Christie Freezes NJ Spending, Whiny Democrats Hardest Hit

It's the end of the world as Democrats know it.

Gov. Chris Christie seized extraordinary powers to shrink the current state budget today, infuriating Democratic lawmakers ahead of an even bigger fight over the next spending plan and laying the foundation for unprecedented changes in the way all New Jersey governing bodies operate.

In an executive order and speech to both houses of the Legislature, Christie said he would close a $2.2 billion budget hole, saying New Jersey is on “the edge of bankruptcy.” He revoked funds from local school districts, hospitals and NJ Transit and declared a “state of fiscal emergency,” forcing more than 500 school districts to spend their surpluses in place of state aid.

The governor slashed programs labeled wasteful and worthwhile, cut aid to colleges and universities and killed the Department of the Public Advocate. He urged pension and benefit cuts for all public employees, and mocked their unions by comparing their objections to his 9-year-old son’s cry of “unfair.” He called opponents of his plans defenders of “the old ways.”

“Now is the time when we all must resist the traditional, selfish call to protect your own turf at the cost of our state,” the Republican governor said. “We chose to confront the problem head on by reforming our spending habits, and laying the groundwork for reform. We have set out in a new direction, a direction dictated by the votes of the people of New Jersey, and I do not intend to turn back.”

Christie pegs next year’s budget gap — which he will address March 16 — at $11 billion, but his dramatic rhetoric and draconian fixes for this year’s $2.2 billion hole drew sharp objections from Democrats who control both houses of the Legislature.

Sorry, whiny Democrats. Elections have consequences, as does recklessly spending more money than you have.