Christie Talks To WCBS 880 About 'Occupy,' Obama & 7 Train
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joined WCBS 880 anchors Steve Scott and Wayne Cabot for an interview Wednesday and discussed a wide range of topics, including Occupy Wall Street, the 2012 presidential election and how it feels to be governor.
LISTEN: You Can Listen To The Full 11-Minute Interview Here
What Do You Think Of 7 Train Running To New Jersey And How To Pay For It?
Christie: "I like this idea a heck of a lot better and here's why: it would do what the ARC tunnel was originally supposed to do, which is to connect New Jersey with the East Side of Manhattan and that makes this project infinitely better than the ARC Tunnel. Secondly, we're approaching this as a partnership, unlike the ARC tunnel. The ARC tunnel was a partnership just between the federal government and the state of New Jersey and the federal government was paying about 30 percent of the cost and New Jersey was paying about 70 percent. Here, we're looking at this as a partnership between New Jersey, New York City, New York state and the federal government."
Thoughts On Sen. Mike Doherty's 'Fair School Funding Plan?'
Christie: "I think what is clear is that the current school funding formula is unfair and it's not only unfair in terms of the way it treats property tax payers, but it has proven to be ineffective as a tool to improve educational outcomes in our urban areas."
Is New Jersey Kicking Its Pension Problem Down The Road?
Christie: "To some extent, 'yes,' because for years under Governors Whitman, McGreevey, Codey and Corzine -- with the exception of Corzine -- they made no payments and Corzine just made a couple of partial ones. So when I inherited this mess that had been a bi-partisan mess over a decade or more of time, you can't fix all that in one fell swoop."
Thoughts On GOP Candidates Running For State Senate And Assembly?
Christie: "Over the last 48 years, ever governor at the mid-term of his/her first term has lost seats in the legislature with the exception of Jim McGreevey in 2003, who was working off a newly gerrymandered map. We have a gerrymandered map again this year...gerrymandered in favor of the Democrats...but despite that we're going to make history."
Scared Congressional Super Committee Won't Be Able To Cut Budget Deficit Deal In Washington?
Christie: "I hope what their deal includes is to make sure that in addition to cutting back spending, which they need to do at the federal level when you're running trillion dollar plus deficits annually. I got to tell you, I remember when Democrats were complaining about the Bush Administration's 200 or 300 billion dollar annual deficit. This administration has been running trillion dollar plus deficits every year. So we need to cut back on spending. I hope that they're also going to take a serious look at reforming our tax code because our tax code in my opinion is like a wet blanket on economic growth and opportunities."
What Do You Think About Occupy Wall Street?
Christie: "I don't agree with their approach to how they would deal with the problems that we have in America. I think they're dead wrong on those, but what I will say is -- and I've said this before -- that I think the Occupy Wall Street folks are working off of the same anger that the Tea Party works off."
Is President Obama Vulnerable In NJ For 2012 Election?
Christie: "I hope to be able to do the best I can to help Gov. Romney secure the Republican nomination for President and then to defeat President Obama in the fall of 2012. I think New Jersey will play a key role in both those processes."
Formula One Coming To New Jersey, But Not Everyone Happy. Thoughts?
Christie: "It's a unique road track because while it's in the middle of Weehawken and West New York -- some very well-populated areas of our state -- there is literally no homes that are going to be affected in terms of their ability to come or go from their homes."
Is Being Governor Everything You've Expected?
Christie: "It's a great job. I love getting up every morning and going to work. I tell people I have the greatest job in the world because I'm the governor of the state where I was born and raised and every morning when I get up, I have the chance to do something great."
