difficult circumstances. Article 41 of the state worker contract in question provides that the contract's terms and conditions are rendered null and void should the Legislature fail to appropriate the amount of funding necessary to satisfy the contract's terms. Hence, the best possible course is to pursue other opportunities to make budget cuts until January 1st when Chris can finally begin significantly reducing the size of Trenton's bloated workforce.
Until then, feel free to share the following videos with any taxpayers who need to know the true background story behind what's happening right now:
Forwarding this article to my friends, Matt. I didn't know about the Biden angle!
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Why can't Christie declare a financial state of emergency?
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These unions are so so dirty. End them all. The tort system can handle it.
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Public workers shouldn't be allowed to unionize. Why should they be permitted to use our tax dollars to lobby for votes?
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