Gov. Christie Vetoes Pinelands Commission Minutes – Kills Staff Raise

Gov. Issues Letter Harshly Critical of Commission

Gov.’s Retaliation Sets Stage For Stacking Commission To Reconsider Pipeline

[Update: 4/10/14: NJ Spotlight story:

“This is round one in laying the political groundwork to replace commissioners and reverse the pipeline rejection,’’ said Bill Wolfe, New Jersey director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. “Obvious retaliation for pipeline vote.’’   ~~~ end update]

In another example of Gov. Christie’s retaliatory and vindictive nature, today the Gov. issued a letter vetoing the minutes of the Pinelands Commission, thereby killing a proposed 5% staff pay raise approved by the Commission on March 14. 

The Gov.’s letter attacks the Pinelands Commission in harsh terms for a “gross abuse of authority”:

While the veto ostensibly was focused and justified on budgetary concerns and larger collective bargaining issues, this letter is not about those relatively small potatoes.

This is about flexing the Gov.’s muscle, restoring his scandal sapped “Mojo”, and reversing the Commission’s rejection of the pipeline in January.

Keep in mind that since that vote, Senator Van Drew has severely criticized the Commission and mounted an aggressive campaign to force the Commission to reconsider the pipeline and approve it under a “waiver” provision.

Van Drew has said that Senate President Sweeney and Gov. Christie both support that strategy.

In addition to killing the well justified 5% staff raise, the Gov. has accomplished at least 4 other political objectives with this letter:

1) by criticizing the Commission for a “confiscation” of funds and a “gross abuse of authority”, the Gov. sets the stage and provided a cover story for replacement of Commissioners whose terms have expired.

Commissioners Jackson and Lloyd are Gubernatorial appointments whose terms have expired. Jackson voted NO on the pipeline. Lloyd was forced to recuse, but was a virtually certain NO vote.

Should Gov. Christie replace those two Commissioners,  he could swing a losing 7-7 tie vote to a winning 9-6 vote

The Gov. is now set to stack the Commission and reverse the Commission’s rejection.

Only the Democratically controlled Senate can block his replacement appointments by refusing to confirm them.

But, the Judiciary Committee was unwilling to block Christie Highlands Council appointments who publicly opposed the Highlands Act as unconstitutional and urged its repeal.

Plus, Senate President Sweeney has joined Senator Van Drew’s Campaign to force the Commission to reconsider the pipeline vote and issue approval under the “waiver” provision of the Comprehensive Management Plan. Sweeney controls the Judiciary Committee, and is likely to push through the Gov.’s appointees.

2) The Gov. has provided a harsh example of what happens to folks who defy him.

By this strong move, he sends a message that he is not made powerless by the scandal.

This fits the “Christie comeback – the Gov. has his Mojo back” meme his backers are spinning.

Christie will break the Pinelands Commission to provide fodder for the “Christie Comeback” spin.

3) The Gov. hates public employee unions.

This move sticks a finger in the eye of CWA, who represents pinelands staffers, and sends a hard line negotiating message on larger state employee contract negotiations..

4) The Gov. recently has touted the 2% cap he imposed on local government budgets.

The Gov. also demanded that the Democratic Legislature make the expiring 2% cap on arbitration settlements permanent.

This veto of the Pines 5% pay raise allows the Gov. to play to  his fiscal conservative base and reaffirm his conservative credentials and loathing of public employees and their unions.

It is truly a shame that the protections of the Pinelands, the integrity of the CMP,  and the independence of the Pinelands Commission ALL must be sacrificed for the tawdry political ambitions of scandal plagued Gov. Christie.