Straight From the Streets Report #7

As usual, the straight from the streets report is live and direct from New Jersey.

1. The most dangerous city in the United States for the second consecutive year is Camden, N.J., according to Morgan Quitno Press, the Lawrence, Kan.-based company that publishes "City Crime Rankings," an annual reference book. Camden, a former industrial city across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, has a history of corrupt politicians, drug dealing and homicides. It has been among the top 10 in the rankings in each of the eight years Morgan Quitno has released them. I'm saying why New Jersey has to be on the top of that list?

2. Two new reports show that New Jersey's fiscal woes mounting. State debt now tops $25 billion, according to an annual debt report issued Friday. A separate report shows the cash-strapped state needs to add at least $7 billion to its public pension funds over the next three years. In addition, Gov.-elect Jon Corzine, a former CEO at Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs, inherits a state budget deficit estimated at $5.1 billion when he takes office in January. The state's indebtedness increased $4.2 billion last fiscal year and stood at $25.6 billion as of June 30. That makes New Jersey the nation's fourth most indebted state. I'm saying...New Jersey we have a problem.

3. Prior to election day, New Jersey, Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming all had something in common?All eight states currently have no lieutenant governor, a Number Two who takes over if a governor leaves office early, dies or becomes incapacitated. But that could change in New Jersey.
A question on the election day ballot asked New Jersey voters if the state should have a lieutenant governor.
The governor is New Jersey's only elected statewide official. Twice during the past four years, two governors have made early exits.
That leaves the job of running the state to the Senate president, who by law takes over but also must hold onto the senate title and duties while serving as acting governor.
Critics say that arrangement concentrates two branches of government in the hands of one person. It also leaves all state residents represented by a person elected from a single legislative district.
With 97.1 percent of the precincts reporting, the ballot question to established an office of lieutenant governor passed 56 percent to 44 percent and will go into effect for the next gubernatorial election. I'm saying New Jersey...what took so long?

That's all for now...check back in a week or so...for the next straight from the streets report.