Everybody agrees that New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in which to live, in part because property taxes are so high, but why can't anybody figure out how to lower them? Gov. Chris Christie believes he's figured out the answer to the mystery.

Governor Christie talks to Eric Scott during the May 'Ask the Governor' program. (Photo by Annette Petriccione)
Governor Christie talks to Eric Scott during the May 'Ask the Governor' program. (Photo by Annette Petriccione)
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According to Christie, the high cost of continuing to fund the former Abbott school districts is a big reason why it costs so much to live in New Jersey.

"Of roughly $34 billion in the proposed state budget, $12 billion is to education- required by the Supreme Court - not negotiable," Christie said during his appearance on Townsquare Media's May 13 Ask The Governor program.

The governor said this is why he is always voicing his concerns about the condition of our New Jersey Supreme Court.

"Seven unelected people who are unaccountable to anyone are telling us how to spend more than a third of the state budget," he said. "This is very frustrating, when I talk incessantly about changing the Supreme Court, nobody in the public gets interested."

He added "if we change the Supreme Court to get rid of this failed, ridiculous Abbott mandate, and this failed and ridiculous mandate on affordable housing that's driving up property taxes as well, we would be able to make even greater progress than we're making already."

The governor also stressed there are other reasons why life in the Garden State is so costly.

"We are in the Northeast and it is a high cost place to live - we have a densely populated state that uses the roads a lot, and so we have a huge infrastructure cost that we have to contend with here," Christie said. "There's a balancing that goes along here and a way of life that you choose."

The governor believes there is more than can be done to make the cost of living more affordable in the state.

"Can we do better? Yes," Christie said. "Should we do better? Yes, I think we should. I think we should make New Jersey more affordable."

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