We're engaged in a struggle here in 2005 in New Jersey.

It's a plan that has a lot of substance to it with respect to the establishment of a partnership between the state and local government. That skin-in-the-game connection I think is a very good business principle. It should have been done a very long time ago.

People don't have confidence in their senior elected officials. These are the ones we entrust with the public's business, (with) votes and actions that will be done for the sole benefit of the citizens of New Jersey. It's time for a change. This is not a change.

It's always nice to be vindicated. We've known for a year now we've done everything right.

It's ironic that we started out with a basic commitment to economic integration and then we get to a situation where we can pay off and never handle the larger social issue. The logic is to produce economically integrated towns all over New Jersey. We have to keep our eye on the ball here.

The economic leverage of the state in terms of procurement for these commodities is something that is badly needed. And if we're providing state aid, then we need to have more to say about the prices that are paid for these kinds of products.