the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, When Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno formally threw her hat in the ring in New Jersey’s race for governor, the Republican primary field already held State Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (a career politician ) , Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers( union hack), and Ocean County businessman Joseph Rullo and a gentlemen named Hir Sang (big on ideas light on details) which we cant seem to find out much information at all.
Comedian and radio host Joe Piscopo (what exit) has also been rumored to be mulling a ran for the GOP nod and while the rumors grow louder there is no movement at the moment .
New Jersey faces unprecedented fiscal problems; a huge pension deficit ,collapsing infrastructure , worst business environment in the USA, a drug epidemic and the lest tax friendly state in the land making the Garden State the number one state people look to move out of year after year.
While the New Jersey media spends it time covering the latest “outrage ” from the Trump administration and parades of “vigina clad” protesters , state issues hardly garner a mention.It seems if the media is not bashing Christie and his associates they have nothing to say at all.
Despite the eminent fiscal doom of the state , long since past the point of no return the next Governor will face a whole host of crushing issues leading to what many think will be the absolute collapse state finances leading to a state take over by the Trump administration.
One would think that the next gubernatorial election would take on a renewed urgency , but alas not in New Jersey . On the Democratic side we have the usual suspects of Bernie Sanders Socialists , 100 year out of date Union activist and a Goldman Saks gentleman ,we will call him Corzine 2.0 looking to buy the state house and rent rooms on AirBnB.
On the GOP side we have the usual mix of wanna be Democrats , career politicians , Christy Whitman Toad , “it’s my party too “,types with one exception fighting Joe Rullo.
The supposed front runner Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, an anti Trump , Whitman Toad wannabe who has so far managed to duck every debate and avoid any policy pronouncements what so ever.
To many critics Guadagno is nothing more than Whitman 2.0 , but less able to steal from public pensions and no chance of issuing the infamous, “air is safe” at ground zero.
Rullo caught our eye with his rather off beat campaign style , drain the swamp Trump rhetoric and YouTube commercials . We admit he is a long shot but so far he has offered some common sense policy , quick one liners ,isnt beholden to special interests and generally irradiates the status quo .
It is often so clear the both the New Jersey media and the Trenton Bureaucrats speak with one voice funded by vested interests .
During the recent Middlesex County Young Republicans of NJ, NJ gubernatorial primary debate ,fireworks erupted when Rullo was attacked as being anti labor by Steve Rogers for saying the state should save money on Wall Street management fees on NJ Pensions.
Later Rogers accused Rullo of not telling the truth at debate. Rullo claimed that Rogers said he would prosecute drug dealers as terrorist. Funny but in 3 separate media sources Rogers is on record saying the very same thing….oops!
“I have a message for every drug dealer. You better pack your bags before I get elected,” the candidate said. “If you are a drug dealer, you are a terrorist, and you will be treated as a terrorist.”
-NJ Governor Candidate Steve Rogers
Source: North Jersey.com
Source: Politico
Source: NJ.com
Other interesting moments when came after admitting people continue to move out of New Jersey because taxes are too high , Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli actually claimed some New Jersey towns are not over taxed with property taxes. and that healthcare was a “right” of every resident of New Jersey .
Steve Rogers defended pensions as “a promise made ” ,went into the usual union clap trap about stop blaming the workers ,but even he did finally admit some of those promises are a bit much and unsustainable. Ciattarelli recovered much lost ground with his constant insistence against bailouts, and government subsidies.
Rullo promised legalization of marijuana using the tax revenue to fund road work and state pensions. While Sang pushed for more efficiency in how Trenton works. Rullo went even farther pushing for more consolidation of state agencies, state functions and toll collection . Rullo throughout the debate continued to focus on getting rid of fat cat over paid administrators at all levels on New Jersey government.
All the candidates opposed sanctuary cities , taxpayer funded abortions , all favored immigration, and heavily opposed illegal immigration except perhaps for Sang .The candidates all favored Chris Christie’s ” fair school funding” or something similar .All candidates expressed strong support to 2nd Amendment issues .
Again most the of the issues have not changed for New Jersey since Whitman, and the slide continues to accelerate. Trenton’s vested interest , nanny state mentality is clearly the enemy . A lot of big talk from the candidates , the question is will things finally get so bad in New Jersey that Trenton has no choice but to change?
