tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373131336974671914.post7369151957372862795..comments2023-10-31T04:51:07.590-04:00Comments on Potomac Fever: Chris Christie vs. the Teacher's UnionsTJEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16658864498584155557noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373131336974671914.post-49100657781524730122011-02-24T14:17:35.516-05:002011-02-24T14:17:35.516-05:00Not to mention Harlen Coben.Not to mention Harlen Coben.TJEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16658864498584155557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373131336974671914.post-1029469588740500822011-02-24T13:27:08.729-05:002011-02-24T13:27:08.729-05:00Me! And George from Seinfeld.
Although I agree tha...Me! And George from Seinfeld.<br />Although I agree that Christie is an excellent speaker, I have a problem with some of his rhetoric. Obviously there are serious problems with New Jersey's deficit, but I don't think that's an excuse to treat NJ teachers as the scapegoat for everything that's wrong with the state. Teachers and the NJEA are not the ones who for years chose not to fund the pension, but now they're the ones who will suffer. Despite popular belief, a lot of teachers don't have a problem contributing more to their health insurance and pension. The problem comes in when they are asked to increase their contributions all at once. Christie's new budget proposes that teachers pay 30% of their health care premiums and an additional 3% of their salaries into the penion system. This would cost the average teacher about 16% of their take-home pay, which is a lot for a member of the middle-class. At the same time, Christie refuses to renew a tax on millionaires which would raise revenue by almost $1 billion. <br />I really do agree with a lot of his points, given the seriousness of the NJ budget problem, but I don't agree with the blame he's placing on public employees. There are other ways to go about framing the issue.Julia Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10759590958745098385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373131336974671914.post-36752655777706212422011-02-24T12:32:07.285-05:002011-02-24T12:32:07.285-05:00A proud child of Livingston, NJ. Can you name othe...A proud child of Livingston, NJ. Can you name others?TJEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16658864498584155557noreply@blogger.com