Furloughs in New Jersey

Corzine backs Obama.

Corzine vetoes common sense

Here's the sketch:



Corzine blocks digital tax breaks
Philadelphia Inquirer

Corzine wants New Jersey Internet tax break plan reworked
Asbury Park Press

Corzine's progress report

Here's my latest toon for PolitickerNJ. Drop me a line there and let me know what you think about the progress of our wonderful Governor.

Here's the sketch:

Wizard of Trenton

Here's today's cartoon in the Press of Atlantic City. The Press has a policy not to run commentary on politicians a week before an election. This is due to the fact that the politician wouldn't have time to respond, and a proper debate among readers wouldn't be able to occur.

So tune in next week for some post-election cartoons. With names like Van Drew, Asselta, Gormley, McCullough, Levy, Wheelan, Norcross and Codey floating around the 1st and 2nd districts, Tuesday night is bound to be exciting.

Is Monetization dead?

Is "Monetization" dead? Probably not. Corzine hasn't released any details of his plan yet, and has said he won't consider doing so until after the November elections.

But is "Monetization" in danger of being dead politically? Yes.

Corzine continues to claim that he doesn't have the plan nailed down yet, but he and Abelow have been working on this thing for quite some time, so they must have some working knowledge of the plan they'd like to put forward. If they don't, what have they been working on all this time? Maybe they have a plan like the one recently put forward for the Lincoln Tunnel; pay $30 for a fast-lane past traffic that can zip you into the city in no time! Would you pay $30 to bypass Exit 8 on the turnpike? How about $50 for a fast lane on the parkway from Toms River down to Atlantic City?

The possible saving grace for the governor; the spectre of raising taxes. A Monmouth University/Gannett poll released last Wednesday clearly showed that a majority of people would prefer monetization over higher taxes. Corzine could take the position that the choice for New Jerseyans would be higher taxes, or asset monetization.

Hooray!!! The government is safe!!! The spending may continue!!!

Here's the sketch:

I'll take Chapter 11 please

Things just keep getting worse. According to the Star-Ledger, New Jersey taxpayers have promised health insurance packages worth almost $69 billion to current and future public retirees. This includes $11 billion in municipal costs and $58 billion to be paid by the state.

And considering that the monetization is fast becoming a dead issue, what is Corzine going to do about this budget? Even if monetization were on the table, and the state were able to raise $30 billion (as proposed to Nancy Feldman, the Director of the Office of Public Finance), it would still leave us woefully short of closing the gap.

Chapter 11, here we come! Ready to make history?

Report: Insurance costs $58B for state, $11B for municipalities
Star-Ledger

Corzine received $30 billion proposal for "monetization" of NJ Turnpike with management contract
Toll Road News

Monetization? Anyone? Hello?

A bunch of blogs sited a poll released yesterday by Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey that found that, surprise surprise, most New Jersey residents are against leasing state assets like the turnpike or the parkway.

“The Monmouth University/Gannett poll showed that 55 percent of residents opposed the idea Corzine has dubbed "asset monetization" without explaining the details. Nearly 60 percent (59-30) opposed the leasing of the Turnpike or Garden State Parkway, and about the same number (58-33) opposed allowing private developers to build on top of train stations."

Corzine also continues to harm any chances of making a deal due to his steadfastness NOT to release any information to the public. Not to mention that Republicans, Independents and Democrats are running for the hills any time the plan is mentioned.

To quote a line from Little Caesar, "Mother of mercy, could this be the end of Corzine?"


Here's the sketch:

Hogwarts School of Politics

Professor Corzine is beginning to dip back down to reality. Once enjoying extremely high poll numbers and support, he is beginning to slide back due to his refusal to come clean about Carla Katz, and his unwaivering support of a so-far secret plan to 'monetize' New Jersey's toll roads.

It doesn't take a wizard to figure out that its time for him to explain his plan, unless he's got something to hide.


Here's the sketch:

Newest PoliticsNJ cartoon

Just like every Wednesday around these parts, my new cartoon is online at PoliticsNJ. If you get a chance, leave me a message over there and tell me what you think.

Here's the sketch:

I thought I marked it "private"

I'm sure you all have heard by now about the plight of Miss New Jersey. For those of you that haven't, Amy Polumbo, the current Miss New Jersey, was mailed a batch of photos that she posted on the social-networking website Facebook. The person that has mailed them continues to be anonymous, and has called for her resignation last month.

And posted today, a story from the Press of Atlantic City reveals that a person or group calling itself the Committee to Save Miss America was behind an alleged blackmail threat demanding Miss New Jersey relinquish her crown, according to a pageant spokeswoman.

So of course, I thought it would be fun to play it off of Corzine's back-and-forth action in terms of New Jersey's powerful labor unions. Seems he still can't shake Carla Katz away, even as he contends in court papers filed today that his e-mail exchanges with his former girlfriend and labor union leader during recent state worker contract negotiations are not subject to disclosure under the state's open records law.

On the web:

‘Committee' sent threat to Miss N.J.

Corzine tells court Katz e-mails should stay private

Here's the sketch:

Just waiting out of sight...

A broken record

Poll numbers

Can't get to sleep?

My newest cartoon is up over at PoliticsNJ, so go check it out, and leave me some feedback over there. You have to register to post comments, but it's free and worth the minute it takes.

The Breakup

For those of you that might not have heard, a report from the The New York Times stated that Gov. Corzine gave union leader Carla Katz more than $6 million at the end of their two-year relationship in 2004. This of couse revives questions of impropriety that have circled around the two lovebirds.

They weren't married, so why did Corzine feel the need to give Katz $6 million after two years? Is he just a generous guy? Is he silencing her? He has been shifty when asked about it, and only owned up to giving her $470,000 to pay off her house before this new amount came to light.

How much will he have given her before it's all said and done?

And how much influence did it buy?

Romance Over, Union Chief Has Corzine’s Number

Report: Corzine gives Katz $6 million

Happy Memorial Day; here are some toons.

No more jet-setting for Corzine

Still speeding

Sorry, don't have time to expand on this cartoon. I'll try to have a more detailed post tomorrow.

Things could always be worse...

Here's the sketch: