Corzine's approval rating tanks

Perhaps the good news for Governor Corzine is that his approval ratings are still higher than those of President Bush and Congress. But that is unlikely to last after he makes his budget proposal cutting aid to municipalities, property tax rebates, college aid and closing hospitals next week. He's already committed to wasting more money on schools and raising judges salaries. The state workers unions and the legislature will still get their free ride.

Nothing that any Governor or Legislature does is going to work until someone has the leadership and fortitude to tackle school funding. The executive and representative branches of government need to take their constitutional authority back from the Supreme Court that has overstepped its bounds for over 30 years.

In 1973 the court ruled that the school funding system relies too heavily on property taxes and that poor school districts are discriminated against. Today, school funding still relies too heavily on property taxes, except in the 31 "Abbott Districts" that are funded by the state income tax and Abbott spending per pupil is twice or more that of non-Abbott districts.

The Constitution charges the Legislature with providing a through and efficient system of education. The court as usurped that authority and created a mess.

New Jersey's government will stay a mess until this is corrected and an equitable school funding system is created, regardless of which trough swillers squeal about it.