Murphy panders for votes on day one

Well, that didn't take long. Only a few hours into his term as Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy used the power of the chief executive to pander to special interests and likely democratic presidential primary voters. Instead of focusing on the litany of problems plaguing working and middle class New Jerseyans and businesses, he chose to wield his early power to spend more tax dollars for what will amount to potentially millions, if not billions of dollars, over time for raises for government workers. Not based on merit, experience and value to getting the job done. Based on sex. That's right, the ugly false narrative of the "gender wage gap" raised its head once again. And this time, it's gonna cost all of us.

There is tremendous evidence that there is no true "gender wage gap" and that proponents of the false political narrative are selectively used while others are omitted when they don't support the narrative.

Despite reality, the so-called "gender wage gap" has become a rallying cry for Left wing pols fishing for votes and donations. Governor Murphy can now safely count himself in that group. In his first official act as Governor, he signed Executive Order #1 designed to eliminate the "gender wage gap among state workers.

Here's the problem with the new Governor's plan...first of all, there's the evidence that wages will always vary depending on education, lifestyle choices, education and labor choices. Second, instead of addressing the crisis of affordability facing many working and middle class New Jerseyans, the Governor turned around and gave the government team a pay raise! That's right. Highest property taxes in the nation, people exiting rapidly for less expensive states, a government spending more than it collects, tens of billions in debt, billions more in unfunded future liabilities on pensions and benefits for public employees. And Murphy's plan was to start with a pay raise to fix a problem that, by all accounts, is a fantasy used to justify government intrusion into the market place.

If you own a small business, know that he's coming to your door next. He has the power to act unilaterally as the chief executive on behalf of public workers, but with a legislative majority dominated by his own party, there's reason to fear that he will leverage that power to "fix" the problem in your company as well.

I honestly looked for reasons to throw some positive compliments towards the new Governor as his inauguration neared. Thinking perhaps after our state nightmare with Chris Christie ended that we would possibly have a new leader focused on fixing the actual problems in our state like the dysfunction at New Jersey Transit, the broken education funding system, the outrageous burden of pension and benefit liabilities that we simply don't have the revenue to afford. Regulations and taxes that drive families and businesses to more economical states. Failing roads and bridges, crime in our cities, congestion and political corruption. Nope, he picked "gender wage gap". And he's gonna "fix" it with more of your money.

For those of you thinking that this would be a perfect time to end with an exit plan. Think again. I'm #DigginIn even more now. It's day one, time to fight to make our state affordable, prosperous and safe again.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea.

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