I wholeheartedly agree that certain 'public servants' make way too much money. I know first hand just how much money one small town cop can make if he climbs the ladder enough because my dad retired as a police chief. In fact, he made so much that he was able to have not only a house in his home town, but a lovely weekend house in rural New York state. Two houses he can also well afford on his generous pension. I also know first hand of the amazing benefits that he and my family received that were absolutely free. Yeah he definitely worked hard, but there are people in occupations that are statistically more dangerous (coal miner, lumberjack, truck driver) that make much less than he did as a police chief.

However, I loathe Governor Christie and his declaring marshal law regarding the budget. I sure do think that teachers and other officials in some towns and at some levels make too much money, and I definitely think that one way to fix the budget is by cutting salaries. But that is not going to happen. What is going to happen is that people are going to flat out get fired and many important school programs such as music, art, and some sports, will be cut. So, class size will grow and all the classes and activities that made school bearable will end. So who loses the most? The kids.

I am not standing up for the teachers. I think that the concept of tenure is outdated and useless and for every great teacher there are ten that truly suck, but I hate to think... (show all)

of a generation or two of kids growing up without music and art and all of the little things that make life good.

So yeah, I think Chris Christie sucks and I will not laud his handling of the budget. I am all for fixing the budget and reducing salaries, and asking state workers to pay into their benefits, but I am pretty sure Chris Christie eats babies. ten at a time. Whole.

Well said, and well taken. In my mind, it's not too much money (salary) is the issue here... although an across the board increase in the midst of the 'Great Recession' is hard to swallow... ( merit raises anyone? )I believe it's all about excessive entitlements. We simply cannot afford the pensions and health benefits of our public employees. We don't need to lay off art & music teachers - we desperately need them - and all the teachers and all the police and all the road workers, etc. We just need them to pay their fair share for benefits - like the rest of us in the business world.

Christie has given town boards the tools to negotiate these benefits with unions, which they didn't have before. Smart board and council members will use them to open the door to successful, cost cutting negotiations AND maintain staff levels throughout our civic service employees.

We have to find a way that we all can win this tax burden dilemma so we can afford to work AND live here...