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With buzz of a possible bid for the presidency now over, Gov. Chris Christie has plenty to keep him busy at the Statehouse.TRENTON — As the national spotlight turns away from Trenton and Gov. Chris Christie’s White House ambitions, a laundry list of work awaits the governor’s attention — and not everyone is eager to help him.
Before his four-day fundraising trip to Missouri, California and Louisiana last week touched off fresh talk of Christie’s presidential aspirations, he had renewed calls for the Legislature to enact tougher ethics laws for its members. He has also proposed drastic changes to the public education system, and in the months ahead budget preparations will take center stage.
In addition, two weeks ago Christie endorsed a task force report that called for merging Rutgers University with three schools now run by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He said he would expedite the complex merger by sending an executive order to the Legislature, though he does not need its approval to move forward.
And he has recently undertaken costly projects in Atlantic City and the Meadowlands that come with no assurances for success any time soon.
Taken together, it’s a tall bill of Jersey business.
"This state was pretty messed up when I took it over," Christie said today at a Statehouse news conference, where he confirmed he would not seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. "We’re making progress but we’re not there yet."
Much of his agenda will require help from the Democrat-controlled Legislature. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said in a statement that he looked forward to having the governor refocus on New Jersey. But Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D=Essex) said she was less willing to work with him after his flirtation with the White House.
"We will now forever be perplexed as he governs New Jersey whether or not he is going to make policy choices and seek a policy agenda that’s reflective of what fits best for our state or whether he is looking to develop a track record that is leveraged for the national GOP," Oliver said.
Republicans, on the other hand, see a much brighter future now that Christie is no longer distracted by the national spotlight.
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said the nation now knows what New Jersey is accomplishing, which will help the governor advance his agenda.
"Serious people are now taking us seriously," O’Scanlon said. "That’s a massive shift in credibility from where we were before."
At the top of Christie’s agenda is changing the state’s educational system. Several weeks ago Christie and acting Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf released a report that called for replacing some standardized tests and replacing others, making it easier for charter schools to open and reducing "bureaucratic red tape." The two met today after Christie’s news conference to discuss how to move forward.
"Nothing has changed," Christie said. "Education reform will be a topic priority for the next legislative session."
Christie has already outlined plans to do away with teacher tenure and set up a performance-based review system, create a merit pay plan and allow private, for-profit companies to take over failing schools. He has also vowed to keep up his attack on the state teachers union.
At a town hall meeting last month Christie reminded the Legislature it had failed to take up the ethics bills he proposed last fall. They called for lawmakers to disclose all sources of income and investments, a ban on dual office holding, and a requirement that convicted public officials forfeit their public pensions.
"In 376 days, we’ve done nothing," Christie said during the town hall meeting in Union."
And he will have to come up with a new budget for the next fiscal year.
Christie frequently touts his record of balancing two budgets without raising taxes, but doing it again will be difficult unless the economy rebounds. The governor has already relied on cuts in education, municipal aid and Medicaid, leaving fewer cost-saving options.
Early signs suggest New Jersey’s economic recovery will be slower than expected and continue to lag behind the rest of the nation. In the meantime, costs will continue to rise; the state’s pension contribution will double next year from about $500 million to $1 billion.
He is also expecting to save about $300 million by overhauling Medicaid, though the plan still needs federal approval. If the application is denied or altered significantly, it will create a sizable budget gap.
By Susan K. Livio and Christopher Baxter/Statehouse Bureau
Staff writers Jarrett Renshaw, Matt Friedman and MaryAnn Spoto contributed to this report.
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