Column: Trenton's Theater of the Absurd

Last week was a big one in Trenton for posturing on the issues of spending and taxes.

The Senate met on Monday and Tuesday and Democrats sought, unsuccessfully, to override 28 of Gov. Chris Christie’s budget line-item vetoes. And every one failed by with only 24 yes votes except for one—Republican Jennifer Beck of Monmouth voted with the Dems to put money for family planning services back in the budget.

Democrats needed 27 votes and knew they wouldn’t get them. That didn’t stop them from bringing up what they called his “most dangerous” vetoes, including of transitional aid, public safety aid and money for a host of other programs, and decrying Christie’s cuts in the harshest of terms—the word cruel was used often.

Summing up on Friday, Sen. President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, who was the governor’s pal just a couple of weeks ago in enacting drastic cuts in employee benefits, gave the direst of predictions about the budget: “People are going to die.”

Christie’s public relations machine countered with a series of press releases spread out over the week demonstrating town by town how much the governor’s late June actions would save taxpayers. Despite being out of the state on vacation, the governor assured several times in written releases that he was looking out for us.

Things like “keeping faith with our commitment” and “making huge strides in easing the property tax burden on our people and making our state affordable again” and “finally giving New Jersey families the lasting property tax relief they need.”

There was the list detailing his “Commitment to Aid New Jersey’s Most Vulnerable,” including increases in Medicaid, welfare and hospitals.

There was the list of amounts saved in pension contributions from the legislation increasing employee contributions: $72,500 in the Morris School District, for instance.

There were the revised state school aid figures showing boosts for every single district—as much as $2.5 million for Parsippany. Of course, the Dems pointed out, aid to most districts is still far below pre-Christie days—about $3.8 million less in Parsippany’s case.

And the announcement of this year’s “best practices” checklist, which included a link to aid withholdings already implemented—and already announced—in those municipalities that don’t follow all the recommended procedures in areas involving budgeting and other municipal operations.

There was also the somewhat curious release to the press of a YouTube clip of Christie at a Fair Lawn town hall meeting entitled “Destiny Should Not Be Determined By Zip Code” with no other explanation, including that it was three weeks old and the governor was still, indeed, out of state and on vacation.

The Trenton machine was in a super spin cycle.

And it’s not over yet!

Apparently without cruise tickets purchased or time shares reserved, the Democrats have pledged hearings for this week on the impact of Christie’s line item vetoes on the public. On Tuesday, it’s the Assembly Budget Committee’s turn to hear laments of how the governor’s line item vetoes will hurt children. On Thursday, they will hear cuts affecting senior citizens.

What this is all about now is November. The Dems are going to try to use the Republicans’ “cruel” votes against them: The GOP turned their backs on Medicaid recipients in nursing homes … rained body blows onto the working poor … denied medication to AIDS patients … launched an all-out assault on people with mental illness … cut a lifeline to vulnerable abused, abandoned children.

The Republicans’ message will be the same: We saved you money.

There’s a kernel of truth in all of it, of course, but it would be nice if all sides were honest about their feelings and their methods.

Colleen O'Dea is a writer, editor, researcher, data analyst, web page designer and mapper with almost three decades in the news business.