Since taking over as governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has slashed funding across the board, including deep cuts to schools. The state’s had a budget crunch, and due to his incredible belt tightening, Christie has become an icon of “small government”. So how does Governor Christie get to his son’s high school baseball game?
He takes a helicopter, of course. Specifically, a brand-new, $12.5 million dollar state police helicopter. Naturally, many around the state are crying foul, and with good reason. However, symbolically speaking, it’s the second part of Christie’s journey I find more troubling.
Right before the lineup cards were being exchanged on the field, a noise from above distracted the spectators as the 55-foot long helicopter buzzed over trees in left field, circled the outfield and landed in an adjacent football field. Christie disembarked from the helicopter and got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field.
Even at a turtle-like walking pace of 60 minutes per mile, that 100-yard walk would have taken just over three minutes.
Update (June 3rd, 2011): After much public shaming, an unrepentant Governor Christie has decided to reimburse the state for use of the helicopter to attempt putting an end to the issue. No word on if he’ll be reimbursing the taxpayers for the gallons of gas wasted to ferry him 100 yards.
