Corzine backs up Clinton's economic stimulus package

In a media conference call this afternoon with Gov. Jon Corzine and Gov. Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Sen. Hillary Clinton said the country needs a president who holds the American economy accountable.

"I'm hearing from people who lost their jobs in construction or even in the casinos," said Clinton, in a double nod to Nevada - where she's campaigning in advance of the Jan. 19th primary there - and New Jersey.

Corzine hailed Clinton's economic stimulus package as a strong reason, in his view, to support the Democratic presidential candidate.

"The program you have put down makes sense for someone running for president, or as a plan to right now have an impact on the economy," Corzine told Clinton. "You've laid out a great program here, and it ought to be accepted by the (Bush) administration."

http://www.politickernj.com/corzine-backs-clintons-economic-stimulus-package-15492

he is respected - and knows economy.

Corzine is one of the good guys. And an endorsements from D Governors are awesome.

Correction Officers anyway. he wants to reduce the starting salary of Correction Officers from 48,000 to 40,000 a year and at the same time he wants to give the convicts in the prison system more money for programs. also NJ is the worst state for taxes they tax EVERYTHING and auto insurance is ridiculous

First: as a legacy of Whitman and to a lesser extent, McGreevey, the state is broke. Dead broke. Corzine is trying to get us out of that situation without budgetary gimmicks, which is a good thing.

Second: On what planet is a starting salary of $40K/year bad? Especially in a job that comes with a benefits package like CO's enjoy, not to mention regular incremental wage increases. And inmate programs, many proven to reduce recidivism, are hardly a bad thing for society at large. The fact is that keeping people out of jail and off the jail/release/jail hamster wheel, is objectively a good thing for society. Of course, the municipal/county/state correctional cabal hates that, because each head in a bed is worth about $40000 in federal funds per year. You can build quite the personal empire with that kind of money per head.

Third: Taxes. You are correct in that, but two things are in play here. One is that Corzine and the Dems are at least meeting this fiscal crisis, albeit not quite head-on, and that bodes well for a drop in property taxes, although one of the reasons they have gone up is that property values have also gone up. Of course, the people hate that fact at tax time, but love it when they sell. The other is that NJ, like every other state in the Northeast has been screwed by years of Republican congressional leadership. We get back, from federal taxes, the grand total of 50% of every federal tax dollar we pay, while states in the south get approx. $1.35 for every dollar. A few get more. To see what that means, one only need look at the vast educational palaces that exist in some of these southern states and cities, built with a lot of northeast dollars, while our schools fall down around our ears.

Personally, I think we need a constitutional convention in NJ to deal with the entire tax structure, property taxes included.

put there LIFE on the line every single day or are confronted on the streets by blood gang members who have been told by there so-called leaders to kill a Correction or Police Officers. There is no excuse for Corzine NJ is always poor mouthing about money problems yet if you drive around Trenton the State Capital of NJ EVERY STATE SENATOR OR LEGISLATOR is driving around in brand new 2008 cars and there staff like secretaries are driving in new cars as well. the problem with NJ is the DAMN WASTE

$40K a year with that bennies package and incremental wage increases is NOT living in poverty. I live in objective, government-defined poverty, so don't even THINK of going there.

And if dealing with the members of the prison population is so personally distressful, then it is time to assess career options.

I am a strong, life-long union supporter. That said, some of the arguments of the LEO's and CO's, as regards their rate of pay, completely lose me. We have State Police troopers making better than $100K/yr. Line troopers, not supervisors. Perhaps you might focus some of your outrage in that direction.

I am retired from Sate Corrections. With great benefits, and my salary wasn't bad either.