Gov.’s budget pits interests against each other

It was with great disgust that I read about Gov. James McGreevey’s signing of the budget. Sometimes I wonder if I am living in the story "the emperor has no clothes." When you look at the real issues, you have to shake your head and wonder, "Does anyone believe any of this?"

The governor has the seniors so frenzied into being thankful that they are getting a rebate on their property taxes that they don’t, won’t or didn’t realize the wool was being pulled, not only over their eyes, but all our eyes.

Sure, they will be getting something back, but they will be paying more if they do any of the following: eat, breathe, use a cell phone, drive a car or most anything else grown-up humans do.

The governor also attacked what all ill-informed people attack when they want it to look like they are trying to save the seniors money — the good old school districts. You know, the places where our kids are supposed to be taught basic reading, writing and arithmetic.

The easiest place to blame is the biggest target. It’s the only place where the public can vote on a budget.

The governor put caps on this and that to show that he really is going to "save" money.

Come on, is that the best you can do? Attack and slice and blame the kids. That’s right, who do you think suffers when budgets are defeated and cuts are made?

People believe they are sending a message, and they are. As the pharaoh told Moses, build bricks without straw — that is your punishment.

Does anyone really think that attacking school districts and kids is going to save any money? We need real spending cuts. We need to really look at what we are wasting money on.

We need to stop letting ourselves be used as foot soldiers, not just for the governor, but for all politicians. We need to stand up and unite. Stop pitting the senior citizens against the young citizen. Stop using smoke and mirrors to balance budgets, and come up with something that really works.

I know pipe dreams on my part, but hey, this one citizen will not go down quiet, nor will I tell the governor his clothes look good. Do you know why? Because he has none!

Bob Lanzieri

Brick