Our governor made news on Thursday, Save Jerseyans, by throwing cold water on a central plank of Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno’s 2017 campaign platform: the “audit” of Trenton.
“I just fundamentally disagree with her on that,” Christie reportedly told POLITICO following an appearance in Manhattan when asked about his second-in-command’s big idea. “It’s not there.”
Very helpful!
That’s sarcasm by the way (I know it doesn’t always come through in written mediums). Chris Christie has been famously unhelpful to his fellow New Jersey Republicans going all the way back to 2011. We’re used to it. Click here if you’re new to N.J. politics and want the background.
But forget the GOP treason angle for a moment; Christie’s audit statement simply isn’t true.
In fact, I can think of $240 million reasons WHY we know it’s not true.
In case you missed it earlier this week, just 48 hours before he dumped on Kim Guadagno’s audit plan, Governor Christie announced his plan to spend “$240 million on combatting the opioid crisis, taking money meant for other state programs after he failed to get the funds from the state’s largest health insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield,” further assuring New Jerseyans that there weren’t any vital programs on the chopping block thanks to his “creative abilities.”
Call me crazy, but isn’t that an ADMISSION that there are at least $240 million worth of non-vital programs in Trenton? From which he can pay for new anti-opioid addiction programs?
Of course there’s waste. Just last year, an Attorney General investigation found, according to NJ.com, “employees of the government agency used taxpayer-funded credit cards to rack up hundreds of questionable expenses — tens of thousands of dollars in food, booze, flowers, gifts, retirement parties, and more. New Jersey taxpayers picked up the bill.” That’s one agency, folks. One.
You doubt there are more examples? I’ve got a bridge to sell you, and I won’t even promise the lanes will be open by the time you get there.
We’ve seen historical examples of success, too.
Former Governor Kean’s audit of state government that identified an estimated $100 million dollars in savings. In Louisiana?they recently found $2.7 billion in savings over five years, and a similar effort in Kansas discovered $2 billion in savings over five years. Not millions… billions. Far more money, I’d like to note, than Democrat nominee Phil Murphy’s $1.3 billion would allegedly fetch.
The audit isn’t everything, folks, but it’s undeniably a good idea.
Anyone who says otherwise just isn’t been honest with you.
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