Politics & Government

Gordon: N.J. Democrats, Republicans Share Common Ground on Key Issues

State Senator Bob Gordon (D-38) spoke at Thursday's Chamber of Commerce program on River Road

When it comes to key budgetary issues such as public employee pensions and health benefits, education reform, and tax incentives for job creation, New Jersey's Democratic and Republican legislators have different ways of arriving at their goals but "pretty much believe in the same things," State Senator Bob Gordon (D-38) told members of area chambers of commerce Thursday.

"We can work together, and we will," Gordon, a Fair Lawn resident whose office is located at Radburn Plaza, said of bi-partisan work on the state's finances leading up to final budget bill June 30.

Speaking at in a program hosted by the Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce, Gordon reviewed and reacted to Gov. Chris Christie's recent , the administration's proposed education reforms such as opening more charter schools and , and the governor's plans for spurring small-business growth.

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Christie might be the most powerful governor in the country because he has line-item veto authority for the state budget, meaning he can essentially wipe out programs with a swipe of his red pen, Gordon said.

Gordon explained that in New Jersey, both political parties are "dominated by moderates." On television, Christie might come off as blustery and someone who won't budge from any of his plans, but New Jersey legislators "have found that in real life, when you get into a room with him and offer real alternatives, you can work things out," Gordon said.

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Small-business growth is of particular concern to chamber of commerce members, and Gordon pointed out that he knows that topic better than most in his position because he is one of the few state legislators with a Masters in Business Administration and has run two small businesses himself, including his family's textile manufacturing company in Paterson that was "competing with the third world."

"I'm the only legislator [in New Jersey] who can drive a forklift," Gordon said.

After Democrats proposed a $33 billion package to assist the unemployed and reduce business taxed, Christie vetoed many of the initiatives and responded that Democrats were proposing things they coudn't pay for, Gordon said. Then, Gordon said Christie took Democrats' ideas, put his name on them, and put the ideas in the budget.

Among the ideas on the table to improve the small business environment include $2.5 billion in tax incentives, more flexible treatment of losses, and increasing the research and development tax credit from 50 percent to 100 percent, Gordon said.

As far as education reform goes, Gordon said he is "not sure if support in the legislature is there for charter schols" because they are funded through taxpayer dollars and are therefore "siphoning money away from public education. School vouchers present the same problem, though they have the positive impact of instilling competition among schools," the state senator said.

New Jersey spends more than $17,000 per pupil in schools, well over the $10,000 national average, yet many schools are producing "unsatisfactory results," particularly urban ones, Gordon said.

Increasing the mandatory pension contribution from 3 percent of salary to 8.5 percent for state employees, eliminating the cost of living adjustment for retirees, and rolling the retirement age up to 65 are among Chrisite's ideas for pension reform.

"It's unclear wher these changes are legal," Gordon said.

State Democrats are proposing something similar but slightly different for pension and health insurance reform, Gordon said, involving the formation of joint employer-emplpyee oversight boards to set employee contribution levels and control investment of the funds. However, many schools around the state yield "unsatisfactory results," particularly in urban areas, according to Gordon.

The senator emphasized how the Democratic and Republican parties can work together to improve that situation and others during this year's budget process.

"We understand the public wants the work done," Gordon said. "They want the two sides to work together and produce results for the taxpayer."


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