Christie lays down his law for state

In his first major speech since Election Day, Gov.-elect Chris Christie told local officials yesterday they better step up and become part of the solution, or he would become their problem.

After embracing outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine at the head of a long banquet table of former governors at the annual League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City, Christie delivered a forceful speech in which he said he would use "every tool at my disposal to force change."

"If you want to participate in it, we welcome you to the party, to the center of the room," he said. "And if you don't, we're coming into that corner to drag you out."

Christie, who throughout the campaign said towns needed to combine municipal functions to save money, said everyone in the state would need to bear some of the pain in getting New Jersey back on track.

Though he never said the words "shared services" or "consolidation," that's the message the municipal leaders in the room said they heard.

"We're talking about possible layoffs and consolidations that we'd prefer not to do," said Ellen Dickson, president of Summit Common Council. "It's going to be very painful but we have to do it or else the state will be unlivable."

Immediately after his nearly 20-minute speech, Christie left the banquet to attend transition meetings. He didn't stick around for a speech from Corzine, who said changing New Jersey won't be easy.

Corzine said his administration made strides -- cutting spending, capping property tax increases and creating a new formula to fund schools. He highlighted the concessions he received from state workers' pay packages during a budget crisis. But he said the problems in the state are still "enormous" -- the biggest being the state's debt, unfunded pension and health care obligations, and the highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

"Bold and unpopular actions are the only way -- the only way -- to deal with these issues," Corzine said. Reducing property taxes will require addressing the "fragmentation of government" with consolidations and shared services, he said.

"I acknowledge that my comments are from the long-term view of 60 days," said Corzine.

Corzine's speech was speckled with jokes. He asked when New Jerseyans would stop waving at him with one finger on the Turnpike, and told the table of former governors to "save me a seat" at future League of Municipalities conventions.

He got choked up when he described serving four years as governor and previously as U.S. Senator as the "honor of my life."

As the state Legislature gets ready for a lame duck session -- the last chance to get anything done and signed by the Democratic governor before the Republican takes office -- Christie has been busy putting his transition plans in place. His group will target which of the state's multitude of regulations can be frozen by executive order the first day he takes office, said Kim Guadagno, who will become the state's first lieutenant governor.

Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) said she thought Christie wants to be a "bold leader," but acknowledged his relationship with the Democratic-controlled Legislature might at times be rocky.

"We won't agree on everything," she said. "Where we disagree, hopefully he won't hold a grudge."

Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said he doesn't expect party differences between Christie and the Legislature to hold up work that needs to be done to fix the state.

"He needs us and we need him," he said.