NJEF endorses Buono

The below article appeared in the Asbury Park Press this past Sunday, 4/28. It makes strong points about Chris Christie's environmental record after he painted himself as an environmentalist in 2009 as he ran for governor the first time around. This time, given his move to gut environmental programs and raid clean energy funds for the general budget, no one should be fooled . Many are unaware of his chicanery and still think of him as a pro-environment!

Environmental group to support Buono

The NJ Environmental Federation endorsed Democratic Sen. Barbara Buono for governor last week, even though it backed Chris Christie in 2009. It said endorsing Buono was “an easy call,” given a series of broken promises by Christie and Buono’s record on issues like clean energy and green jobs.

“Barbara Buono is without any doubt the environmental candidate in this year’s race for governor,” said Janet Tauro, NJ Environmental Federation’s board chair. “We agree that the environment and the economy are inextricably linked, while Governor Christie’s policies show them to be mutually exclusive.”

“We need a leader who’ll invest in a green economy, not raid it,” said federation board member Ben Forest, citing the governor’s annual diversion of Clean Energy funds totaling more than $750 million and growing.

The NJ Environmental Federation is the state’s largest environmental organization.

Romney Economics: Broken Promises: Romney's Massachusetts Record

Mitt Romney talks a lot about his time as a corporate buyout specialist, but you know what we don't hear very much about?

His experience as governor of Massachusetts.

That may be because he made promises to the people of his state during his '02 campaign that sound an awful lot like the ones he's making to the country today -- and he failed to deliver on them.

Just like now, he claimed his success in the private sector meant he'd be able to create jobs, cut taxes, and bring down the debt. He did the opposite.

Even as the rest of the country was enjoying a brightening economy, during Romney's term Massachusetts plummeted to 47th out of 50 states in job creation; manufacturing jobs declined at twice the national average; and for the first time since 1995, its unemployment rate was above the national average.

Long-term debt ballooned by more than $2.6 billion -- leaving the people of Massachusetts with the highest per capita debt of any state in the nation. State spending increased every single year, and Romney raised taxes and fees by $750 million per year -- leading to a higher state and local tax burden of $1,200 for every Bay Stater. Over his term, fees at public colleges skyrocketed by 63 percent, and during his first year, K-12 schools saw the second-largest percentage cuts, per student, in the nation.

All that in just four years.

Mitt Romney promised more jobs, less debt, and smaller government for Massachusetts based solely on his experience as a corporate buyout specialist. Turns out that being good at maximizing profits for yourself and your investors, but leaving companies bankrupt and workers without jobs, doesn't exactly prepare you to lead a state