Apparently Gov. Christie is planning on challenging the Federal Government in court if it persists with its demand to be repaid 271 million dollars loaned to New Jersey for the building of the scrapped ARC tunnel. Governor Christie remarked today at a press conference, “I ain’t paying it” and “…they’re going to have to come and get it.”
An attack from SEAL Team 6 on his Mendham home not withstanding it appears the Governor has forgotten that Transportation Secretary LaHood has already indicated he will just withhold Federal Transportation funding from the State. This fact was reiterated again today and it could be that the Gov. is in court from the more precarious position of being owed money rather than the advantageous position of owing.
From my vantage point the table is being set now for a financial perfect storm in New Jersey as events seem to be lining up against the Governor and the State. With 1.7 billion up in the air as the Supreme Court decides the legality of cuts to the educational system, 271 million owed to the Federal Government and huge holes in both the current fiscal budget, pension system and state highway funds the Governor may be forced to close critical state services or (gasp) beg Washington for a bailout.
There also seems to be a rather alarming tendency by our Governor to just refuse to obey contracts or decisions that he hasn’t himself made. First he threatens to ignore the NJ State Supreme Court ruling and now tells the Obama administration to "come and get it". He keeps heading in this direction the State of New Jersey will have the credit rating and reputation of a recently paroled crack addict.
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