New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he will offer more state aid to school districts whose teachers agree to a wage freeze for the 2011 fiscal year.

After months of criticizing the teachers’ union for refusing to sacrifice benefits as the state grapples with the biggest per-person deficit in the country, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is offering school districts an incentive to force the teachers’ hand. In an interview with The Associated Press, Christie said nearly one in 10 New Jerseyans are out of work, but teachers are getting up to 4 percent annual raises — far higher than the rate of inflation.

“I don’t think it’s wrong to say in these difficult times that they step up and make some sacrifice,” Christie said. “We’re not talking about forgoing raises forever. We’re talking about forgoing raises for one year.”

This guy is just awesome. That’s all I can really say about it; he’s doing what needs to be done to get our house in order.

He’s not raising taxes. He’s not implementing universal healthcare (although I do hope he takes on our guaranteed issue law next). He’s not unfairly targeting “the rich” who already pay 40% of all income taxes in the State.

He is cutting spending, dramatically. He’s laying off State workers. He’s trimming the fat, so to speak (insert lame liberal fat joke here). This is fiscal sanity at its best ladies and gentlemen. You wanna know how it’s done? Look no further than Chris Christie.

And again, my gripe is not with the teachers themselves for the most part, as the article notes:

“Already teachers in several districts, including in West Essex, Boonton, Montclair and Metuchen, have voluntarily offered to freeze wages.”

This has far less to do with teachers, (although I wish more of them would stand up to the union), than with the bloodsucking union bosses like NJEA President Barbara Keshishian who is swiftly becoming New Jersey’s most wanted criminal.

Don’t let off the gas Chris.

Russ

h/t Hammer Toe