O’Malley should watch another governor’s career

New Jersey governor, John Corizine, has many similarities with Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, except Corzine had a head start on his state’s indebtedness. After spending an unprecedented amount of money on his bid for the governorship, John Corzine resorted to “strong arm tactics”(shutting down the government) to force state legislators to raise the state sales tax. Unfortunately for the residents of New Jersey, the spending has spiraled under the democratic governor to a public debt of 113 billion, yes that is BILLION, with no end in sight. In an attempt to halt the growth of the debt the governor has increased the retirement age for state employees as well as a limited retirement contribution for all new hires. He is now eyeing up the toll system as a way to raise additional funds, of course new tool booths will have to be constructed, new employees hired, etc etc…..isn’t that how the debt all got started? Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley should watch very carefully as New Jersey Governor Corzine’s career dissipation light slowly dims, a couple of years before his does.

When men get in the habit of helping themselves to the property of others, they cannot easily be cured of it."-- The New York Times, in a 1909 editorial opposing the very first income tax