>>> MARRIAGE FUNDING FOR CHATBOX WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY MJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

THE FUEL MERCHANT'S ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, THE NATIONAL OIL/HEAT RESEARCH ALLIANCE AND BIO HEAT, THE EVOLUTION OF OIL HEAT.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT THE PROVIDED BY SNRDS ( J, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDER NJ.COM.

>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO CHAT BOX, I'M DAVID CRUZ.

WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO THIS DAY, BUT THE NATION HAS ACTUALLY WITNESSED A PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER AND MAY BE A RETURN TO SOME NORMALCY IN A COUNTRY THAT HAD A MYRIAD OF ISSUES TO DEAL WITH EVEN BEFORE THE ATTEMPTED OVERTHROW OF THE GOVERNMENT TWO WEEKS AGO.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES ON THE SHOWED THE.

WE ARE SPEAKING WITH FORMER GOVERN TOM CAIN IN A BIT AND WE START WITH THE CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES.

PROFESSOR, GOOD TO MEET YOU, WELCOME.

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU.

>> SO, TWO WEEKS AGO, A MOB ATTEMPTED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT BY OVERRUNNING THE CAPITOL, THIS WEEK, A NEW PRESIDENT SWORN IN ON THE SAME STEPS.

OF THE CAPITOL, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON JUST THE WHOLE DAY, WHAT YOU WERE THINKING.

WHE WHEN YOU WATCHED THE SWEARING IN AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S -- MY REACTIONS WERE VARIED.

YOU KNOW, I WAS EXCITED THAT WE FINALLY STEPPED OUT OR STEPPED BEYOND THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT WE COULD CLOSE THE DOOR ON TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION AND WE COULD PERHAPS HAVE A CONCERTED EFFORT, A NATIONAL RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS AND THE DEVASTATION THAT IT CAUSED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

THERE'S A SENSE OF JUBILATION AND AS I LISTENED TO PRESIDENT BIDEN, I WAS, I WAS STRUCK BY SEVERAL NOTES.

THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, DISAGREEMENT SHOULD NOT LEAD TO DIS UNION.

THE CLAIM THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DREAM OF JUSTICE FOR ALL WILL NO LONGER BE DEFERRED.

HIS TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TELLING LIES FOR PROFIT AND POWER.

AND HIS ININSTANCE ON UNITY.

AND THERE WAS A SENSE IN WHICH HE TRIED TO OFFER IN PLAIN SPEECH A VISION FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH AN UNDERSTANDING AS HE PUT IT THAT WE ARE IN A WINTER OF PERIL, BUT WE ARE IN IN A TIME OF SIGNIFICANT POSSIBILITIES.

AND IT'S AT THAT INTERSECTION THAT I THOUGHT HE HIT THE BALL OUT THE PARK.

IT SEEMS TO ME DURING HIS SPEECH.

>> HE SAID THIS WEEK, DEMOCRACY HAS PREVAILED.

HAS IT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALWAYS THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AMERICAN HUBEROSU -- HUBEROUS IT SEEMS TO ME.

WE ARE ON A KNIFE'S EDGE AS A COUNTRY, HE KNOWS THAT.

WE ARE FACING THE CRISIS OF COVID-19, AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, THE CRISIS OF CLIMATE AND THE RACIAL RECKONING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN.

SO, YOU KNOW, TYPICAL LY, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JOE BIND IS NOT THE LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

I UNDERSTAND THE ASSERTION BUT WE HAVE A WHOITY OF WORK TO DO.

>> HE SPOKE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

>> TO USE THE LANGUAGE WAS IMPORTANT.

TO TALK ABOUT RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY AND THE DREAM OF JUSTICE FOR ALL.

BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE LANGUAGE OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND RACISM.

WE HAVE TO RID OURSELVES OF THIS ELEMENT AND I SAY THAT, BECAUSE THOSE THAT HOLD THAT VIEW.

YOU CANNOT DISAGREE WITH THEM AND STILL MAINTAIN THE BASIC BACKGROUND AGREEMENT OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

THESE PEOPLE.

HOLD THEIR VIEW AND THEY WILL HOLD THAT VIEW IN A WAY TOO MUCH THEY ARE WILLING TO HOLD IT AND THROW DEMOCRACY IN THE TRASH BIN.

SO WE HAVE TO UP ROOT IT, WE HAVE TO FINALLY PUSH IT, NOT SIMPLY TO THE MARGINS OR THE SHADOWS.

WE HAVE TO RIDOUR SOCIETY OF IT AS BEST WE CAN.

BY NAMING IT AS EXPLICITLY AS HE COULD IN HIS INAUGURATION SPEECH, THAT WAS A BEGINNING.

>> THERE WAS AN IRONY THAT THE PERSON WHO MANY HOPE WILL LEAD THE CHARGE AGAINST THE FORCES IS A 78-YEAR-OLD WHITE GUY FROM DELAWARE WHO ONCE OPPOSED BUSSING AND WROTE THE LAW THAT LED TO THE INCARCERATION TO THE MILLIONS POOR AND BLACK PEOPLE.

LITTLE IRON ANYY THERE, NO?

>> I THINK THERE IS.

AND I WANT TO QUIBBLE WITH THE VERB.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE EXPECT HIM TO LEAD THE WAY.

WE NEED TO PUSH HIM.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE BIDEN/HARRIS ADMINISTRATION AS A MEANS TO AN END.

AND I WANT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT, YOU KNOW, HE IS THE FIRST WHITE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

AND HE IS THE FIRST WHITE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT.

HE STANDS AT THAT TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

YOU KNOW, HE IS AN IMPORTANT HISTORICAL FIGURE JUST FOR THAT ALONE.

SO, WE WILL SEE, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH HIM, I THINK, A PROGRESSIVE FORCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WILL PUSH THE ADMINISTRATION IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

SO I DON'T EXPECT HIM TO LEAD.

I EXPECT HIM TO BE PUSHED.

AS IT WERE.

>> FAIR ENOUGH.

>> ON THE PANDEMIC 400,000 DEAD, AT LEAST THE PROMISED NEW APPROACH FROM THE PRESIDENT?

>> HEY NARCOTICS IS MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE HAD, RIGHT?

WE HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND OVER THIS LAST YEAR, A PARTICULAR IDEOLOGY.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY.

IT'S NOT JUST SIMPLY DONALD TRUMP'S INCOMPETENCE, IT IS TRUE.

BUT THIS IS THE FAILURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION IS IN SOME WAYS A FAILURE OF AN IDEOLOGICAL POSITION.

THESE PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE GOVERNMENT, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE SO THEY DEVOLVE RESPONSIBILITITY TO THE STATES.

WE SAW IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WE WILL HAVE FEDERAL STRATEGIES AND GET NEEDLES IN ARMS AND GET CONTROL OF IT.

WE ARE ON THE CUSP, ON THE EVE OF THE DARK MOMENT IN THE COURSE OF THE VIRUS.

SO WE NEED TO BUCKLE UP AND PREPARE OURSELVES AND BE CAREFUL AND SAFE.

>> WELL, ALSO LOOMING IS THE SECOND IMPEACHMENT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE UP SOME TIME WHEN THE NEW SENATE CONVENES.

IS THIS A NECESSARY EXERCISE THIS YOUR MIND?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IF YOU CAN'T BE IMPEACHED FOR INCITING INSEWER RECOLLECTION, W -- INCITIE ING INSURRECTION, W CAN YOU BE IMPEACHED FOR.

IF WE RUSH, WE WILL THROW SEEDS BACK IN THE GROUND THAT WILL IN SOME WAYS RISE UP AND CLOAK THE LIFE OUT OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS DIRECTLY AND RESPONSIBILITY.

SO, I HOPE THAT THE SENATE CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.

>> A HOT HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS, YOU MADE REFERENCE TO HER BEFORE.

>> AND HER HISTORIC ELECTION.

WHAT IS HER POTENTIAL TO PUT A MARK ON THE AMERICAN AGENDA FROM A POSITION, VICE PRESIDENT, THAT IS NORMALLY WELL IN THE BACKGROUND?

>> WELL, I THINK SHE HAS THE TUBT TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL VICE PRESIDENT IN MODERN HISTORY.

GIVEN THE SITUATION IN THE SENATE AND GIVEN THE AGE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN.

GIVEN HER OWN HISTORICALLIAL ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE.

SHE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY IMPACT THE AGENDA AS WE ADDRESS THE SCALE OF THE CRISIS WE FACE.

I MANY A INTERESTED TO SEE HOW SHE PLAYS THE ROLE.

WE KNOW SHE WILL BE IMPORTANT IN NAVIGATING THE MODERN SENATE.

JOE BIDEN'S SENATE DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.

SHE IS GOING TO PLAY AN OUT-SIZED RO ROLE, BUT I'M R REVELING IN THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HER POSITION.

WE NEED SUBSTANTIVE POLICY TO RESPOND TO THE DEVASTATION OF THE COUNTRY AND HOPEFULLY SHE WILL HELP DELIVER ON THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, AUTHOR AND CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES WITH US, PROFESSOR.

>> IT IS MY PLEASURE.

TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE OUT HERE.

>> JOINING US NOW IS THE MOST POPULAR GOVERNOR IN THE HISTORY OF NEW JERSEY.

HE IS A STATESMAN AND A STRAIGHT SHOOTER WHO HAS BORN WITNESS TO THE CHANGE IN THE STATE AND NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTIES AND TODAY, HAS THE BURDEN OF EXPLAINING IT ALL TO US.

TOM CAIN SENIOR IS WITH US, GOVERNOR ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU.

WELL, IT WAS NICE TO BE HERE.

YOUR OPINION ON THE TWO SEASONS THE ONE ON JANUARY 6th AND ONE ON JANUARY 20TH.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ALL OF THAT?

>> WELL, LOOK, I WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE CAPITOL.

MY FATHER WAS IN CONGRESS FOR 20 YEARS AND HE WAS ELECTED WHEN I WAS 5 YEARS OLD.

IN THOSE DAYS, CONGRESSIONAL FAMILIES MOVED ON DOWN.

I REVERED THE CAPITOL.

WE PLAYED IN THE HAULS, NOT THE SECURITY THERE IS NOW.

PLAY WITH THE OTHER DW CONGRESSIONAL KIDS.

MY FATHER TOOK US AROUND AND SHOWED US ALL THE GREAT PLACES.

WHERE DANNY WEBSTER HAD BEEN AND ON OTHER GREAT SENATORS HAD SAT AND LOOKED AT THE DESK OF MY GRANDFATHER, CARVED HIS INITIALS IN THE DESK WHERE HE SAT AS THE UNITED STATES SENATOR .

TO ME, IT WAS A SYMBOL OF D DEMO DEMOCRACY, I NEVER HAD A WORST DAY.

AS FAR AS THE INAUGURATION GOES, I AGREE WITH WHAT THE PROFESSOR SAID.

I THINK JOE BIDEN DID A VERY GOOD JOB WITH HIS SPEECH, I THINK HE WAS OVER SHOWN A BIT BY THE POET THAT FINISHED UP THE CEREMONY.

BUT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN.

I MEAN, SHE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD DAY AND I THOUGHT HE IS OFF TO A GOOD START AND, YOU KNOW, THIS SPEECH ALWAYS, FOR EVERY PRESIDENT SHOULD BE A LAYING OUT OF THEMES.

YOU KNOW, HE DID.

AND IDEAS.

NOW COMES THE DIFFICULT PART.

AND AS HE HAS TO PUT THESE IDEAS IN TO WORK AS HE HAS TO NEGOTIATE WITH PEOPLE IN BOTH PARTIES IN THE CONGRESS.

AS HE TRIES TO GET IT DONE THE.

THAT'S WHERE THE PROOF WILL BE.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BUT THE PARTY IS TAKING STOCK NOW, BOTH HERE IN NEW JERSEY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE LASTING IMPACT OR THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF DONALD TRUMP ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

HERE IN NEW JERSEY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> THERE'S NO QUESTION.

PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

MORE PROBABLY THAN IN NEW JERSEY, HAD A VERY STRONG IMPACT.

BECAUSE ONE, THE PRESIDENT OF ANY PARTY WILL GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SAURT FROM WITHIN THE PARTY AND SECONDLY, TRUMP WITH HIS MAGNEMPT TISM HE HAS.

PEOPLE LIKED THE TAX CUT AND THE JUDGES.

IT WAS MORE THAN THAT.

IT WAS SORT OF SOMEWHAT BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO HIM.

AND IT'S A PROBLEM.

AND THE PARTY WILL HAVE TO DECIDE.

HOPEFULLY BY GOING BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL ISSUES.

AND THIS IS A PARTY OF LINCOLN.

IT'S A PARTY OF TEDDY ROOSEVELT AND EISENHOWER AND REAGAN.

DONALD TRUMP WILL HAVE HIS PLACE IN THE PARTY IF HE WANTS TO.

BUT IT'S A PLACE.

NOT THE PLACE.

>> DOES THE STATE PARTY NEED TO FIGHT IT OUT, TRUMPERS VERSES WHAT THEY USED TO CALL AND STILL DO CALL TOM CAIN REPUBLICANS?

I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO SEE THAT MUCH OF A FIGHT IN NEW JERSEY.

FRANKLY THEY ARE GOING TO UNIFY BEHIND JACK CHITTARELLI, IN NEW JERSEY, THE GOVERNOR IS EVERYTHING.

THAT'S WHAT BOTH PARTIES GET VOFED IN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE EVERY FOUR YEARS AND IT'S A YEAR.

SO I SUSPECT THE TALK WILL NOT BE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AS MUCH AS IT'S ABOUT THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION.

>> I THINK I CAN HEAR YOU SAY NEW JERSEY ALL NIGHT LONG.

BUT ABOUT, JACK, JACK CHITTARELLI SAID TO US LAST WEEK, HE IS THE LEADER OF THE PARTY IN NEW JERSEY, IS HE?

>> YES.

THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IS ALWAYS THE LEADER.

THE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WILL SUPPLY THE STATE CHAIRMAN.

WE ARE NOT A DICTATORSHIP, HE HAS TO BRING PEOPLE ALONG AND PERSUADING TOO DO THINGS.

HE IS A TITCH AHEAD OF THE REPREUBLICAN PARTY.

HE IS THE LEADER OF THE PARTY.

YOU KNOW, I WONDERED WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE AS A GOVERNOR WITH THE SITUATION LIKE OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR FINDS HIMSELF IN.

HAVING TO DEAL WITH A PANDEMIC OF GLOBAL PROPORTION.

IS THERE, YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT THE AT ALL?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY OR MIGHT HAVE DONE THE SAME?

>> YEAH, I THINK, ANY FORM OF GOVERNOR WILL LOOK AT THAT KIND OF THING.

WE HAD CRISIS, AND DEALT WITH A NUMBER OF CRISIS.

BUT NOTHING TO THIS EXAT THE PRESENT TIME, WHICH TAKES YOUR WHOLE ENERGY AND YOUR WHOLE TIME AND OTHER THINGS GET IGNORED A BIT.

BECAUSE THIS IS, IT'S ALL HERE.

AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT LIVES EVERY DAY.

SO, AND I THINK THE GOVERNOR THE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB.

I COULD DISAGREE HERE AND THERE.

BUT OVERALL, I THINK THE GOVERNOR DID A GOOD JOB IN THE PANDEMIC.

I THINK HE DESERVES CREDIT FOR IT.

>> I HAVE TWO QUICK VIEWER QUESTIONS HERE.

ONE SAYS, PLEASE ASK THE GOVERNOR WHERE THE NEXT GENERATION OF MODERATE REPRESENT ARE CANS ARE HIDING?

>> HOPE THEY ARE HIDING IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.

THEY ARE COMING ALONG.

I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.

OTHERS STILL HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED.

I THINK THE, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE HAVE TO BE ABOUT ISSUES AND IDEAS AND INCLUSION.

I WOE A BOOK ONCE CALLED THE POLITICS OF INCLUSION.

WE NEED TO BE A PARTY WITH A BIG TENT, NOT A SMALL TENT AND OTHERWISE WE ARE NOT GETTING ELECTED.

>> LET ME ME GET ONE MORE QUESTION IN HERE.

BRENDA ASKED YOU HEADED THE 9/11 COMMISSION, WOULD YOU, SHOULD WE HAVE A COVID VERSION OF THAT TO EXAM HOW THE FEDERAL RESPONSE WENT OFF THE RAILS?

YES, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

BECAUSE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THAT COMMISSION IS WHO IS APPOINTED TO IT.

WHO IS VICE AND CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMISSION AND WHO IS THE BIPARTISAN COMMISSION.

IN THIS HEAVILY DIVIDED WORLD, JOE BIDEN TALKED ABOUT IT.

IT HAS TO BE BOTH PARTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESS AND PUBLIC.

IN THIS DIVIDED TIME IT WILL BE HARD TO FIND THOSE MEN AND WOMEN.

>> A REAL CHALLENGE.

ALL RIGHT, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR, TOM CAIN SENIOR, THANK YOU FOR COMING ON WITH US.

WE WILL SEE YOU SOON.

>> THANK YOU, DAVID.

>> FINALLY TONIGHT, WE TURN OUR FOCUS TO POLITICS CLOSER TO HOME.

GOOD AFTERNOONER MURPHY'S STATE OF THE STATE LAST WEEK, SOUNDED A LOT LIKE A CAMPAIGN KICKOFF, CRITICS COMPLAINED THAT IT LACKED INITIATIVE AND IT IS TIME TO GET DOWN TO BIT ON BUDGET AND OTHER REFORMS.

HIS PATH TO PROGRESS IS AN OUTLINE FOR REFORM AND STATE GOVERNMENT AND HE IS A HEAR TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND MORE.

SENATE PRESIDENT STEVE SWEENEY.

WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW, MAN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

YOU SAID, I'M TELL THING YOU RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT DOING TAXES OR FEES UNTIL THERE'S REFORM.

YOU HAD A DEAL, DIDN'T YOU?

A HARD VOTE ON A MILLIONAIRE'S TAX IN EXCHANGE FOR SERIOUS TALKS ABOUT REFORM, RIGHT?

>> WELL THE AGREEMENT WAS, WE HAVE GONE ALONG WITH THE BORROWING AND THE MILLIONAIRES TAX AND SO FAR AND THE BUDGET THAT WE STARTED TO ADDRESS.

AND THE TOUGH THINGS THAT HAVE TO GET DONE HERE.

DAVID, AND THERE'S NEED TO GET NEW JERSEY IN A PLACE WHERE IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND THESE ARE THE TOUGH THINGS, IT'S SCHOOL, CONSOLIDATION, IT'S NEW PENSION SYSTEM IS.

IT'S LOOKING AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

SEEING HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT, AND WE ARE ASSET RICH AND CASH POOR.

THE IT WAS OUTLINED.

THERE WAS 27 RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN THE REPORT AND THERE'S COMMITMENT TO DO REFORM.

THERE WAS NOT COMMITMENT FOR EVERYONE.

BUT WE HAVE TO START DEALING.

AND FOR ME, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED WITH SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION.

WE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET, I THINK $3 MILLION IN THE BUDGET.

I CAN TELL YOU, THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THERE'S SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THE DISCUSSION.

VOLUNTARILILY LOOKING AT CONSOLIDATION.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH LESS THAN 500 KIDS SPENT 17% MORE THAN THE HIGHEST SPENDING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.

SO, AGAIN, THEY ARE NOT EFFICIENT.

SALEM COUNTY TOOK ME MANY HOURS IN SALEM COUNTY, MEETING WITH MAYORS AND WITH ALL THE SCHOOL BOARDPRESIDENTS.

WE, WE FINALLY GOT THEM TO AGREE TO LOOK AT A COUNTY WIDE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THERE'S ONLY 11 -- THERE'S LESS THAN 11,000 KIDS DAVID IN SALEM COUNTY.

AND THEY SPENT $226 MILLION ON EDUCATION.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NOT CUMBERLAND, BUT VINELAND WHICH IS SIMILAR.

IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICALLY.

THEY HAVE 11,000 KIDS AND THEY SPENT $180 MILLION.

>> IS THAT GOING TO BE ENOUGH SAVINGS?

>> IF WE CAN ACHIEVE $46 MILLION.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE IT IS.

DAVID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHAT I FOUND HAPPENED, WE DID IT YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A DIRECTOR.

WE MERGED TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

ADMINISTRATIVELY.

NOT THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES.

BUT ADMINISTRATIVELY WE HAD A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE STARTED OUT SAVING $750,000.

WHICH DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT.

BUT IT'S $750,000.

AND THEN WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS GOT IT UP OVER $1.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS.

>> ARE YOU GUYS SERIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT THIS OR IS THIS A THING WHERE YOU ARE ALL HEADED IN IN TO ELECTION YEAR AND YOU ARE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHANGES THAT WOULD ACHBLTH ADVERSELY IN SOME CASES THE GOVERNOR'S BASE?

>> IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY DAVID, LOOK.

WE WORK WITH THE NJJ, TO SAVE A BILLION IN HEALTH CARE.

WE WORK COLLECTIVELY TO SAVE A BILLION.

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN ADVERSARIAL WAY.

THE UNION, THEY GAVE THEM A NEW PENSION SYSTEM AND WORKED WITH THEM AND PUT A NEW PRACTICE IN PLACE.

THIS UNIONS DID.

SO, WE ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION.

SO, THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ALL THE THINGS.

DAVID, WE ARE ASSET RICH AND CASH POOR, WE OWN A LOT OF THINGS, WE OWN A LOT OF THINGS.

THE DO WE LOOK AT THAT, TO WE LEVERAGE THOSE TO GET US OUT FROM UNDERNEATH.

AGAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL IT.

YOU CAN LEASE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO.

WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, HOT LIENS AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS HOT LIENS IN THE NORTH.

ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE.

WHERE YOU GET A PRIVATE SECTOR TO DEVELOP AN EXTRA LANE.

YOU DON'T TAKE LANES AWAY.

YOU ADD LANES TO FEDERAL HIGHWAYS LIKE THEY HAVE DOWN IN VIRGINIA.

VIRGINIA HAS THEM AND YOU GENERATE REVENUE AND YOU REDUCE CONGESTION.

>> I HAVE TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE INAUGURAL THIS WEEK AND HOW BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COULD BE DIFFERENT FOR NEW JERSEY.

>> WELL, FIRST, DAVID, I HAVE TO TELL YOU.

AND I'M NOT SOMEONE WHO WATCHES AND PAYS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO POET LAUREATES, THAT YOUNG WOMAN WAS SPECTACULAR.

YOU KNOW, SHE, THAT INAUGURATION, THAT YOUNG WOMAN JUST REALLY GOT MY ATTENTION.

I HUNG ON EVERY WORD SHE SAID.

SHE WAS SO IMPRESSIVE.

SO, THERE'S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE WHEN YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

WHAT I SAW IN THE INAUGURATION IS NORMALCY BACK.

FEELS NORMAL AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, AND IT REALLY IS, IT'S A DIFFERENT FEELING.

I FEEL LIKE OUR COUNTRY IS BACK, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE CRAZINESS THAT IS GOING ON.

SO, IT'S NOT BECAUSE JOE BIDEN IS A DEMOCRAT.

IT'S JUST THE OTHER STUFF WAS SO BIZARRE.

WE NEVER HAD PRESIDENTS BEHAVE AND ACT THE WAY THIS PRESIDENT, OUR PREVIOUS PRESIDENT DID.

SO THE FACT THAT WE FINALLY ELECTED A WOMAN AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND SHE IS MULTI-RACIAL.

AGAIN, IT'S GREAT TO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AS FAR AS I SEE, AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO THE PAST.

ANDTHE THINGS THAT TROUBLING IS THE TRANSITION.

THEY GET IN, AND THEY DIDN'T SHARE A LOT OF THINGS WITH THEM.

AND I JUST READ WHERE THEY HAD VERY LITTLE PLAN FOR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT IS HOLDING US UP RIGHT NOW HERE IN GETTING GOING.

WE CAN GIVE A LOT OF SHOTS IF WE CAN GET THE VACCINE.

>> LET ME GET ONE LAST QUESTION IN HERE BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO.

WE ARE HEADING IN TO AN ELECTION YEAR.

EVERYONE IS UP.

YOU THINK THIS GOVERNOR'S VULNERABLE AT THE POLLS?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THAT DAVID, I'M, I THINK THE ELECTION IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN PEOPLE THINK.

JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A DONALD TRUMP ANYMORE.

SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSING NOT ON DONALD TRUMP IN WASHINGTON.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON NEW JERSEY.

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC AND THERE'S NOTHING GOOD IN THIS PANDEMIC.

THINGS ARE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

PEOPLE ARE UPSET AND UNHAPPY, AND UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION IN THE STATE IS, IS REALLY DIFFICULT.

SO, I THINK IT, I THINK GOVERNOR MURPHY WILL BE FINE.

I THINK WE WILL WIN.

I THINK ANYBODY WHO THINKS IT WILL BE A RUN AWAY, IS CRAZY.

>> ALL RIGHT W, THANKS FOR A FE MINUTES, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, DAVID.

AND NEXT TIME I HAD -- I WILL GET DRESSED.

>> THAT'S ALL THE CHATBOX WE HAVE FOR TODAY, THANKS TO OUR GUEST, STEVE SWEENEY.

GOVERNOR TOM CAIN AND EDDIE GLAUDE, JR.

SUBSCRIBE TO GET MORE.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER@DAVID CRUZ NJ AND REACH OUT TO THE SHOW BY USING #NJ TV CHATBOX.

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>> FUNDING FOR CHATBOX IS PROVIDED BY MJN INSURANCE GROUP.

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