What I Wanted to Say to Governor Christie About Unemployment
I decided to attend New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s town hall meeting here in Cedar Grove on June 19.
In case I had the opportunity to ask him a question, I gave a little thought beforehand to what I’d like to ask. I don’t know why (rolling my eyes), but my thoughts kept centering around the unemployment situation in our state and in our country.
Although I raised my hand every chance I got – as did many other people – I wasn’t lucky enough to be one of the ones called on at the meeting at Cedar Grove High School.
Since I didn’t get the opportunity to express my thoughts directly to him earlier this week, I thought I’d write about what I wanted to ask him here. (No doubt he reads this blog!)
What I wanted to ask the governor was a favor. I was going to ask him if he could, in his travels around the state and around the country, remind employers not to overlook Baby Boomer job applicants.
Baby Boomers have been hit by a triple whammy, I would have said if I’d had the chance. First, much of our lifetime savings were wiped out in 2008 when the market crashed. That was money we’d saved for years and had been counting on for our retirements someday.
Second, when wave after wave after wave of layoffs began to hit, so many of us were caught up in those waves and our jobs were wiped out.
Third, as hard as we’ve tried to find new jobs, we’re discovering that many employers seem reluctant to hire us. Too many of us have become the long-term unemployed, while ironically, we have less time than younger people to recoup at least some of what we lost. We suspect that our age works against us in the fierce competition for the inadequate number of jobs that are available.
All in all, we believe we’ve been hurt disproportionately by the prolonged economic downturn, I wanted to say to Christie. So please put in a plug for your fellow Baby Boomers (Christie will turn 50 in September), people who’ve been hit extra hard by multiple factors outside of our control. We are workers with exceptional skills, experience, maturity and motivation; we deserve consideration! If you could work this in when you talk about the economy, Gov. Christie, maybe more employers would decide to hire us. We would really appreciate it.
That’s what I wanted to say to Gov. Christie. I wonder what he would have said?
Audrey Lynn Wanich
7:53 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Why is Christie so over weight? It just sends a twisted message in terms of not managing his personal health. What else can't he manage?
Fran Hopkins
8:28 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Audrey, I don't see the relevance of unkind comments about Governor Christie's physical appearance to a discussion of unemployment.
Toni M.
9:29 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Thank you Audrey, ur comment was so informative and relevant. (spoken in extreme sarcasm). Ms. Hopkins, thank you, I enjoyed the read.
Fran Hopkins
12:11 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Thank you, Toni!
Nose Wayne
12:11 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Audrey, THE BUDGET!!!!!!!!!
B@B
8:17 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The problem is that EVERY demographic group is being hit. If you talk to Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers, it sounds like they'd like to line us all up against a wall and shoot us, because they think we're clogging up the jobs and greedily demanding government payments by wanting to retain Social Security and Medicare. They just don't get that the government has been stealing that money for years (both parties) and now has no intention of paying it back.
Unemployment right now knows no generation. Older workers are discriminated against because of age (especially in IT-related fields) and there are no jobs for new grads. And the sniping that generations are doing at each other as to who's to blame are simply a diversion while the real thieves rob us blind to further stuff the pockets of billionaires.
Fran Hopkins
10:59 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I agree, it's completely wrong to blame our fellow unemployed for our difficulties. Still, right after I wrote this post, I came acoss an online article from the Wall Street Journal entitled "For Middle-Aged Job Seekers, a Long Road Back," that supports my observation about the disproportionately negative impact of unemployment on Boomers: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303506404577448751320412974.html?mod=WSJ_hpsMIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond.
Keith Jensen
9:15 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
NJ is ranked 47th for economic growth. This is because of politics. Remember, the Gov. is doing what he can while the Senate and House are controlled by Democrats who dictate more taxes.
http://teaneck.patch.com/articles/analysis-if-budget-is-approved-nj-faces-fiscal-crisis-next-spring-cf5b63ab
As it stands, the Democrats are trying to broaden our already progressive income tax where the top of the tax bracket pays 9% to NJ alone; whereas in PA you would pay 3%, or 0% in FL.
Recently, one friend who drove a limo, worked in a pizza place while taking on debt to start a company 10 years ago, now makes $50K a month + and has started several other businesses. None of which must be based in NJ.
This year, he elected to move to Florida.
Why? Many who are not entrepreneurs say it is because he is greedy. No. Rather, if he remained in NJ taxed at 9% his state income tax payment alone would be $54,000 this year. In Florida it is zero. Instead, he is taking that $54,000 and creating a new job for someone else, so he can work on something new.
When an entrepreneur is creating a company we hire people. That allows us to focus our skills on building business.
If NJ remains unfriendly to small business by taxing the 'rich'. The rich will leave, and bring their job creation engine with them.
Go to your local Republican Club, Democratic Club, Tea Party and press them to overhaul our tax system, because that is why jobs are not available.
B@B
3:47 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Keith: You do not hire people because you already have enough money. You hire people because they can make you money. When no one can afford to buy your product because they don't have a job, there's no demand. When there's no demand, there's no hiring. Most entrepreneurs don't hire people right off the bat. They start off as mom and pops and only hire WHEN THEIR COMPANIES GROW. If their companies can't grow because no one can afford to buy anything because the wage base has dropped to zero or because everyone is terrified of layoffs, or because everyone is working contracts with no security, you aren't going to hire people just out of the goodness of your heart -- no matter WHAT the tax structure is. To say that if only your taxes were reduced you would hire more people is ridiculous. Without demand for your product or service, there's no reason to do so.
William Mays
6:48 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Keith, read about Florida's real estate situation. In order to make up for their lack of state income taxes, they have really high property taxes.
John Aslanian
1:59 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Keith is 100% correct. If all of the liberals simply tried to remember their first grade math,they would understand the scenario he just described. It plays itself out over and over again in our state.... Just read the Boston College study about wealth leaving NJ.. And globally where companies leave US for "tax friendlier" shores... And even if its "greed" So what ? You cant legislate against greed. Anyone with common sense, making a lot of money and employing a lot of people will make the rational choice of basing their business in tax friendly states and tax friendly countries. To do otherwise is just plain stupid. They didnt get wealthy and employ lots of people by making stupid decisions... Its like gravity. Businesses go to the most tax friendly states.. Look at all of the car companies that left detroit for Kentucky and other southern states.. Detroit, with its liberal democratic policies looks worse then Hiroshima after the bomb.. Wake up Democrats.. You want to be envious and hateful towards the rich ? At least be smart about it. We could probably have an enormous share of millionaires, billionaires all paying taxes in NJ just because of our proximity to NY.. But in our ignorance and OUR GREED by raising our state taxes higher than NY,, instead of attracting that enormous group of wealth to pay their taxes here, instead we chased them all to NY as their "primary" residence where they pay their state taxes.. DUH......
B@B
1:59 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Keith, what do you make of THIS then: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-25/states-lacking-income-tax-get-no-boost-in-growth-bgov-barometer.html
jp1
2:50 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
We own a small business which has been doing well for 10 years and we do not complain about paying our taxes. I just believe some people just love to complain.
FourScore
3:47 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Fran, what actual data do you have to support your implication that unemployment rates amongst baby boomers are any higher than other age groups? This is what the governor may have asked you if you had asked him your question.
Fran Hopkins
6:48 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Hookerman, I'm not saying that more Baby Boomers have lost our jobs than have younger people. I'm saying that, once we've lost our jobs, the consequences of this fact are more dire for the older unemployed.
I've read this in many places, but just did a quick search and found a report from our Government Accounting Office from last month entitled, "Unemployed Older Workers: Many Face Long-Term Joblessness and Reduced Retirement Security." Here's the link: http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590882.pdf. I saw an article from Reuters in January 2011 entitled, "Older Unemployed Workers Half as Likely to Get Hired" (http://blogs.reuters.com/reuters-money/2011/01/14/older-unemployed-workers-half-as-likely-to-get-hired/). There are many more similar references.
Dan Grant
3:47 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Anecdotal stories about being an "entreprneurs" don't solve anything. Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg dropped out of college. Should everyone do that so they to can join the 1 percenters? Most people are going to be employees most of their lives. They will work for someone else either in a large Corporation or a small business and what is happening to the middleclass is that the Stockholders come first for those large corporations. Employees come last. They will find those employees in the sweat shops of Asia and keep the money out of the US work force. Small business tends to take better care of their employees because if they are doing their jobs the owner(s) don't want to have to replace them and train new ones. The whole culture of America has changed with the aging of the Seinfeld generation. There is in fact an under the radar war going on against older Americans who still need to work and a younger America who don't understand the concept of a safety net actually protects them as well.
myrent2damhigh
8:28 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Pot growers are our new pharmaceuticals. Pot liegalizing is our state government's idea of job creating. Roche is closing and roaches are smoking. Where is super stealth garrett when we need him? Where is our overweight, energy glutton Governor? Where are our state senators? Our Congressmen? Where are our senators? Roche is leaving with jobs and not one of them makes a press announcement? Not one of them even fakes indignation? or express sympathy for the 1000 employees loosing their jobs?
Keith Jensen
11:03 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
A new study suggests that states that target the rich for tax hikes may pay a stiff price, so says Boston College:
http://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/research_sites/cwp/pdf/njreport.pdf
reported in on many places, just one is this story:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/04/state-estate-income-tax-migration-personal-finance-rich-avoid-new-jersey.html
Fran Hopkins
11:37 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
I agree with this and your earlier comment, Keith (and with John's too). Why should the rich stay here and how can small businesses flourish in a high-tax state like New Jersey? It only makes sense for them to leave the state (and to take our jobs with them).
Luca D.
12:22 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Keith it is clear to me that you need to be in Washington.
Mildred Bayes
8:16 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Boston College? What ever happened to Harvard? (One can always tell a Harvard Man; but you can't tell him much!)
What this country could use is an educated electorate, less social engineering, and people who truly respect themselves, respect others, love their family and friends, and are willing to work collectively to solve this country's problems, especially the national debt problem.
It's easy for us to blame the president or Congress, but these are the two branches of government we have to deal with. There has to be a "movement", grassroots or otherwise, to solve and resolve this country's current problems. We have done it in the past, now it is time to do it again - and soon.
http:///www.MildredBayessolutiontosolvingAmericasproblemsNOW.edu
Renee Devantier
9:32 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
I was unemployed for three years. I worked for three month's and am in the middle of collecting the EB benefit (the last 20 weeks). Now, all of a sudden, we are no longer eligible and the EB benefit is being taken away. They aren't even allowing you to collect it until the end if you have already started collecting it. Why, because unemployment is down in New Jersey. Really??? I am appalled by this. I never heard it was being taken away or read anywhere. I sent an email to The Bergen Record but never hear back. What happened to the "if you are in the middle of collecting you can finish that tier you are on"..... Then they said that the last day you can claim your benefit is 7/1 and the last day they will pay out is 7/7. How, then, will I claim my benefits for the week ending 7/7 if I can't claim for that week. I appreciate the benefits that I have received and I will finally start working F/T - but at a huge drop in pay. I worked in Human Resources for 25 years and for 3 years have searched and received nothing. Not a fan of Christie..... Not a fan at all! By the way is a very rude man as well!
Fran Hopkins
1:29 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Renee, you've made it through three difficult years of unemployment and I'm happy for you that you've found a full-time job, but sorry that it comes with "a huge drop in pay." That shouldn't be. I'm still clinging to the hope that things will improve for all of us, especially Baby Boomers, soon. Good luck to you!