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Community Corner

Column: 'Twas the Day After Christmas, in NJ

Remembering the last year for the Garden State.

With many apologies to Clement Moore for the tortured meter and forced rhymes:

‘Twas the day after Christmas, when all through the state,
New Jerseyans were thinking of all that was great.
It had been quite a year with Governor Christie,
So much had happened that all eyes were misty.

To start the year off, Christie began to clean
A sewer commission that acted quite mean.
For nepotism and like deeds that were bad
The governor fired the chiefs – he was mad.

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The brand new state budget to schools was returning
Aid they had lost and for which they were yearning.
Of course, the dollars were not given freely,
But after a judge had ordered it, really.

After the Census, the state draws a new map
To assure there is no representation gap.
Both parties drew lines, a professor would choose;
The Democrats won, while the Reps they did lose.

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But soon it would be union workers who lost,
Pensions and health care would come at great cost.
Some Dems went along with the governor’s plan.
Revenge! Came the cry from both woman and man.

2011 for unions was bad.
Other state actions made them very sad.
Toll workers took pay cuts and made some concessions
For teachers, tenure's end may lessen protections.

There was no alliance regarding the budget.
Christie got the Dems’ plan and happily cut it.
Transitional aid and women’s health centers,
Dems cried, Override! But the Reps were dissenters.

During the summer, Republicans clamored,
Because of Chris Christie they were so enamored,
For the governor to run to be president.
But Christie said no and their dreams he did dent.

The weather was rotten with snow and with rain
There was lots of flooding and it was a pain.
Some trees did fall down and the power went out,
Took so long to fix that it made people pout.

November’s election dealt another blow
To the GOP ‘cause they lost, don’t you know
All the key races from Bergen to Atlantic.
No majority for Chris. He didn’t panic.

Toward the year's end, Christie pushed for his tool kit.
But to end all sick payouts left Dems in a snit.
Compromise? Of course not. Neither side would give in,
Leaving taxpayers to foot the bill, what a sin.

Then for the Republicans, Christmas came early,
That made the Democrats ever so surly
When U.S. House mapping didn't go their way.
They may lose a seat next year's election day.

The new year will bring some good news for the gov
In the form of a new tour by Bruce, who he loves.
As to what else is coming, we'll just have to see
In this great state that we all call home: New Jersey.

Colleen O'Dea is a writer, editor, researcher, data analyst, web page designer and mapper with almost three decades in the news business.

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