The Record pats the governor on the back today in an editorial — and with good reason. The governor has held off on signing the 20 percent tax credit into law as a “way of pressuring reluctant lawmakers into following through on substantive change.”
Lawmakers, of course, have been rather timid in their commitment to reform — “particularly in regard to dual office holding.”
But Corzine should continue to pressure lawmakers to make the ban on dual office holding complete. No grandfathering. The governor has the bully pulpit, and he should use it to get the public’s attention.
Almost 80 percent of New Jersey voters agree with Corzine. In a recent poll, they said state lawmakers should not be allowed to have another government job of any kind, elected or otherwise.
The governor’s vision of real change in New Jersey also includes pension and health care benefit reforms for all elected and appointed officials, not just public employees. It includes more transparency in political campaign contributions at all levels of government. Corzine wants to end pay-to-play and eliminate “wheeling,” the practice that both Democrats and Republicans use to evade campaign contribution limits by moving money from one part of the state to the other in general elections.
This is a vision that threatens the very heart of the state’s political power structure. But it’s what true reform is all about.
Let’s hope his pressure works and we get more than the lukewarm reforms currently being served.
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Hank Kalet 