It’s a new day, yes it is

For better or worse, things at least have a chance to change in January

By Alan Bauer
The Sun

Now we wait. We wait until January, when the state’s new governor and newly elected Legislature are sworn in.

Then we see. We see how things change, or if they change at all. Despite seeing Chris Christie in every television campaign ad (OK, in every Democratic television campaign ad), he was not on the ballot. For the first time in eight years, there’s about to be a new governor with the clout to set a new agenda. So, where will we be in four years?

Will we still have the highest property taxes in the nation?

Will the state pension fund still be billions of dollars, like $70 billion or so, underfunded?

How much will minimum wage workers make per hour?

Will the state’s unemployment rate remain higher than the national average?

Will marijuana be legal? Will the fight against opioid abuse continue?

Will there be new gun laws on the books?

Will we still have sanctuary cities or even become a sanctuary state?

Will tuition to community college be free?

Will our roads be repaired? What will the gas tax be?

Will kids still be taking the PARCC tests?

Will local school districts receive more state funding?

Will the state have its own bank?

Will there be more reliance on solar and wind energy?

Nobody has the answers to these questions. Opinion on whether any or all of these measures should be addressed will be split.

The only certainty is that, for better or worse, come January, New Jersey has the opportunity to take a wildly new course.