In his inaugural address last month, newly elected New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said, "The era of runaway spending and higher and higher taxes has not worked...Together, we can build a stronger economy. Yes, we will have to cut some programs and transform others to get our budget in balance. Yes, we will have to curb spending in municipal governments where there has been too little control. Yes, we will have to restrain State government, even as we invest to be prepared for the economic competition ahead. But we can do these things - and once again be a home for growth". (source) On Thursday he delivered and gave the entire nation a preview of what fiscally responsible leadership can accomplish.

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Calling New Jersey's budget a "shambles," Governor Christie announced Thursday he is immediately freezing all state spending. (source) Not the Obama style of spending freeze where you continue to raise spending to record highs promising to freeze it at that exorbitant level in a year or so but actual and immediate freezing of out of control government spending.

Not surprisingly the governor's declaring of a fiscal emergency and instituting drastic spending cuts via executive order has angered state Democrats. Complaining about cuts in aid to school districts that have excess surpluses had Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D19th District) warning, "Those school districts without that money are going to be raising property taxes in the upcoming year to make up for that shortfall." This is baseless fear mongering as there should be no need to make up for a surplus.

Another spending cut, this one of state subsidies to New Jersey Transit, came with some sound advice from the governor on how to become more fiscally efficient: "Revisit its rich union contracts," Christie said. The reaction from the left was as expected: "It's really foolish. It undermines not only the environment but our economy because people need transit to get to work," said Jeff Tittel of the Sierra Club.

The results of Governor Christie's tough decisions this week should not cause any programs or jobs to be eliminated but he warned lawmakers there may be even harsher cuts in next year's budget. Now that they know he means business, there may be fewer attempts at what Assemblyman Joe Mallone (R-30th District) called the "overspending and misappropriating" that has been going on in a number of districts.

Governor Christie summed up his announcement by saying, "Today we are going to act swiftly to fix problems too long ignored. Today I begin to do what I promised the people of New Jersey I would do."

The first American Revolution began in Massachusetts and the battle that turned the war in America's favor was won in Trenton, New Jersey. It's interesting how history seems to be repeating itself.