New Jersey’s next governor will be either an ex-Wall Street Democrat who would raise taxes to bolster spending, or Republican Chris Christie’s right-hand woman, who says she’d cut them as the state needs money more than ever.
Almost eight years after Christie took office vowing to restore fiscal integrity, New Jersey has yet to conquer its most pressing issues: the nation’s highest property taxes and worst-funded pension system. Whoever is elected Nov. 7 also will inherit crumbling mass transit and Christie’s record 11 downgrades by the three major credit-rating companies.