An Honest Answer to a Complicated Question

I quickly skimmed Governor Jon Corzine's budget address last night and
have to say that I appreciated his honesty. He didn't BS people with
fluffy talk and empty promises. He leveled with the people of New
Jersey and said, "We've been spending more than we bring in, and now
we have to rein in it." He acknowledged that his financial background
didn't mean he had magic solutions for the state's fiscal distress,
but rather it gave him a level-headedness in understanding that the
way out is to raise taxes and cut spending.

As much as I'm a traditional small-government Republican, I liked all
of his tax-side solutions. He cut back on promises of property tax
rebates. He raised taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. He raised the
sales tax by one percent. I would've gone one further, and hiked the
gas tax -- even though that negates my incentive to gas up on the
Jersey side whenever I need to fill up.

Most importantly, he shot straight. Now he has to implement. Keep an eye out.