Reprinted from the December 16, 2009, issue of U.S. 1 Newspaper
By Ingrid Reed, Eagleton Institute
Ingrid Reed is the policy analyst and director of the New Jersey Project, Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and a resident of Princeton Borough.
Campaign promises aside, Chris Christie’s term as governor likely will be defined by his day-to-day dealings with lobbyist trying to curry his favor. His success or failure will be in how he interacts with them.
To Governor-elect Christie:
No need to remind you these are tough times in New Jersey. And maybe you don’t need to be reminded that you bring impressive assets to leading the state. But I will remind you anyway.
You represent the new generation of leaders in their mid-40s who have experienced unprecedented opportunities but are still striving to make the most of them for themselves and society.
You are comfortable with the new media. You communicate with ease, both formally and informally.
Your successful campaign showed that you can produce smartly on a modest budget.
Your career as U.S. attorney seemed to invigorate shared values of ethical public service and raise expectations for how the business of government should be conducted.
You enlisted the voters to entrust you with leading our state to a brighter future.
You appear to have enlisted the legislature to work with you. New Jerseyans will be watching how our basic belief in a system of separation of powers will work out for the benefit of the citizens. This will be tested when decisions about budget cuts reveal conflicting political values and concerns for efficiency and fairness when crafting solutions to the state’s problems.
Since no democracy can succeed without a competent and dedicated bureaucracy to carry out the work of government, you will need to enlist the public managers — those now running programs and those you recruit. Count on them to do more with less. Have high expectations of them. Trust their assessments when they tell you what can and cannot be done as well as who gains or loses when tough choices are made.
Expect them to be accountable. Take advice from New York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg. He runs a city with the same number and diversity of people as our state. He says “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Apply that advice when reforming regulations and mandates to separate complaints from problems. Use it when evaluating state grants and investments.
For example, grants for initiating shared services should include expected saving. Grants to support municipal consolidation should demonstrate how to lower cost of government. When the state pays, it should mean that all state taxpayers gain in efficiency, effectiveness, and lower costs.
Finally, enlist the people. They want and deserve real facts and reliable explanations to understand our state’s problems. Be a teacher, not a preacher, but remember that you do have a bully pulpit.
You have a state website. Describe what an $8 billion deficit actually means. What are the components of the revenue needed? Where does it come from? What expenditures are absolutely necessary? Which ones are optional? Use charts, pictures, easy to understand terms.
A democracy works if people can trust their leaders and can verify what they learn from them. You do have assets — except financial ones — going for you. Use them in good health and with great satisfaction and success for you and us.
By Ingrid Reed, Eagleton Institute
Ingrid Reed is the policy analyst and director of the New Jersey Project, Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and a resident of Princeton Borough.
Campaign promises aside, Chris Christie’s term as governor likely will be defined by his day-to-day dealings with lobbyist trying to curry his favor. His success or failure will be in how he interacts with them.
To Governor-elect Christie:
No need to remind you these are tough times in New Jersey. And maybe you don’t need to be reminded that you bring impressive assets to leading the state. But I will remind you anyway.
You represent the new generation of leaders in their mid-40s who have experienced unprecedented opportunities but are still striving to make the most of them for themselves and society.
You are comfortable with the new media. You communicate with ease, both formally and informally.
Your successful campaign showed that you can produce smartly on a modest budget.
Your career as U.S. attorney seemed to invigorate shared values of ethical public service and raise expectations for how the business of government should be conducted.
You enlisted the voters to entrust you with leading our state to a brighter future.
You appear to have enlisted the legislature to work with you. New Jerseyans will be watching how our basic belief in a system of separation of powers will work out for the benefit of the citizens. This will be tested when decisions about budget cuts reveal conflicting political values and concerns for efficiency and fairness when crafting solutions to the state’s problems.
Since no democracy can succeed without a competent and dedicated bureaucracy to carry out the work of government, you will need to enlist the public managers — those now running programs and those you recruit. Count on them to do more with less. Have high expectations of them. Trust their assessments when they tell you what can and cannot be done as well as who gains or loses when tough choices are made.
Expect them to be accountable. Take advice from New York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg. He runs a city with the same number and diversity of people as our state. He says “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Apply that advice when reforming regulations and mandates to separate complaints from problems. Use it when evaluating state grants and investments.
For example, grants for initiating shared services should include expected saving. Grants to support municipal consolidation should demonstrate how to lower cost of government. When the state pays, it should mean that all state taxpayers gain in efficiency, effectiveness, and lower costs.
Finally, enlist the people. They want and deserve real facts and reliable explanations to understand our state’s problems. Be a teacher, not a preacher, but remember that you do have a bully pulpit.
You have a state website. Describe what an $8 billion deficit actually means. What are the components of the revenue needed? Where does it come from? What expenditures are absolutely necessary? Which ones are optional? Use charts, pictures, easy to understand terms.
A democracy works if people can trust their leaders and can verify what they learn from them. You do have assets — except financial ones — going for you. Use them in good health and with great satisfaction and success for you and us.