New Jersey is one of the country's most openly corrupt states. Not necessarily the most corrupt, but in New Jersey everyone complains about corruption and every election day sends every incumbent back to continue pillaging the tax coffers. Apparently people don't want to end corruption lest they find themselves in an elected position and have the opportunity to stuff their own pockets.
The US Attorney, Chris Christie, has made quite a reputation for himself cracking down on crooked politicians at the state and local levels. Neither Democrats, nor Republicans, have been safe from his team of investigators who have been rooting out corruption with a vengeance. I guarantee that he will be among the first US Attorneys replaced by Obama since he has sent quite a few powerful Democrats to the Gray Bar Hotel.
And yet... it could be worse.
Barely 10 days after having the city council of New York vote to change the term limit law allowing him to run for a third consecutive term as Mayor, Michael Bloomberg announced some radical, but "necessary" cost cutting measures.
New York City was devastated by the failure of the financial sector with millions in payroll taxes and sales taxes gone almost without warming. New York State is similarly screwed, as both the city and state are reliant upon the financial sector jobs to keep afloat.
So Bloomberg announced he was suspending the homestead rebate... so homeowners in the city should not expect their $400 payoff. Never fear, I predict they will manage to restore it with great fanfare next year, just in time for the election.
He also announced the cancellation of NYPD academy classes, ironically after spending millions this year on a recruitment blitz. It seems they don't anticipate street crime or burglaries to increase in this period of economic turmoil. Or perhaps he is jealous of all the attention that Chicago, St Louis, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, St Paul, and Phoenix get over out of control crime rates.
Another cost saving measure he is implementing is to reduce the training period for new fire fighters. The current training period is 23 weeks, but last summer it was extended from 13 weeks. Under the mayor's plan it will end at 11 weeks.
But here is one area where the city will not be cutting costs... bridges.
No. Not maintenance of the many bridges crossing the rivers that connect Manhattan to the other boroughs, that has already been cut to a bare minimum.
The State of New York has renamed the venerable Triborough Bridge in honor of Robert F Kennedy, who served as a US Senator from the state. The city and state have dutifully spent $4 Million dollars for new signage for the span that connects, Bronx, Manhattan and Queens boroughs.
The Empire State and The Big Apple are crying the financial blues... but at the same time they can spend $4M in tax dollars to rename a bridge and redo all of the signage for it.
Police? We don't need police.
Firefighters? Put the wet stuff on the hot stuff. What training do they need?
But signage for the renaming of an ugly bridge? That is a gosh darn priority!
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