Corzine and Carla back in the news
The romance between Gov. Corzine and Carla Katz, the head of the state's largest employee union, ended some months back. But Katz apparently still knows how to "sweet-talk" him.
Last month, Corzine ordered department heads to submit budget-cutting plans at levels of 5 percent, 10 percent and 15 percent. But Thursday, after Katz told the Associated Press "we will not tolerate this budget being balanced on the backs of hard-working public workers," Corzine clarified his intentions. There will be no layoffs of civil service workers.
For taxpayers hoping for a leaner state government, that's depressing news. Only about 10 percent of state workers are not civil service. And about half of those - a group that represents state troopers - are represented by unions.
If you are planning to attend Corzine's public hearing on the budget Wednesday night in Long Branch, you might want to ask him how he expects to bring government spending under control if 95 percent of the state workforce is exempt, and if he isn't willing to send a strong message to towns, counties, school districts, state and county colleges and independent authorities about the need to get rid of the dead wood.
Last month, Corzine ordered department heads to submit budget-cutting plans at levels of 5 percent, 10 percent and 15 percent. But Thursday, after Katz told the Associated Press "we will not tolerate this budget being balanced on the backs of hard-working public workers," Corzine clarified his intentions. There will be no layoffs of civil service workers.
For taxpayers hoping for a leaner state government, that's depressing news. Only about 10 percent of state workers are not civil service. And about half of those - a group that represents state troopers - are represented by unions.
If you are planning to attend Corzine's public hearing on the budget Wednesday night in Long Branch, you might want to ask him how he expects to bring government spending under control if 95 percent of the state workforce is exempt, and if he isn't willing to send a strong message to towns, counties, school districts, state and county colleges and independent authorities about the need to get rid of the dead wood.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 9:15 AM
4 Comments:
ugh, write about fun stuff Randy...this is BORING. Just b/c you guys are big time newspaper men doesn't mean you have to talk about politics ALL THE TIME. Ugh.
Brian Says-- This topic is not boring to me. As a member of local 1034, I am ashamed of the crap my union is pulling. With leaders like Katz and certain others, it will be easy for public opinion to sway against the average union worker, who is not making tons of money. The situation we have seen between Katz and Corzine is one of the many reasons that unions are losing membership. If something does not change, the workers are going to lose alot. The tax payers will turn on us , and who can blame them?
Nothing will change with Dems or RINO'S while they hold office in New Jersey, either grin and bear it or make your plans to move out of New Jersey.
Um, sergeant-at-arms, I lived in Maryland for 6 years before moving to Jersey. You think folks are lazy around here? You ain't seen nothin, hon.
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