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FOR NEW JERSEY:
Originally appeared in the New York Post on 10/30/10
October 30, 2001 -- The events of Sept. 11 unfortunately
have diverted public attention from the fall electoral contests.
Does anybody really care?
But New Jersey voters have a critical choice to make when
they select a new governor next Tuesday. Unless the
Garden State is to remain hopelessly mired in four more
years of business as usual in Trenton, that choice should be
Republican Bret Schundler, the courageous, innovative
former mayor of Jersey City.
To be sure, Schundler -- undermined by the state GOP
establishment, which he trounced in the June primary - trails
in the polls. But nearly one-quarter of the voters remain
undecided -- and New Jersey races traditionally are resolved
only in the final days.
And Schundler has made a career out of confounding the
experts and the polls.
Fact is, New Jersey hasn't seen a candidate as impressive as
Schundler -- and with such a successful record of
achievement -- in recent memory.
More importantly, Bret Schundler is a rarity among New
Jersey politicians: He's a candidate of principle with firm,
unashamed beliefs.
In his eight years as mayor of formerly scandal-scarred and
debt-wracked Jersey City, Schundler built an impressive
record -- based on solid GOP principles -- of tax cuts and
economic development.
And in a city where two-thirds of the voters are Democrats
and minorities, Schundler was re-elected twice with huge
majorities.
In his campaign, Schundler has presented a coherent agenda
for dramatic change on issues that matter to Jersey voters:
property taxes, sky-high auto insurance premiums and urban
sprawl.
And where Schundler says "we have a moral responsibility
to get taxes down," his Democratic opponent, Jim
McGreevey, refuses to sign a no-new-tax pledge.
McGreevey, in fact, hasn't presented much in the way of
specifics on anything, apparently content to sit on his lead in
the polls and avoid antagonizing any voters. Instead, he
spends his time labeling Schundler as "extremist." Moreover,
McGreevey as mayor of Woodbridge was always far too
quick to turn to borrowing and property-tax hikes as a way
to raise revenue.
To be sure, even if elected Schundler would face an uphill
struggle against an entrenched legislative bureaucracy to
enact his program.
But this much is certain: With Schundler as governor, there's
a distinct possibility that life in New Jersey will take a turn
for the better.
Which is more than enough reason to urge Garden State
voters to pull the lever next Tuesday for Bret Schundler.
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