Christie chides legislators for failing to consider property-tax measures

Gov. Christie mocked the Legislature at a town-hall meeting Monday in Gloucester County, saying that with only 36 days left until they break for the holidays, lawmakers had yet to take up the most significant bills in his property-tax package.

Speaking to about 150 people at the Washington Township Municipal Building during his 13th town hall since Labor Day, Christie said that while he had proposed his property-tax overhaul "tool kit" in May, the Legislature was still delaying action six months later.

With more than a hint of sarcasm, Christie pointed out that the Legislature had found the time to deliberate on bills that would require cats and dogs to be sterilized before being released from animal shelters and require dentists to inform patients when they receive dentures made in foreign countries, but had not yet considered his proposals for changing civil service or the arbitration process that determines contracts for police officers and firefighters when negotiations reach an impasse.

"The work we have to get done now is extraordinarily important to the future of our state," Christie said.

The Legislature has taken on action on several of the less significant bills in the governor's tool kit, but has not tackled the most difficult measures.

Christie has argued that without the property-tax legislation he has called for, local leaders will be forced to lay off large numbers of employees in order to comply with the 2 percent cap on property-tax increases he signed into law this year.

"It's not that the Legislature has to do everything I want them to, but they have to do something," Christie said, arguing that lawmakers should let voters know where they stand on the bills he has proposed.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) has pledged the Legislature will adopt changes by the end of the year.

Christie outlined his broader legislative agenda as well, touching on his proposals to improve ethics, pension and health benefits, and education.

The audience was largely receptive to the governor, cheering and applauding loudly, for example, when he described his proposal to cap most school superintendents' salaries at $175,000 - the same amount as his own salary.

One man, in asking a question about a school-voucher bill that Christie supports, said: "Thank God we have Christie." Later, another man shouted: "Christie for president!"

Asked about the possibility of New Jersey becoming a Right to Carry (firearms) state, Christie answered: "It's never going to happen in a million years."

Christie said that given the Democratic-dominated Legislature, it would not happen in New Jersey right now, so he would not expend political capital on the issue.

After he finished answering questions a few minutes early, Christie told the audience a story he said should give some insight into who he is.

Christie talked about his mother, who died 61/2 years ago of lung cancer. Before her death, while Christie was on the road in San Diego, he said, he received a call from his brother to return home because their mother was in poor condition. Christie rushed home, he said, and was soon at his mother's side at the hospital.

Christie's mother, Sondra, fell in and out of consciousness, he said, and at one point asked him what day and time it was. Christie told his mother it was 10 a.m. on Friday.

"She said, 'What are you doing here?' " Christie recalled. "She said, 'It's a workday.' She said, 'Go to work. It's where you belong. There's nothing left unsaid between us.' "

And that, Christie said, is New Jersey.

"We're in a crisis now - there should be nothing left unsaid between us."