Hey Gov. Christie, New Jersey is over here

Over the weekend, Gov. Chris Christie once again force-fed a conservative crowd a healthy dose of red meat, saying President Obama was “posing and preening” instead of working to resolve the pressing issues facing the country.

This is commentary from political blogger and cartoonist Rob Tornoe.

Over the weekend, Gov. Chris Christie once again force-fed a conservative crowd a healthy dose of red meat, saying President Obama was “posing and preening” instead of working to resolve the pressing issues facing the country.

It struck me as odd he would use that particular attack line, considering Christie has traveled across the country to put himself in the spotlight as his so called “Jersey Comeback” seems to remain an afterthought.

What does New Jersey have to do to get Christie to care? Bully a gay kid with long hair and build a car elevator?

While Christie has been preening before national audiences, back home revenues have come in at $351 million below expectations with only two months to go in the current fiscal year. And next year’s budget relies on revenue growth of 7.3 percent, which seems laughable at this point (although conservatives prefer to refer to Christie’s delusional budget numbers as “optimistic”).

So what’s Chris Christie’s plan? You guessed it — cut income taxes!

In a bold adherence to ideology that would make Ayn Rand cry, Christie is still clinging onto his plan to cut income taxes across-the-board by 10 percent, which sounds fair and fantastic until you do the math.

For the average New Jerseyan, the tax savings would only be about $80. Even those making $100,000 a year would only save $275. But if you make over $1 million a year, then Christie loves you, because his tax plan would save you $7,265 a year. Finally, they’ll have the extra money to create all those desperately-needed jobs! 

The best part? Christie’s plan would only cost the state $1.3 billion a year once it’s fully phased in four years from now. Talk about government inefficiency!

All those brainwashed Republicans Christie speaks to in Iowa and Wisconsin might eat this stuff up, but it’s economic nonsense. I wish someone could explain how cutting income taxes will help a state that has the nation’s highest property taxes. I’m guessing Christie doesn’t regale those adoring crowds with stories of a net 20 percent increase in property taxes, rising unemployment and less income tax receipts under his watch.

At least Assembly Democrats have a plan to cut property taxes and use money from a proposed millionaire’s tax to help fund it. But that sort of idea, taxing the people who can most afford it to help keep families in their homes, is the type of common-sense policy that members of the right despise, and in Christie’s case, veto.

But back to his speech over the weekend in Kentucky.

“Now listen,” Christie told the crowd of eager Kentuckians, “this country’s problems are too serious, too serious, to spend another day with a bystander in the oval office.”

Just replace “oval office” with “Trenton”, and Christie could be talking about himself, something he’s fond of doing anyway.

 

Rob Tornoe is a political cartoonist and a WHYY contributor. See more of his work at RobTornoe.com, and follow him on twitter @RobTornoe.