You may not have realized it, Save Jerseyans, but Monday was an exceptionally expensive day in your life as a New Jersey taxpayer.
First out of the block, current Governor Chris Christie kicked things off by announcing the latest stage in an ongoing campaign to rehabilitate himself opioid addicts: a brand new $200 million spending blitz on addition-related programs. That’s on top of the many millions he’s already spent on awareness campaigns starring himself for those of you keeping count.
“I said I don’t want you to worry about money, and I want you to come back to me with a wish list,” Christie declared at the mid-Monday press conference. “It’s probably about $200 million worth of spending, but it’s stuff that needs to be done.”
Not to be out done, the front runner to succeed Christie as governor in January — Mr. Moneybags himself Phil Murphy (D-Goldman Sachs) — added to the $75 billion in new spending he’s already pitched an additional $400 million for FREE community college.
His staff chimed in only a few short hours later and revised the price tag to… $200 million.
What? Was $200 million the number of the day or something???
Perhaps.
If the coincidence feels like a product of arbitrariness then you’re probably onto something.
These guys are making it all up as they go along, buying voters and positive press by playing on heart strings, insulting our collective intelligence, and treating our very REAL, hard-earned dollars like it’s Monopoly play cash.
Forget the merits of each individual proposal for a second. This isn’t ideological; it’s math, and I can think of at least 1,000 ways to better spend $200 million. I’m sure you can, too, as tuition and utility bills populate your mailboxes. New Jersey itself is BROKE. That’s not a controversial or disputed statement. Our state’s fiscal turmoil is a matter of public record. We borrow and tax to survive, and this culture of institutionalized misrule is actively driving our friends and neighbors to other states.
Today’s combined $400 million in unnecessary newly pledged spending is precisely why New Jersey can’t have nice things.
Pass Go, collect $200 million, and unlike the iconic game… no one ever goes to jail.
If you aren’t pissed off? You aren’t paying close enough attention.
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