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| New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivers his State Of The State address at the Statehouse, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, in Trenton, N.J. Christie apologized again Tuesday, saying his administration “let down the people we are entrusted to serve” but that it doesn’t define his team or the state. |
TRENTON, N.J.
(AP) -- Faced with a widening political scandal that threatens to
undermine his second term and a possible 2016 presidential run, New
Jersey Gov. Chris Christie apologized again Tuesday, saying his
administration "let down the people we are entrusted to serve" but that
the issue doesn't define his team or the state.
On
the eve of his second term, the governor opened his annual State of the
State address by touching only briefly on the apparent political
payback plot.
"The last week has certainly
tested this administration," he said. "Mistakes were clearly made. And
as a result, we let down the people we are entrusted to serve. I know
our citizens deserve better."
He received
tempered applause after he went on, saying, "This administration and
this Legislature will not allow the work that needs to be done to
improve the people's lives in Jersey to be delayed."
His
measured tone was a noticeable contrast from a year ago when a blustery
Christie promised to lead New Jersey back from Superstorm Sandy, the
costliest natural disaster in state history.
The
scandal broke wide open last week with the release of documents showing
Christie aides and appointees orchestrated lane closings that caused
massive gridlock on local roads, delayed emergency vehicles and school
buses for hours and infuriated commuters. Democrats believe the scheme
was retaliation against a Democratic mayor who did not endorse Christie.
After
addressing the scandal, Christie moved on in his speech to such
familiar themes as avoiding tax increases and working with the Democrats
who control both chambers of the state Legislature. But he returned to
the theme of bipartisanship throughout as he sought to repel doubts
about an aggressive brand of politics that propelled him to the
forefront of his party but might also be responsible for an apparent
petty political vendetta carried out by members of his inner circle.
"We
have succeeded in working together to be an example for the entire
country dispirited by partisanship," Christie said. "Let us not abandon
that course."
Turning to policy matters,
Christie stuck mostly to universal goals like making communities safer
without offering much of a blueprint.
Christie
kept plans vague for a key initiative, extending the school day and
cutting short summer vacation, which was met with skepticism from
Wendell Steinhauer, president of New Jersey's largest and most powerful
teachers union and a frequent adversary of Christie.
The
union bitterly opposed an overhaul of public employee retirement
benefits by Christie and the Legislature in 2011 and spent millions of
dollars on anti-Christie ads during his gubernatorial campaigns.
The
governor warned that the state must reduce its pension and debt-service
payments in the coming year. They're scheduled to rise by a combined
total of nearly $1 billion.
Democrats oppose the prospect of failing to make promised pension contributions or cutting payouts to retirees.
Christie
also promised to present choices to overhaul the state's tax system
next month when he presents his budget proposal but did not offer an
insight on how he might want to do that. A tax cut he proposed two years
ago foundered in the Legislature.
The
reception to his ideas from political opponents is likely to unfold as
the Legislature gets to work. Democrats may be unwilling to go along
with a Republican whom they sense may have been weakened by the scandal.
As
Christie left the chamber after his speech, he tersely shook the hand
of the Democrat leading one of several investigations into the scandal,
which the governor has denied knowledge of and first apologized for last
week. He's also fired a close aide, and others on his team have
resigned.
Democrats plan to vote Thursday on continuing their investigation.
"Public
safety and abuse of power are the No. 1 issues," said Vincent Prieto,
the incoming speaker of the state Assembly and a Democrat, said after
the speech. "We have to get to the bottom to make sure it doesn't happen
again."
Christie's State of the State address
and inauguration scheduled for next week were intended to launch a
second term that's considered a key building block for his political
future. After his November re-election, his advisers suggested he had
just a one-year window to stack up accomplishments as a can-do,
bipartisan leader before his lame-duck status - and a prospective White
House campaign - start to interfere.
The
recent revelations may have slammed that window shut. Though he's not
announced plans to run, Christie is an early front-runner for his
party's presidential nomination who now is working to rebound from the
scandal, the most serious threat to his administration and political
ambitions so far.
Unlike previous years, Christie had no live radio or television appearances scheduled for the day after the annual address.
