GOOD EVENING.

WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS.

THE STATE'S CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION IS DECLARING VICTORY.

FRONT RUNNER PHIL MURPHY, A POLITICAL OUTSIDER WITH THE BACKING OF ALL 21 COUNTY CHAIRS WITH A SELF-FINANCED CAMPAIGN FACING JIM JOHNSON, A FEDERAL U.S.

TREASURY OFFICIAL ROCKETING FROM POLITICAL OBSCURITY TO TOP 4.

AND THE BRIDGE GAIT SCANDAL INVESTIGATOR AND FORMER CHAIR, RAY LESNIAK, HE IS RUNNING A GRASS ROOTS CAMPAIGN Z ALL FACING OFF TONIGHT WITH THE DEMOCRAT PRIMARY JUST THREE WEEKS AWAY.

LIFE FROM THE AGNESS HARRIS NG TV STUDIO IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK, THIS IS THE 2017 DEMOCRAT PRIMARY DEBATE.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M MARY ALICE WILLIAMS.

AND I'M MAY CAL HILL.

HONORED TO HOST NOT ONE, BUT TWO DEGAITS HEADING INTO THE JUNE 6 PRIMARY.

NEXT TUESDAY, THE GOVERNOR DEBATE, BUT TONIGHT IT'S THE DEMOCRAT DEBATES.

RUNNING TO REPLACE GOVERNOR CHRISTY RUNNING HEAD TO HEAD IN A DEBATE MONITORED BY MICHAEL LARIN.

DAVID CRUZ IS WATCHING THE DEBATE.

WHAT'S THE SCENE OUT THERE?

WE ARE OPT CONCOURSE LEVEL HERE IN THE GATEWAY BUILDINGS.

THIS IS SORT OF THE THOROUGHFARE WHERE PEOPLE COME TO AND FRO OUTSIDE OUR AGNESS STUDIO.

HERE IS YOUR STUDIO AUDIENCE MAINLY OF DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS RAISE YOUR HANDS.

NOT MANY.

BUT THEY ARE HE BE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY, OTHER STAKE OLDERS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

SO THE SETUP IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MIX BETWEEN A CONCERT AND AN OLD TIME RADIO SHOW, IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT.

THE GAT TANS AS YOU WERE -- COMBATANTS WILL BE ON EITHER SIDE.

THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR.

WE WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN FOR FIVE SECONDS.

[ CHEERING] AND THAT IS ABOUT AS MUCH AUDIENCE AS YOU ARE GOING TO HERE TONIGHT.

EVERYBODY IS HERE.

WE HAVE CAFFEINATED ALL OF THEM AND GAVE THEM A BUNCH OF COOKIES, SO THEY SHOULD BE READY.

YOU TALKED TUESDAY.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT SCENE; RIGHT?

HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL AFFECT THE CANDIDATES OR THEIR PERFORMANCES, IF AT ALL.

IT'S INTERESTING, BOTH HAD LIVE AUDIENCES.

OUR AUDIENCE HERE HAS BEEN CONFINED TO THIS AREA.

AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO REACT TO THE CANDIDATES AND THE CANDIDATES AREN'T REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THEM.

ON TUESDAY THE AUDIENCE WAS HUSHED BY THE MODERATOR, BUT HERE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO PLAY TO AN AUDIENCE AS THEY DID A LITTLE BIT TUESDAY.

BUT HERE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THAT IMMEDIATE REACTION, SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THAT AFFECTS THEIR STRATEGY OR NOT.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, DAVID.

WE HAVE PULLED IN TWO ANALYSTS.

BILL CARUSO AND ROGER BODMAN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

QUICK QUESTION.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BEST FUNDED CAMPAIGN AND CANDIDATES, WHAT DO THESE OTHER CANDIDATES, LESNIAK AND JOHNSON, WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO DO TO GAIN SOME TRACTION?

THIS IS REALLY THEIR LAST CHANCE IN A PUBLIC DEBATE FORUM TO MAKE THEIR CASE, BUT TO SPEAK TO THE 50% OR SO THAT ARE UNDECIDED IN THIS DEMOCRAT PLY MARE AND MAKE A CASE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THEIR CANDIDACY THAN THE FRONT RUNNER.

ROGER?

THERE IS TWO THINGS YOU NEED IN A PRIMARY.

ONE IS ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND MONEY.

PHIL MURPHY HAS BOTH IN DROVES.

SO THE OTHER CANDIDATES, THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO KNOCK HIM OFF HIS GAME.

THERE IS THREE WEEKS LEFT.

THEY ARE ACCEPTING PUBLIC FINANCING, WHICH IS CAPPED AT 6 MILLION.

SO EVEN IF THEY DO KNOCK HIM OFF HIS GAME IN SOME WAIT OR ANOTHER.

HOW DO THEY COMMUNICATE THAT WITH SO LITTLE TIME AND SO LITTLE MONEY LEFT?

THAT'S THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE.

BUT THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO KNOCK HIM OFF HIS GAME.

EVERY YEAR, EVERY ELECTION SEASON I SHOULD SAY, NEW JERSEY SEEMS TO CHANGE HORSES, AFTER A DEMOCRAT ADMINISTRATION, ELECT A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND VICE VERSA.

COULD WE BE LOOKING AT THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY ON THIS PODIUM?

YOU COULD.

I CAN GO BACK TO THE '60s AND YOU GO FROM A REPUBLICAN TO A DEMOCRAT.

YOU ALMOST SET YOUR WATCH.

IT WILL BE AN UPHILL CLIMB IF HISTORY IS A TEACHER.

BUT EVERYBODY THOUGHT -- LOOKING AT THE DEMAND CATS COMING IN RIGHT NOWER HOOCHLT IS THE ASSEMBLY MAN AND BEHIND HIM, PHIL MURPHY THE AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY AND PHIL JOHNSON AND LESNIAK.

THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED BY THEN BY DRAWING NAMES OUT OF A HAD.

INDEED.

SO WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO DO?

IN A SCENARIO LIKE THIS, IS IT A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION TO GO AFTER SOMEBODY LIKE MURPHY IN A PUBLIC FORUM WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP WHATEVER GROUND BETWEEN YOU AND HIM?

DO YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THAT STRATEGY.

OF COURSE IT'S A LONG SHOT.

TRY TO KNOCK HIM OFF HIS GAME, GET HIM TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL SOMEHOW CAUSE A PROBLEM IN HIS CAMPAIGN.

AND EVEN IF YOU DO, THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE, HOW DO YOU USE THAT GOING FORWARD WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES YOU HAVE.

THAT'S WHAT CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES ARE ALL ABOUT.

WE WILL SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL OR NOT SUCCESSFUL.

BILL, IS THERE ONE ISSUE THAT THE VOTERS ARE ANXIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT.

I THINK IN GENERAL, AFFORDABILITY IS ONE.

SIGNIFICANT LACK OF AFFORDABILITY.

AND I THINK TWO INDIVIDUALS YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE ON THE STAGE.

YOU WILL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SOME OF THE POLICIES GOING ON AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO REACT HERE IN THE STATE AND CERTAIN HEAR ABOUT OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR O CHRISTY.

WE ARE GOING TO GO TO OUR DIGITAL NEWS ROOM, FOUND K EDITOR AND JOHN, YOU HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU TONIGHT.

HI, MARY ALICE AND MICHAEL.

WE ARE NOT TOO FAR FROM YOU IN NJ TV'S DIGITAL NEWS ROOM.

WE ARE DOING A FEW THINGS, WE ARE BASICALLY RUNNING THE ONLINE PORTION OF THE DEBATE.

AND PART OF THAT WILL BE WE HAVE SIX, EIGHT REPORTERS THAT COVER THESE BEATS, COVER THESE AND WILL BE ONLINE AND CONTINUAL COMMENTARY ON RESPECTIVE WEB PAGES.

WE WILL BE MONITORING SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEEING WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING OUT THERE AND WHAT'S A DEBATE WITHOUT A HASHTAG.

SO, FOLKS, HASHTAG NJ PRIMARY DEBATE.

AND WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKING QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS OVER THE LAST WEEK.

WE HAVE MORE THAN 100 QUESTIONS COME IN.

AND WE WILL BE FEEDING THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATES AS WELL AND ALSO DOING POLLING DURING THE DEBATE, COMMENTING ON THOUSAND THEIR CANDIDATES ARE DOING, WHETHER THEIR MINDS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND FOLKS CAN FIND THAT AT BITLEY.

IT'S GREAT FOR NJ TO BE PART OF THIS AND EXPECTING AN INTERESTING AND SPIRITED DEBATE.

BACK TO YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU.

ROGER, YOU HAVE SAID YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING THESE ELECTIONS SINCE THE 1960s.

HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANGED THE WAY PEOPLE CAMPAIGN.

I TAUGHT A CLASS ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TECHNIQUES AT RUTGERS.

I LEFT IN 2009 BECAUSE I THOUGHT TWITTER WAS A BIRD IN A TREE.

THAT TELLS YOU HOW BRILLIANT I AM IN THIS STUFF.

NOW, ASK THE CURRENT PRESIDENT WHAT HE THINKS OF TWITTER.

APPARENTLY HE DOES IT FROM MIDNIGHT TO 2 A.M.

YOU SAW JOHN TALK ABOUT IT AND INSTANT POLLING, INSTANT COMMUNICATIONS, IT'S STRORD.

I WILL DEFER TO MY LEARNED COLLEAGUE WHO IS MUCH YOUNGER THAN ME.

HAS IT BROUGHT IN YOUNGER VOTERS?

IT CERTAIN HAS.

AND THERE IS A PREFERENCE FOR YOUNGER VOTERS TO RECEIVE THEIR NEWS AND INFORMATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

SOMETIMES NOT IN A DEPENDABLE FORMAT, BUT NEVERTHELESS THEY GET IT.

FRANKLY IT'S GOING TO PLAY IN ON THE POSTDEBATE END FOR SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES TO GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT AND ROGER MENTIONED THIS IN A PREVIOUS COMMENT, THE DIFFICULTY FOR THESE FOLKS WITHOUT MONEY, RIGHT, IS COMMUNICATE.

WHATEVER THEY DO OR DON'T DO, THEY WANT TO COMMUNICATE OUT WITH THE VOTERS.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROVIDES SOMEWHAT OF AN EQUALIZER, BUT THE MONEY ALLOWS YOU ON NETWORK TELEVISION AND THAT'S WHERE THE WORLD IS IN A LOT OF PLACES.

AND YOU BOTH MENTIONED MONEY.

MY QUESTION IS THIS.

WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT NEW TECHNOLOGY, MONEY IS STILL A MAJOR FACTOR, HOW DO THESE CANDIDATES.

HOW DO THEY GO AFTER THE BEST FUNDED CAMPAIGN, AT LEAST NOW.

HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

WE KIS IT GOING TO HAVE ANY TO TRACTION?

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TRACTION, BUT THE WAY THEY ARE GOING AFTER THE MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN IS GOING AFTER THE MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN.

YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE CANDIDATES TAKE THE GLOVES OFF, INCLUDING MURPHY.

BECAUSE HE IS SO FUNDED.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE THAT IMPACT.

BUT I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT.

JOHN CORZIN SPENT 60 MILLION TO RUN FOR SENATE AND ANOTHER 60 IN HIS TWO ATTEMPTS AND GOD KNOWS HOW MANY MILLIONS HE SPENT IN DEMOCRAT ORGANIZATION FUNDING AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER STUFF.

BOTTOM LINE, DIDN'T MATTER.

SO I DON'T THINK MONEY AND POLITICS MATTER.

PEOPLE VIEW --IF IT'S PHIL URPHY'S MONEY, IT'S NOT TAINTED.

IF HE TOOK IT FROM SOME OUTSIDE SOURCE, SOME SPECIAL INTEREST OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE, THAT MIGHT GET THE VOLTERS ATTENTION.

BUT YOU SPEND YOUR OWN MONEY, THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

REMEMBER, WE ARE INVITING YOU TO TAKE PART IN OUR POSTDEBATE POLL TO REGISTER YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR THOUGHTS.

THAT'S AT BITLY SLASH NJN DEBATE.

THAT'S AT BITLY SLASH NJN DEBATE.

ELECTION LAW COMMISSION AND HERE ARE THE GROUND RULES.

THE MODERATOR AND PANELISTS WILL ASK THE QUESTIONS.

THE EDITORIAL CONTENT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY OUR EDITORIAL STAFF AND HAS NOT BEEN SHARED WITH ANY CANDIDATE.

EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE 60 SECONDS TO ANSWER SHOULD THE MODERATOR ALLOW FOLLOW-UPS OR REBUTTALS, RESPONSES WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 SECONDS CANDIDATES WILL BE ABLE TO POSE ONE QUESTION DIRECTLY TO CANDIDATES.

AND ALLOWED 60 SECONDS FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS.

AUDIENCE, PLEASE NO APPLAUSE.

HOPE YOU GOT THAT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM.

CLOSING COMMENTS WERE CHOSEN BY DRAWING NAMES AND TURN IT OVER TO MICHAEL LAREN.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, GOOD EVENING CANDIDATES AND WE ARE GOING TO GET RIGHT TO IT.

MR.

MURPHY.

YOU'VE PROMISED TO FULLY FUND THE PENSION SYSTEM, FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA, EXPAND PRE-KINDERGARTEN.

YOU PROMISED A MORE ROBUST HOME STATE PROGRAM AND REVENUE FOR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT ON TOP OF THE HIKE IN GAS TAX, YOU SAID YOU WOULD IMPOSE A ILLIONAIRE'S TAX, LAST TIME THAT WAS DONE IT WAS WORTH 500 TO 600 MILLION.

YOU SAID YOU WOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND TAX IT FOR AN ESTIMATED 300 MILLION.

ARE THERE OTHER TAXES YOU WOULD RAISE TO GET THE REVENUE NECESSARY TO KEEP YOUR PROMISES?

YES, FIRST OF ALL, MIKE, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

THE ANSWER IS YES.

WE HAVE A FULLY DETAILED PLAN TIES DOWN TO THE PENNY.

AS YOU SAID, THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS, MULTIMILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENTS EVEN IF THEY ARE PHASED IN OVER A SERIES OF YEARS, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CLOSING SOME BIG CORPORATE LOOPHOLES, ONE OF WHICH ALLOWS CORPORATIONS TO PARK THEIR PROFITS IN LOWER TAX STATES.

ANOTHER ONE IS EGREGIOUS CARRIED INTEREST LOOPHOLE ON WALL STREET.

IF THE FEDS WON'T DO IT, WE WILL DO IT IN NEW MEXICO NJ.

WE WANT TO CLOSE THE OUT OF NETWORK HEALTHCARE LOOPHOLE, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT ON INDIVIDUALS AND DRAIN ON THE STATE COFFERS.

YOU MENTIONED LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA, AND IF YOU ADD UP ALL OF THAT AND GOD FORBID WE GOT TO GROW THE ECONOMY.

WE ARE USED TO IN CHRIS HRISTY'S NEW JERSEY STUCK IN THE MUD.

WE NEED A GOVERNOR WHO NDERSTANDS YOU GROW THE ECONOMY.

WE HAVE LEFT BILLIONS ON THE TABLE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT.

ANYONE WANT TO REPLY?

I WANT TO ASK PHIL, YOU KNOW THAT CLOSING CORPORATE LOOPHOLE IS MY LEGISLATION.

I'M BOTHERED BY THAT.

I THINK WE SHOULD GET AHEAD AND THE GOVERNOR WILL SIGN IT.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH TO GROW OUR ECONOMY BY INVESTING WHAT WE HAVE.

NEW MEXICOING NJ TRANSIT IS A CRITICAL INVESTMENT AND TRUST FUND THAT WE JUST RECENTLY DID IS A DISASTER BECAUSE HALF OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO PAY ALL DEBT AND NOT INVESTED INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE NEED DORD TO DO BETTER WITH WHAT WE ARE GROWING SO WE CAN SUPPORT THE STATE.

THE LIST OF PROMISES IS BREATHTAKING AND UNACHIEVABLE UNLESS WE CHANGE THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, TRENTON HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IN GENERATIONS HARD CHOICES, THE INSIDERS PLAY THE GAMES FOR THEMSELVES AND YOU ARE IN BED WITH THE INSIDERS.

YOU ARE NOT CHALLENGING WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

IT'S A SERIOUS MATTER, PHIL, AND WE AS CANDIDATES NEED TO CHANGE, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE INSISTED ON ETHICS INFORM.

AND YOU ARE SILENT.

MR.

MURPHY, YOU WANT 30 SECONDS REPLY.

IF WE ARE GOING TO STAND WITH PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE.

IF WE ARE GOING TO FUND WHAT GOVERNOR CHRISTY HAS UNDERFUNDED BY 8 BILLION.

WE HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY.

I LEFT OUT HEDGE FUNDS THAT MANAGE OUR PENSION ASSETS WHO ARE RIPPING OUR EYES OUT AND GIVING US VERY LITTLE RETURN.

THAT'S A BIG SOURCE OF POTENTIAL MONEY.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PENSION SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A BACKGROUNDER PIECE FROM JOHN WRIGHT MEYER OF SPOTLIGHT.

TWO RECENT STUDIES OF RETIREMENT PLANS RANK NEW MEXICOING NJ'S AS THE WORST FUNNED.

SO HOW DID THE STATE PUT ITSELF IN SUCH A DEEP HOLE?

THE PROBLEM IS MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING AND PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND.

TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY PENSION SYSTEM, IT HAS TO FLOW FROM THE EMPLOYEES TO THE EMPLOYEER, WHICH IS THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

AND GOVERNORS FROM BOTH POLITICAL PARTYINGS NEW JERSEY HAS CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE FULL EMPLOYER SITUATION THAT THE ACTUARIES HAVE CALCULATED, THE CURRENT BUDGET CALLS FOR NEARLY 2 BILLION INTO THE PENSION SYSTEM, WHICH IS 3 BILLION LESS THAN THE ACTUARIES HAVE CALLED FOR.

ALL THAT HAS LEFT A HUGE GAB OR NONFUNDED LIABILITY.

BY THE STATE'S ESTIMATES THAT LIABILITY NOW MEASURES CLOSE TO 50 BILLION.

THAT'S MORE THAN THE ANNUAL BUDGET ITSELF AND BY SOME OTHER CALCULATIONS THE UNDERSTOOD FUNDED LIABILITY IS ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT PENSIONS.

YOU PROMISED FUNDING.

WE HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

THE STATE HAS NOT MADE ITS SURE OF CONTRIBUTIONS.

WE NEED TO HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN.

RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO GO TO EACH YEAR TO EACH YEAR.

WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE STAGE TALKING ABOUT WITHSTANDING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND HELPING THEM OUT AND PHIL HERE WROTE THE REPORT SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD WORK LONGER AND GET LESS THAN FULLY FUNDING THE PENSIONS.

THAT'S THE KIND OF DOUBLE SPEAK WE HAVE SEEN AND THE KIND PEOPLE ARE TOO FREQUENTLY CUSTOMED TO IN STATE POLITICS.

AND THAT'S GOT FO CHANGE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GUARANTEED PAYMENT THROUGH A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

WOULD YOU IMPOSE A MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.

YOU WOULD IMPOSE A MILLIONAIRE'S TAX BUT OTHERS, STATE TAX CUT THAT TOOK 600 MILLION.

AND 1A TAX CUT AS WELL AS THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX AND DON'T FORGET LEGALIZING MARIJUANA AND CLOSING CORPORATE LOOPHOLES WE CAN RAISE 2.7 BILLION.

ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO REPLY, BUT SENATOR LESNIAK, YOU SAID DOUBLING IT TO BRING IN IS MILLION.

WOULDN'T THAT DRAW OUT PEOPLE.

NO PEOPLE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SHOULD WORRY IF THEIR PENSION IS THERE WHEN THEY RETIRE.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS THAT I INTEND TO DO THAT I ALREADY PROPOSED WILL FULLY FUND THE PENSION, SO WE CAN TAKE THAT WORRY OUT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

IT'S OUR OBLIGATION AND WE HAVE TO FILL IT.

MR.

JOHNSON, YOU ARE COMMITTED TO FULL FUNDING OF PENSIONS AS WELL.

HOW WILL YOU PAY FOR IT?

WE NEED TO GET THE MATH RIGHT.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN HONEST IN OUR ACCOUNTING AND CLEAR IN OUR BUDGETS.

FIRST WE NEED TO EXPLAIN WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.

SECOND, WE NEED TO REMEMBER AS SFLART LESNIAK WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING AND THEY ARE WORRIED, SO WE NEED TO STAND WITH THEM.

IN TERMS OF HOW TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS, I WOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE THE QUARTERLY PAYMENTS.

I WOULD ALSO RAISE THE ESTATE TAX.

ALSO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OUR FUNDING PLANS DON'T WORK , CLEARLY.

BUT TO DO THIS.

WE HAVE TO MAKE A TRENTON TO MAKE HARD CHOICES.

I OVERSAW A BUDGET OF OVER 4.6 BILLION IN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.

AND THAT'S THE SORT OF THING WE NEED TO DO.

AND FOLLOW-UP TO YOU, MR.

JOHNSON, THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE JUST PHASED OUT THE ESTATE TAX.

YOU WOULD CANCEL THAT AND BRING IT BACK?

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPTIONS.

IT IS A DIRE SITUATION.

WE KNOW NA AND WE KNOW IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE.

SO, YES, I WOULD LOOK AT THE ESTATE TAX AGAIN AND, YES, WE NEED TO CONSIDER RAISING IT.

WE CAN'T JUST HOPE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET TO THE NUMBER THAT IS WE NEED TO DO.

WE HAVE TO DO THE HARD MATH.

MR.

MURPHY, MR.

YOU RECOMMENDED WORKING LONGER FOR BETTER PENSIONS IN THE END.

SAY AS A GENERAL MATTER HERE, WE ARE A STATE THAT FOLKS NO LONGER TRUST, PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES DON'T TRUST US.

MANY BUSINESSES DON'T.

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T TRUST US.

THEY LEAVE THE STATE IN DROVES.

IT MAY BE PAINFUL.

WIF YOU LOOK AT THE SO-CALLEDTE MURPHY REPORT, RECOMMENDATION NO.

1, NO MORE PENSION HOLIDAYS, NO DOUBLE SPEAK.

I STAND PROUDLY WITH PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES TODAY AND I'M PROUD OF THAT REPORT.

.

DOES ANY OF YOU PROPOSE THE UP TO 7%.

ONE QUARTER IS MEANINGLESS.

IT WILL GO DOWN TO A FULL PENNY, I BELIEVE.

DOES ANY OF YOU BELIEVE WE NEED A SECOND ROUND OF CUTS IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS?

SOUNDS LIKE THE ANSWER IS -- FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO, MICHAEL, IS LIVE UP TO THE OBLIGATIONS WE MADE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FUNDMENTAL HYPOCRISIES, THESE EMPLOYEES EVERY TWO WEEKS THEY HAD A DEDUCTION TAKEN OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECK AND THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY REDIG ANYTHINGED ON THEIR --REIT NIGED ON THEIR PROMISE.

YOU CAN'T KEEP LEAVING -- 30 SECONDS.

YOU CAN'T KEEP LEAVING PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES AT THE ALTER.

OTHER CONCESSIONS THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE, INCLUDING ONES THAT WERE JAMMED DOWNED THEIR THROAT BY GOVERNOR CHRISTY.

THE STATE MUST STEP UP AND MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS.

QUICK 30 SECONDS EACH.

YES, PHIL MENTIONED WE NEED TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT WE TRUST, BUT I AM THE ONLY ONE PROPOSED ETHICS REFORM.

I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT SAID WE RUN THE CAMPAIGNS, BY BEING CLEAR, ELECTORAL REDUCE, I FILED THE COMPLAINT WITH THE WATCHDOG TO MAKE SURE ALL OF US WERE PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH APPARENTLY TO SPEND 18 MILLION TO WIN AN ELECTION.

YOU HAVE TO ALSO HIDE OTHER FUNDS.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

MR.

LESNIAK AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON.

AND I'M THE ONLY ONE PROPOSES CUTS AND WASTE OF GOVERNMENT.

I WOULD PUT NJ TRANSIT AS WATCHDOGS OVER THE REST OF THE GROUP FO MAKE SURE THEY HAD A VOTE AND MAKE SURE WE CUT OUT WASTED GOVERNMENT.

THAT HAS TO BE A PLATFORM.

THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

WE HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION NOW COMING FROM JOHN MOONEY, WHO IS IN OUR DIGITAL NEWS ROOM.

JOHN?

HI, MICHAEL, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA, MORE THAN 100 BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED.

AND THIS QUESTION COMES FROM CARA JOSEPH SON AND ACTUALLY GO TO YOU, MR.

MURPHY.

SHE IS --I SPOKE WITH HER YESTERDAY.

SHE IS A 26-YEAR-OLD WRITER ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, HAS ANOTHER JOB, NONE OF WHICH COMES WITH INSURANCE.

SHE IS WORRIED WHEN SHE TURNS 27 WHERE HEALTH INSURANCE IS GOING TO COME FROM, AS WELL AS THAT FOR HER FAMILY.

AND SHE HAD A QUESTION.

DO YOU SUPPORT UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE?

AND IF SO, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN AS TO HOW TO BRING EXPANDED HEALTHCARE TO NEW JERSEY THAT IS SIMILAR TO STATES LIKE MASSACHUSETTS?

IT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND HER FEARS ARE WELL PLACED GIVEN WHAT'S GOING ON PARTICULARLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS IN WASHINGTON.

THE ANSWER IS YES.

I SERVED --I HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF SERVING AS THE UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE FEDERAL REPUBLICAN OF GERMANY WHICH HAS UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE.

MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE IT.

IT'S A NATURAL ACT.

OTHERS IN THE WORLD LOOK AT OUR HEALTHCARE DEBATE AND SCRATCH THEIR HEADS AND [BLEEP]EDDER HOW COULD YOU LEAVE PEOPLE OUT?

THE FEDERAL CARE ACT WAS A HUGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT STILL IMPERFECT.

SO WE ARE FACED WITH A PRESIDENT THAT IS DISMANTLING IT, AIDED AND ABETTED BY PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICOING NJ PAYING A PRICE.

WE FIRST NEED TO DEFEND, DEFEND, DEFEND TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN THROUGH THE U.S.

SENATE AT THIS POINT TO MAKE SURE THIS STEP IS NOT TAKEN, BUT IF IT COMES TO IT, WE NEED ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.

BUT IT WILL BE EXPENSIVE.

THIS IS PROBABLY A 4 BILLION DOLLAR HIT TO NEW JERSEY.

MICHAEL, I'M NOT JUST TALKING ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.

I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE HAS PUT OUT A DETAILED PLAN ON A SINGLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN NEW JERSEY.

IT'S LONG PAST TIME WE MADE HEALTHCARE A FUNDMENTAL RIGHT BECAUSE WHEN HE TALK ABOUT THINGS NOT ON THIS TOPIC, THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WE SEE PART IS QUALITY HEALTHCARE.

A SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIS PLAN?

ACTUALLY I HAVE MY OWN PLAN.

IT'S ACTUALLY PHIL BRENT NON'S PLAN.

BUT THEY ARE TAKING AWAY THE BENEFITS FROM POOR FOLKS AND PREEXISTING CONDITIONS, THOSE TAX CUTS I WOULD APPLY TO BRING THOSE BENEFITS BACK TO THE NEW JERSEY PUBLIC, SIMPLE SOLUTION, IF THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY TO GIVE IT TO THE WEALTHY, WE WILL TAKE IT FROM THE WEALTHY AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE PEOPLE.

MR.

JOHNSON?

HEALTHCARE ASK A FUNDMENTAL RIGHT IN MY PERSPECTIVE.

I WAS A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE.

WHEN MY FIRST CHILD WAS BORN, SHE WAS ONLY 1 POUND 12 OUNCES.

I WAS A YOUNG FATHER AND I WAS THE ONLY BREADWINNER.

I COULD NOT HAVE AFFORDED IT IF I DID NOT HAVE THE FEDERAL HEALTHCARE, BUT WE NEED TO FIGHT.

WE NEED TO FIGHT NOT JUST WITH OUR SENATORS, BUT WE NEED TO PREPARE TO FIGHT IN COURT.

I HAVE HAD MEMBERS WITH THOSE AND I'M PREPARED TO DO IT NOW.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A CALL FOR A SINGLE PAYER IN THE STATE.

I WOULD SAID WITH RESPECT -- IT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED.

MY ONLY POINT IS IT'S A TON OF MONEY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO WHAT IT TAKES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS BACK.

SO RIGHT NOW THIS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT DOESN'T.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI, A TON OF MONEY.

IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WE CAN SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WE NOW HAVE HAS A LOT OF REDUNDANCIES.

WE CAN SAVE OVER 6 OR 7 BILLION BY A SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

THAT'S THE KIND OF CONSTITUENCIES OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT US TO DO.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT, MICHAEL.

THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WE HAVE MADE PROMISES STRORD EXPENSIVE ON THIS STAGE.

WE HAVE TO AGREE HEALTHCARE IS ESSENTIAL, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR MATH WORKS, SO I'M COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS COVERAGE, BUT THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES, AND ONE OF THE THINKING IN TRENTON IS WE ARE SAYING WE CAN DO ANYTHING AND KICKING THE CHOICES COUNT THE LINE.

THE STATE CANNOT AFFORD IT.

WE HAVE TO CHANGE AND I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT.

MR.

WIS USEE.

I AGREE WITH JIM.

THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING PROPOSED JUST NOT --WE HAVE A STATE THAT IS NOT AFFORDABLE TO LIVE IN.

WE HAVE TO --WE CAN'T MAKE IT MORE UNAFFORDABLE.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SAVE MONEY, MICHAEL.

LET'S MOVE ON.

MR.

WIS KNEWS SKIT,.

ACCORDING TO PATRICK MURRAY OF THE POLLING INSTITUTE, THAT'S WORTH 200,000 VOTES IN A PRIMARY THAT AT MOST WILL SEE 500,000.

IN TUESDAY NIGHT'S DEBATE YOU CRITICIZED THE BOSSES FOR ANOINTING MURPHY BEFORE THE PUBLIC EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.

YOU SAID "THE POLITICAL SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE."

HOW OLD YOU CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO DMRINISH THE POWER OF -- DIMINISH THE PROBLEM OF COUNTY CHAIRMAN.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM NOW.

WE HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT HAS MADE THE SYSTEM A WASH IN MONEY, OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MONEY, 1 1/2 MILLION ALONE TO COUNTY CHAIRS AND MYSTERIOUSLY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAVE GIVEN B THE LINE IN THAT COUNTY TO PHIL MURPHY.

IT'S PAY TO PLAY ATTIST ITS WORST, WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MONEY AND ENDORSEMENTS.

WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY THE POWER OF COUNTY CHAIRS TO GIVE THE LINE WAY BEFORE THE PRIMARY EVEN STARTED.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, PHIL, YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO BYE CHAIRS, BUT THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY AREN'T BUYING YOU.

GIVE ME A CHANCE I HOPE TO RESPOND.

I HAVEN'T BOUGHT ANY COUNTY CHAIRS.

I AM PROUD OF THE ENDORSEMENTS WE HAVE, WHETHER THEY BE COUNTIES, LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATION, ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO EARN THOSE ENDORSEMENTS.

WE HAVE KNOCKED ON 400,000 DOORS.

THIS IS A STATE THAT'S SCREAMING FOR LEADERSHIP IN AND A NEW WAY TO TURN THE PAGE AND WHAT WE HAVE SAID HAS APPEALED TO THESE FOLKS AND AS PROUD AS I HAVE BY THESE, I'M BY CORBY BOOKER AND -- TIME, TIME.

MR.

JOHNSON.

E30 SECONDS.- EVEN HERE YOU ARE CHANGING THE RULES.

SO LET'S STICK TO OUR TERMS AND STICK TO THIS ISSUE.

OUR DEMOCRACY IS --I GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY.

WE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS, WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, THE COUNTY CHAIRS DECIDE IN THE FALL WHO THEY ARE GOING TO ENDORSE AND CONVENTIONS HELD UNTIL THE SPRING AND ONE OF THE COUNTY SHARES SAID I CONTROL 10,000 VOTES.

THAT'S NOT DEMOCRACY.

AND THE WAY TO COMBAT ORGANIZED MONEY IS TO ORGANIZE PEOPLE, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE BEEN ARCHING AND ENCOURAGED TO PEOPLE COMING TO THE CAMPAIGN.

YOU GOT TO FOLLOW THE RULES TOO.

CONVINCED ME NOT TO RUN.

THEY SAID PHIL, WE WANT TO GET WHATEVER WE WANT FROM PHIL MURPHY FOR EIGHT YEARS.

THAT'S WHAT JERRY GREEN SAID TO MANY PEOPLE, WE ARE GOING TO GET WHATEVER WE WANT.

TRIED TO CONVINCE ME TO GET OUT OF THE RACE.

THAT CONVINCED ME TO GET IN THE RACE.

MR.

MURPHY.

I'M GLAD YOU ARE IN THE RACE.

I HAVE BEEN A FAN OF YOURS FOR A LONG TIME.

MENTIONED CONVENTIONS, 21 OF THESE COUNTIES ENDORSED US.

THESE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

THIS WAS HARD WORK.

I ANSWERED THE BELL 14 TIMES.

I'M THE ONLY GUY THAT DID AND BY THE WAY, I'M THRILLED I DID.

I WAS OUT THERE AT EACH OF THESE CONVENTIONS MAKING THE CASE, WORKING THE PHONES, HAKING HANDS, PRESENTING WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO THESE FOLKS AND IT RESONATED.

MR.

WIS KNEWS WISNIEWSKI, YOU WOULD SAY YOU WOULD -- MIDDLESEX COUNTY, KEVIN MACABE SAID HE HAD --THAT'S A RIGGED SITUATION, THIS WASN'T DEMOCRACY.

THIS IS BACK PARTY DEAL THAT PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY IS TIRED OF.

I WAS AN ATHLETE HAS A YOUNGS STER, DEFINITELY NOT AN ATHLETE NOW, BUT WHEN I COMPETED I WOULD EXPECT THE REFEREE HADN'T DECIDED THE OUTCOME BEFORE I STEPPED ON THE FLOOR.

WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION JUST NOW THAT YOU HAD THE ENDORSEMENTS BEFORE THERE WERE ANY CONVENTIONS.

YOU HAD THE CONTROL.

YOU WERE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND YOU HAD MADE DONATIONS BOTH BEFORE THE ENDORSEMENTS AND AFTER THEM.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SCHEDULED ENDORSEMENTS, IT'S REALLY PRETTY CLEAR THERE WERE CLEANUP PAYMENTS AND OVERPAYMENTS MADE UP TO THAT POINT.

LAST TIME.

ALL DUE RESPECT, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THIS CONVENTIONS, THEY ARE GOOD.

DS.

THEY ARE SCREAMING OUT FOR LEADERSHIP.

THESE AREN'T PARTY BOSSES.

THESE ARE FELLOW SID ZENS DIEING TO PURNU TURN THE PAGE.

WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON.

I'M SORRY.

QUICKLY 30 SECONDS.

THESE PEOPLE WERE THREATENED.

THESE PEOPLE WERE TOLD WHO TO VOTE FOR.

THIS WAS A RIGGED SYSTEM FROM THE DAY IT STARTED.

WE HAD COUNTY CHAIRS IN OCTOBER WERE TOLD WHO THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE THE NOMINATION TO AND THEN WE HAD A CONVENTION, GIVE ME A BREAK.

A LOT OF GOOD DERMS AND STRONG PARTY BOSS TELLING THEM HOW TO VOTE.

30 SECONDS AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO MOVE.

ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN SAID PHIL MURPHY'S MILLIONS IS PARTY BUILDING.

MY POLITICAL PARTY IS BASED ON PRINCIPALS, NOT PHIL MURPHY'S MONEY.

.

ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A FOLLOW-UP RELATED QUESTION TO MR.

MURPHY.

THE LAUMENT COMMISSION RELEASED NUMBERS.

THEY SHOW YOU SPENT 18 MILLION OP YOUR CAMPAIGN SO FAR, THAT'S FOUR TIMES MORE THAN ANY CANDIDATE COMBINED DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN.

CHRIS CHRISTY RECENTLY SAID BEWARE OF THE MAN WHO THROWS HIS MONEY AROUND.

HE IS LIKELY TO THROW YOUR MONEY AROUND AS WELL.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT.

I LISTEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, MICHAEL, CHRIS CHRISTY IS NOT ONE OF THEM, JUST FYI.

I DECLARED OUR CANDIDACY EARLIER, A YEAR AGO BECAUSE I KNEW NOBODY AND NOBODY KNEW ME.

I MADE A COMMITMENT TO RAISE MONEY.

WE HAVE RAISED MONEY OVER 9,000 PEOPLE, ALMOST 80% FROM NEW JERSEY AND OVER HALF OF IT FROM FOLKS WHO GAVE OVER $100 AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.

BUT WE MADE AN INVESTMENT IN TWO INITIATIVES, GRASSROOTS INVESTIGATIONMENTS AND PARTY BUILDING --GRASSROOTS INVESTMENTS.

I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK OR ESSEX COUNTY.

I'M TALKING ABOUT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS WE MADE IN MORRIS RAND A COMMUNITY LIKE MADISON OR IN SUSEX E. THIS IS A 21-COUNTY INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S PARTY AND I THINK WE ARE STRONGER AS A RESULT.

MR.

JOHNSON, 30 SECONDS.

INVESTMENT, THAT'S WHAT I AM HEARING RIGHT NOW IS THAT PHIL MURPHY HAS ADMITTED THE PARTY HAS BEEN BOUGHT AND PAID FOR.

IT NEEDED STRENGTHENING AND HE MADE THE DEPOSITS AND THE INVESTMENTS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE OUR PARTY STRONGER, IT'S NOT WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE OUR NATION STRONGSER AND WHO THE NEXT DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR IS IS A STRONG SIGNAL AND WRONG SIGNAL ON WHERE THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS.

IT'S NOT WHAT CHRIS CHRISTY SAID, WHAT PHIL MURPHY SAID.

HE WILL SPEND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO REPLACE THE TRUMP MONEY LOST BY SANCTUARY CITIES, WHATEVER IT TAKES.

IT'S A PHIL SPENDS WHATEVER IT TAKES OF HIS MONEY IT'S NOTE RIGHT TO SPEND WHATEVER IT TAKES OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.

YOU WILL GET A REPLY.

GO AHEAD.

MICHAEL, WE'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE PLAY OUT BEFORE, ANOTHER EXPERIENCED MAN RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR 12 YEARS AGO.

HE SPREAD MONEY AND BOUGHT ALL THE STAFF HE COULD AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER AFTER FOUR YEARS HE DID SO WELL IN THAT FIRST TERM, WE ELECTED CHRIS CHRISTY BECAUSE OF JOHN CORZINE.

WE CAN'T REPEAT THAT.

I WOULD SAY A STATE THAT'S BEEN DOWNGRADED 11 STRAIGHT TIMES THAT'S LAST IN THE NATION IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, THAT LEADS THE NATION IN HOME ORECLOSURES, DO WE NEED TO BREAK THE GLASS ARE NEW LEADERSHIP, NEW PERSPECTIVE, A NEW VISION FOR THE STATE?

I VOTE YES.

LET'S MOVE ON.

MR.

JOHNSON, YOU ARE ON RECORD AS PROPOSING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ALLOWING LOCALITIES TO CHARGE BUSINESSES A HIGHER PROPERTY TAX THAT RESIDENCES.

ABSOLUTELY.

DOESN'T THAT HURT BUSINESS?

IT GIVES MUNICIPALITIES AN OPTION.

WHENEVER WE THINK ABOUT --LET'S START FROM WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE ARE IN A STATE THAT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET ITS PROPERTY TAXES IN LINE FOR GENERATIONS.

IT HAS CAUSED NOT ONLY DIFFICULTIES IN FAMILIES.

IT'S ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO OUR FORECLOSURE CRISIS.

WE NEED TO GET THAT IN HAND AND YES, GETTING THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO ENABLE US BETTER TO MANAGE OUR IMPOSSIBLE ECONOMIC SITUATION, OUR FISCAL SITUATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES.

IF WE AGREE THERE IS A CRISIS, THEN WE NEED TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT THE SOLUTION.

ONE IS DECOUPLING THE FINANCIAL TAXES.

IF THERE IS A BUSINESS THAT OPENS UP IN TOWN AND IT INCREASES THE TRAFFIC AND TAX -- EXPENSES FOR MUNICIPALITIES, THE MUNICIPALITY SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST THE OPTION TO ACTUALLY RAISE THOSE TAXES.

THAT'S NOT IN ALL CASES, BUT TO MANAGE IT YOU NEED THAT FLEXIBILITY.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BETTER IDEA THAN RAISING THE PROPERTY TAX ON BUSINESS TO CONTROL PROPERTY TAXES?

MICHAEL, THE WAY TO SOLVE IS NOT TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES.

THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE UNDERFUNDED OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM BY 8 MILLION OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS.

THAT'S GOT TO CHANGE.

BUT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE PROPERTY TAX IS PROGRESSIVE.

IT'S NOT PROGRESSIVE.

WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY TAX AND LOOK AT A MORE BROAD TAX TO FUND.

TO FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL FORMULA.

WE ALSO DOO VERY LITTLE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, SO CHRIS CHRISTY IS HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH THROWING OUT BIG INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT COMPANIES, HE HAS DONE VERY LITTLE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS COMPANIES.

WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE THEIR BACKS.

THEY ARE THE ONES IN OUR OMMUNITIES ELSE PLOYS OUR FELLOW RESIDENTS.

MR.

LESNIAK.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUND.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES THAT HAS GONE ON SINCE THEN WHERE WE CAN SAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

WE DON'T HAVE TRUANT OFFICERS FOR 4-YEAR-OLDS.

WE HAVE TO CUT WASTE AND, YES, WE HAVE TO GET PROPERTY TAXES OUT OF THE MAJOR FUNDING FOR EDUCATION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE STATE LEVEL BY SAVING THE MONEY THAT'S BEING WASTED RIGHT NOW.

MR.

JOHNSON, NO ONE AGREES ON THE PANEL WITH YOUR IDEA OF HIKING PROPERTY TAXES ON BUSINESS ALONE.

WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SORT OF TRENTON AND INSIDER GROUPTHINK.

WE HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF BOX IF WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

WE HAVE HAD PROPERTY TAX STRUGGLES IN THIS STATE FOR DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES AND EVERY TIME CANDIDATES STEP IN FRONT OF US SAYING WE ARE GOING TO DO IT THIS TIME AND WE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING IT.

THE PROBLEM BETWEEN COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT.

WE HAVE INEFFICIENT GOVERNMENT AND NOT IN THE INSIDERS INTEREST TO CHANGE THAT.

LET'S MOVE ON.

THIS QUESTION IS FOR MR.

LESNIAK.

AS YOU JUST ILLUDED TO, THE NO.

1 PLAN FOR SPENDING IN NEW JERSEY IS TO CREATE AN OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER FOR EDUCATION.

HOW WOULD THIS SAVE A BILLION DOLLARS AS YOU CLAIM.

LET ME JUST GIVE ONE EXAMPLE.

WE JUST THREW OUT THE BAD GUYS.

PUT A LITTLE PRONG IN A COMPUTER AND FOUND THERE WERE DOZENS OF FORMER EMPLOYEES WHOSE HEALTHCARE WAS STILL BEING PAID BY THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SAY $350,000 SAVED LIKE THAT.

THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT ARE UNAUTHORIZED.

THEY ARE NOT NECESSARY.

THEY ARE PURELY ADVERTISEMENTS.

IT GOES INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND IT GETS LOST.

AN OFFICER OF CONTROL OF DUCATION WILL --NOT ONLY DOES IT GET LOST, IT'S NOT REPAID BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

BUT IT GOES ON TO THE LOCAL PROFIT TAXPAYER.

SO THIS OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER OF EDUCATION WILL SAY NO, YOU CAN'T WAIST THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, YOU CAN'T SPEND IT ON WASTEFUL DOLLARS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION.

MR.

WIZ KNEW SKIT.

HOW DO WE FIND THOSE DOLLARS IN.

I WOULD FREEZE AND AUDIT THEM.

WE HAVE SEEN WASTE.

WE HAVE SEEN HONEY WELL GET A BIG TAX BREAK ONLY TO PAY IT TO THE CEO.

WE HAVE SEEN ONE COUNTY TO ANOTHER THAT DOESN'T CREATE NEW JOBS.

WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON THE THINGS WE ARE ALREADY DOING SO WE HAVE MONEY TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

MR.

JOHNSON.

YES, A COMPTROLLER COULD BE HELPFUL, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS TRENTON AND OUR STATE OVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE OVERHAULED TOP TO BOTTOM.

THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSE ETHICS REFORM.

FOLKS LOOKED AT IT AND SAID WHY WOULD YOU PROPOSE SUCH A THING.

WE SEEN IN WASHINGTON HOW WE CAN GET OFF TRACK.

AND WE HAVE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH THESE INSIDER CONTRACT HOW THE TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING GLEESED.

WE CAN GET MONEY TO DO THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING BY TAKING CARE OF OPERATING, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN.

I HOPE THERE IS A MONEY IN RACE PLAN, BUT THERE TWO THINGS I CAN'T GET BEYOND.

NO.

ONE WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD FUNDED THE SCHOOL BY 8 MILLION AND WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND TWO, HE HAS VILIFIED AND SHAKEN THE ENTIRE EDUCATION PROFESSION.

I THINK OUR FEEDER SCHOOLS ARE DOWN I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 30%, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARY.

THIS IS A PROFESSION WE NEED TO GET BACK UP ON A PEDESTAL.

YOU ARE GOVERNOR CHRISTY.HRISTY.

IT IS TIME FOR THE CANDIDATE BY CANDIDATE QUESTIONS.

YOU EACH GET TO ASK A QUESTION OF ONE OTHER CANDIDATE AND WE START WITH MR.

WIZ KNEWS WISNIEWSKI.

SURE.

YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT YOUR ENDORSEMENTS FOR VOTERS OF THE SIERRA CLUB AND PIPELINES TO FRAKING.

YET IN YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO, YOU ARE NEED TO FIGHTED IN COMPANY THAT IS FUND IF PIPELINE AND THAT PRODUCE THE FRAKING AND CONTAMINATED WATER.

HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU TAKE THESE.

FIRST OF ALL.

WE WILL PUT OUR ENTIRE WHATEVER WE HAVE IN TERMS OF INVESTMENTS INTO A BLIND TRUST.

THERE IS PROBABLY NO GOOD ANSWER IN TERMS OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.

I WILL SAY THIS.

I HELPED BRING TOGETHER ONE OF PREMIER SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FIRMS IN THE WORLD THAT IS ACTUALLY CHAIRED BY AL GORT, AND I HAD A SIGNIFICANT STAKE IN THAT AND I WAS PROUD OF THAT.

AGAIN, I MEAN WHAT I SAY ABOUT FRAKING.

I MEAN WHAT I SAY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

I MEAN WHAT I SAY ABOUT NOT JUST FRAKING IN NEW MEXICOING NJ, BUT WASTE BEING TRAFFICKED THROUGH THE --FRAK K IN NEW JERSEY, BUT WASTE BEING TRAFFICKED THROUGH THE STATE.

YOU WANT A 30 SECOND REBUTTAL.

I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT YOUR WORDS DON'T MEET YOUR ACTIONS.

IN 2013 YOU GAVE A SPEECH WHERE YOU HAD STOLED THE VIRTUED OF FRAKING.

YOU EXTOLLED HOW IT WAS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND TALK AND RIDICULED HOW PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT CONTAMINATION TO WATER.

YOUR POSITION IN SPEECHES, YOUR POSITION IN INVESTMENTS DO NOT MATCH THE ENDORSE LMENTES.

I WOULD ASK THEM TO RESCIND THEIR ENDORSEMENTS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATCH WHAT YOU ARE AND WHO YOU BELIEVE.

I WASN'T THERE IN 2014, SO I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

YOU WERE IN GERMANY.

YOU GAVE A SPEECH.

I ACTUALLY WASN'T.

I RETURNED FROM GERMANY IN 2013, BUT I WILL PUT THAT PESKY LITTLE DETAIL ASIDE.

I DID SPEAK IN GERMANY ABOUT THE FACT --AND I BELIEVE I WAS PRESSURED THAT RUSSIA AND VLADIMIR PUTIN WERE USING ENERGY AS A WEAPON TO BREAK AWART THE WESTERN ALLIANCE.

I SAID AS A GEE POLITICAL MATTER IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE IN THE BACK OF PUTIN'S MIND EVEN IF GERMANY TALKED ABOUT FRAKING.

I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT NEW JERSEY.

I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, DID YOU PRAISE FRAKING.

I DID NOT PRAISE FRAKING.

IT WAS A GEOPOLITICAL STEP.

AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE, THAT WAS NOT ILL PLACED AS A CONCERN.

MR.

MURPHY, YOUR TURN FOR A QUESTION TO ONE OF THE OTHERS.

I WAS GOING TO ASK RAY A QUESTION E AN ENERGY RELATED QUESTION AND I HAVE A COUPLE I COULD ASK.

WE MET A LONG TIME AGO AND YOU ARE NOT A JOHNNY COME LATELY TO THE POSITIONS.

YOU TALK ABOUT THE EXXON MOBILE SETTLEMENT, WHICH IS A DISGRACE.

WHAT CONFIDENCE DO YOU HAVE OR SHOULD WE HAVE THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN FIND A BETTER OUTCOME THERE.

100%.

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR LEGAL AREAS MADE IN THE JUDGE'S DECISION AND IN THE SETTLEMENT.

ACTUALLY IT LETS EXXON MOBILE OFF THE HOOK FOR CLEANUP OF MORRIS CREEK, WHICH IS A 750-MILLION CLEANUP BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP UNTIL REFINERY OPERATIONS CEASE ON THE SITE.

MY SPILL FUND LAW SAYS IT HAS TO BE CLEANED UP PROMPTLY.

THAT'S ONE REVERSIBLE ERROR.

NOW I CAN'T ASK YOU A DIFFERENT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME A SOFTBALL.

WE CARE ABOUT YOUR ANSWER.

THANK YOU.

READ MY BRIEF.

IT'S ON MY WEBSITE.

IT'S A DEAL.

NO.

2, THEY THREW IN 16 OTHER SITES WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC REVIEW, VIOLATED THE LAW.

THIS IS GOING TO BE OVERTURNED.

THE $225 MILLION IS GOING TO BE TURNED INTO BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BASED ON MY LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

30 SECONDS, DON'T HUGE DAMAGE CLAIMS LIKE 9.2 BILLION IN THIS CASE ALWAYS END UP SETTLING FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR?

NO, THEY DON'T END UP SETTLING FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR, BUT IT'S WORSE BECAUSE CHRISTY THREW IN 16 GOODIES RELIEVING EXXON ON LIABILITY OF OVER $1 BILLION.

SO THE EXXON IS ACTUALLY WALKING OUT OF THIS CASE WITH MONEY IN ITS POCKET.

THAT'S WRONG AND IT'S GOING TO COME OUT AND I WILL GET IT REVERSED.

UNBELIEVABLE.

MR.

JOHNSON, QUESTION FOR ANY OF THE OTHERS?

PHIL, I FOUND YOUR ANSWER ABOUT YOUR INVESTMENTS STUNNING.

THE IDEA THAT THIS STAGE IN THE ELECTION AND THIS STAGE IN YOUR CAREER YOU HAVE NO GOOD ANSWER ABOUT YOUR INVESTMENTS SAYS SOMETHING TO ALL OF US.

THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT VALUES AND ABOUT VALUES NOT ONLY THAT WE TALK ABOUT.

IT'S NOT ABOUT GOOD TALKING POINTS.

IT'S ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ACTED.

WE ARE NOW IN A FIGHT FOR PROGRESSIVE VALUES, NOT ONLY IN THIS STATE, BUT IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE OF WHO IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

JUST THIS WEEK WITH THE FIRING OF JIM COMEY, WE HAVE CONTINUING CHALLENGE TO IMMIGRATION.

I HAVE FOUGHT ON THESE ISSUES THROUGHOUT DECADES.

GOT TO BRING IT TO A QUESTION.

AND --SO MY QUESTION IS THIS.

WHAT IS IT IN YOUR TIME AT GOLD MAN SAX THAT SHOULD GIVE ANYONE ASSURANCE THAT THE VALUES YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE PROGRESSIVE VALUES THAT YOU HAVE ACTED ON , PARTICULARLY WHEN IT RELATES TO FORECLOSURE AND PARTICULARLY WHEN IT RELATES TO WHAT GOLDEN SAX DID IN 2008 WHEN THE ECONOMY WAS TANKING.

GOLDEN SAX DID FINE AND YOU GAVE THEM AN A. I LEFT GOLD MAN SAX IN 2003, BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT ASIDE.

I APPRECIATE IT, JIM.

I DON'T WANT ANYONE LECTURING ME ABOUT PROGRESSIVE VALUES.

I KNOW HOW I GREW UP.

I GREW UP WHERE MY DAD DIDN'T GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, MY MOM DID, YOUNGEST OF FOUR.

WE WERE WORKING POOR.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TWO NICKELS TO RUB TOGETHER.

JACK KENNEDY, BOBBY KENNEDY, MARTIN LUTHER KING WERE MY HEROES.

I WENT TO COLLEGE AND GRADUATE SCHOOL AND BORROWED A TON OF MONEY.

I DID WORK AT GOLD MAN SAX.

I THINK THERE ARE SKILLS THAT MAY HELP.

HOW TO CREATE JOBS, GOOD AND BAD MODELS.

HOW TO DEAL WITH RADIANT AGENCIES.

I ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARD OF NAACP.

SIFL RIGHTS AND JUSTICES BURN DEEPLY IN ME.

I CHAIRED THE BOARD OF A WOMEN'S SHELTER.

MY WIFE AND I STARTED A TEEN HELP LINE.

PROGRESSIVE VALUES ARE NOT A BOOK I HAVE TO READ OR SOME ABSTRACT CONCEPT.

I HAVE LIVED IT MY ENTIRE LIFE.

THE QUESTION IS ON THE BOARD AND YOU COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED RATHER THAN THE EARLIER CHAPTERS OF YOUR LIFE.

YOU HAD A 23 YEAR CHAPTER.

WHAT TIME AT GOLD MAN SHOWS YOUR PROGRESSIVE VALUES, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE FORECLOSURE AND THE CRASH AND HOW GOLD MAN SAX DID.

IT'S A PESKY DETAIL, BUT I LEFT GOLD MAN SAX YEARS BEFORE THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS.

LET HIM ANSWER THE QUESTION.

ONE, I'M PROUD TO SAY THE AMERICAN WOMEN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

GAVE ME THEIR BIDS MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD, WHICH IS AN AWARD THAT I FEEL PROUD ABOUT.

SO IN AN OTHERWISE LOUSY ENVIRONMENT --AND YOU HAVE SEEN THIS I'M SURE THROUGH YOUR ERSPECTIVE AT A BIG LAW FIRM AND SEEN IT UP CLOSE IN TERMS OF THE WALL STREET REALITY, WOMEN AND PERSONS OF COLOR TEND TO BE UNDERREPRESENTATIVE AND I WAS HELD OUT AS A BEACON AND I'M PROUD OF IT.

WHEN DID YOU GET THAT AWARD?

2001, 2002, I HAVE IT IN MY OFFICE, I WILL LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW.

AND QUESTION OF ONE OF THE THREE.

I'M SHOCKED FOR THIS.

YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR ROLE AT GOLD MAN SAX DID NOT INCLUDE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ON A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

YOU WERE ON THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THAT ESTABLISHED MORTGAGE LENDING POLICIES.

MORTGAGE LENDING POLICIES THAT LENDED $60 BILLION WORTH OF SUBPRIME AND NEAR SUBPRIME LOANS THAT RESULTED IN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FORECLOSURES, MANY HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND GOLD MAN SAX UNDER THE POLICIES THAT YOU URN THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE --UNDER THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WAS FINED $6 BILLION FOR FRAUDULENT MORTGAGE SECURITIES.

WHAT'S THE QUESTION?

THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN YOU RUN FOR GOVERNOR WITH A ROSHD LIKE THAT?

RIGHT --RECORD LIKE THAT?

RIGHT, AGAIN, A PESKY LITTLE DETAIL.

I WAS LONG GONE WHEN THIS CRISIS EITHER BUILT UP OR FELL APART.

BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS.

I DON'T THINK --I'M GOING TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE IS HARDER ON WALL STREET RIGHT NOW THAN I AM.

OKAY?

SO I'M CALLING FOR THE HEDGE FUNDS TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING OUR PENSION ASSETS.

I'M CALLING FOR A STRONG MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.

I'M CALLING FOR THE CREATION OF A PUBLIC BANK.

I KNOW IT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE BERNIE SANDERS LOVES IT, WALL STREET HATES IT.

I'M CALLING FOR THE CLOSING THE COMBINED LOOPHOLE THESE HEDGE FUNDS CLAIM IS CAPITAL GAINS.

WALL STREET SCREWED UP IN A BIG WAY.

THEY DON'T DESERVE OUR SUPPORT.

THEY DON'T DESERVE OUR MONEY AND IF I'M ELECTED I WILL MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

MR.

WIS KNEWSY, 30 SECONDS.

WANTS A PUBLIC BANK FOR VERMONT, NOT NEW JERSEY.

THE HEAD OF THAT BANK SAYS NO OTHER STATE SHOULD TRY THIS.

AND WITH OUR RECORD IN NEW JERSEY OF MANAGING PENSIONINGS AND MANAGING EDUCATION AND MANAGING TRANSPORTATION, OF COURSE IT'S NATURAL TO ASSUME THE ONE THING WE WILL GET RIGHT IS A BANG THAT WILL LOAN TO INSIDERS THAT WILL COST TAXPAYERS MONEY.

ANOTHER THING ENDORSED, AND SECONDLY I KNOW IT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE THE BANKERS DON'T LIKE IT AND THE GUYS RUNNING AGAINST ME DON'T LIKE IT.

THIS IS AN IDEA THAT WREAKS OF TRANSPARENCY OF DOING BUSINESS FOR NEW JERSEYENS, FOR OUR FELLOW CITIZENS.

LENDING MONEY TO OUR KIDS TO GO TO COLLEGE AT REASONABLE RATES.

GETTING MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

I THINK IT'S A DYNAMITE IDEA.

YOU WERE THERE WHEN THE POLICIES WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN THE SUBPRIME LENDING.

SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

[INDISCERNIBLE] THANK YOU.

I THINK THE BANK IDEA IS A BAD IDEA.

I SERVED IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR FOUR YEARS.

PART OF MY JOB WAS TO OVERSEE MONEY LAUNDERING IN BANKS BUT ALSO SAFETY AND SOUNDNESS.

AT TREASURY WE NEVER WOULD HAVE SAID SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE THE IDEA, THEREFORE IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

WE WOULD GET THE MATH RIGHT AND THE MATH THAT PHIL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOESN'T WORK FOR NEW JERSEY.

IT IS A BAD IDEA AND IT OUGHT TO BE KILLED.

MR.

MURPHY.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I DON'T AGREE.

I WILL TELL YOU THE CURRENT CASES AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THIS WATCHING AT HOME AS WELL.

WE HAVE ABOUT -- AS THE STATE PUTS 12 BILLION DEPOSITS IN THE BANKS AND YOU KNOW WHERE THAT IS NOW?

BURIED IN A FOOTNOTE IN AN ANNUAL FILING WE MAKE AND THAT GOES TO BANK OF TOKYO, DEUTSCHE BANK AND COKE BROTHERS WITH NO TRANSPARENCY AT ALL.

THIS WOULD SHINE A COMPLETE LIGHT ON HOW WE USE OUR DEPOSITS.

I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT FOR 30 SECONDS.

DO I GET A CHANCE?

HE HAS ALL THE CHANCES.

THANK YOU, MR.

JOHNSON.

A PUBLIC BANK, MR.

WIZ KNEWS WIS KNEWS SKIT A PUBLIC BANK, MR.

WIZ KNEWS WIS KNEWS SKIT WISNIEWSKI ALLUDED TO THIS.

TAKE THOSE 12 BILLION, THEY GET DEPOSITED OVERWHELMINGLY OVER NEW JERSEY.

THEN THE CORPORATIONS SEND THAT BACK INTO NEW JERSEY IN INVESTMENTS AND LOANS.

THAT'S A REALITY.

TTHINK OF THE BENEFIT TO OUR ECONOMY IF WE HAD ALL OF THAT MONEY GETTING LENT BACK INTO REASONABLE RATE STUDENT LOANS, NOT LOAN SHARK RATES, SMALL BUSINESS.

TIME, MR.

WIZ KNEWS SKIT.

WE NEED A SYSTEM OF FREE PUBLIC COLLEGE EDUCATION IN NEW JERSEY.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE A PUBLIC BANK MAKING LOANS BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY WILL GO TO POLITICAL INSIDERS AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE TAXPAYERS IN NEW JERSEY WILL BE ON THE HOOK TO PICK UP THAT MESS, THAT'S A BAD IDEA.

MR.

JOHNSON AND THEN MOVE ON.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IS TRUST AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR AT THE TIME OF BRIDGE GAIT, PEOPLE DIDN'T TRUST GOVERNMENT AND IT'S CLEAR PEOPLE HAVEN'T TRUSTED GOVERNMENT AND THAT'S THE EXACT TIME PHIL MURPHY PROPOSED THE PUBLIC BANK.

THE IDEA HOW IS BEFORE PUTTING AN ETHICS REFORM IS A GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION AND GIVE IT A PILE OF MONEY, TO ME THAT IS OUT OF TOUCH AND OUT OF CONTROL.

HE MENTIONED YOUR NAME.

I WILL GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS.

I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THIS.

YOU KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO IS SIT DOWN AND ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.

I WOULD LIKE TO GET FREE HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE AS WELL.

BUT AS LONG AS STUDENTS DO HAVE LOANS OUTSTANDING, RIGHT NOW THEY ARE BEING LOAN SHARKED FROM WALL STREET FIRMS.

I WANT TO HAVE A MORE REASONABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR KIDS AND HOPEFULLY TRY TO KEEP THEM IN NEW JERSEY WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE.

[INDISCERNIBLE] CRETE YALE A I'MBANK.Y.

I'M SORRY.

WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO SCHOOL FUNDING.

WE HAVE A BACKGROUND PIECE ON THAT FROM BRENDA FLANAGAN.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY WHEN YOU DISCUSS SCHOOL IN NEW JERSEY.

LOOK FOR STATE AID TO PAY THE BILLS, BUT 2008 FUNDING IS OUTDATED AN OUT OF BALANCE AID LEAVES 368 DISTRICTS OVERFUNDED AND 223 STARVED FOR CASH AND ENROLLMENT CAP SLAMS DISTRICT WHERE STATE FUNDING HASN'T KEPT PACE WITH BOOMING POPULATIONS.

UNABLE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES OEFRP A 2% LIMIT, DISTRICTS INSTEAD CUT.

IN ITS NEW BUDGET THEY OWN SCHOOLS WITH 300 STAFFERS INCLUDING TEACHERS.

CHESTERFIELD THE STATE'S MOST UNDERSTOOD FUNDED DISTRICT HAS CUT ITS ENTIRE MUSIC PROGRAM.

GOVERNOR CHRISTY NEVER BUNLD V FUNDED, THAT'S MORE THAN A BILLION AND SO-CALLED ABBOTT DISTRICTS GET THE LION SHARE BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT.

CHRISTY LAUNCHED A PROPOSAL CALLED THE FAIRNESS FORMULA THAT WOULD PAY THE SAME AMOUNT FOR EVERY CHILD, ABOUT 6600, THAT LANDED WITH A THUD.

BUT SQUABBLING MONCKS LAWMAKERS STYMIED COMPROMISE REFORMS.

IT'S COMPLICATED AND HARD TO SIMPLIFY, BUT LET ME TRY.

[INDISCERNIBLE] [INDISCERNIBLE] THIS IS HARD.

THE BIG ISSUE WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION IS WE GOT TO FUND IT.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN A HECK NO CHARTER GUY, BUT THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE UNDER GOVERNOR CHRISTY IS EXTREMELY TROUBLING.

I SAID LISTEN, LET'S GET A TIME OUT AND SOME RULES OF THE ROAD.

WE OVERLABELED THIS DISCUSSION, TALKING DISTRICTS VERSUS CHARTERS VERSUS RENAISSANCE.

I WANT TO BE THE GUY THAT SUPPORTS SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING, BUT THERE ARE FUNDING ISSUES, DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUES.

LET'S GET THE RULES OF THE ROAD ORGANIZED.

THIS IS THE WAY HE HAS DONE CHARTERS IS NOT THE WAY I HAVE ANY INTEREST IN DOING IT.

MORATORIUM OR NOT.

I WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE NAACP WHEN HE TOOK A VOTE AND I VOTED AGAINST THE MORATORIUM BECAUSE IT WAS IMPLYING FEDERAL MONEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT OFF THE NEXT DAY AND KIDS THROWN OUT OF SCHOOL AND I'M NOT FOR THAT.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI, YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF SCHOOL OF CHOICE; IS THAT RIGHT?

I AM ON RECORD OF -- CHARTER SCHOOLS.

I AM ON RECORD OF MORATORIUM ON SCHOOLS AND THE IMPACT OF SCHOOLS LEFT BEHIND.

WHAT HAPPENS IS 50, 100 CHILDREN LEAF THAT SCHOOL AND GO TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL.

THAT MONEY LEAVES THAT SCHOOL AS WELL.

AND YET THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES HAVEN'T CHANGED ONED BIT.

SO BY FUNDING A CHARTER SCHOOL, WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING IS HURTING THE KIDS WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND.

THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.

UNLESS THAT IS SO FARED WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS.

MR.

JOHNSON?

I'M A REASONABLY BRIGHT GUY, BUT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NAACP BOARD VOTE HAD TO DO WITH YOUR QUESTION.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE FAVORED A MORATORIUM.

I CALLED FOR A PAUSE AND I HAD DID IT BY MY EXPERIENCE BY SEEING THE YOUNG KIDS CHARTER SCHOOL IS AN OPTION, BUT BEING IN GOVERNMENT, CHARTER SCHOOLS WERE STARTING TO BE A LABORATORY FOR EDUCATION, WHICH THE BEST PRACTICES WERE PASSED ON.

WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT, WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A PAUSE.

THE OTHER THING WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THERE ARE DISTRICTS THERE IS A CHOICE FOR FUNDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND FUNDING FOR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I HAVE BEEN A LONG FAN OF RADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PROUD MY DAUGHTER JUST GRADUATED ONE LAST YEAR AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.

MR.

MURPHY, I BELIEVE ALL THREE OF YOUR OPPONENTS ARE FOR A MORATORIUM.

IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER YOU ARE FOR A MORATORIUM.

I THINK JIM SAID A PAUSE AND I SAID A TIME OUT AND I AM IN FAVOR OF THAT.

I WAS ASKED BY JOHN ABOUT A MORATORIUM AND I'M SORRY I WASN'T CLEAR.

ABOUT 6 OR 9 MONTHS AGO, NAACP CONSIDERED A MORATORIUM.

AND AS THEY DEFINED IT, IT WAS CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THROWING KIDS OUT OF THE SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY AND I'M NOT SUPPORTING THAT.

WITH QUESTION FROM A VIEWER.

LET ME CALL UPON DAVID CRUZ.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

THIS QUESTION IS FROM OUR AUDIENCE FOR MR.

MURPHY.

IT SAYS, HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY ALLOWING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO RETIRE WITH A 30-YEAR LIFE XPECTANCY WHEN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TAXPAYERS WHO WILL PAY FOR THAT EARLY RETIREMENT MUST CONTINUE WORKING UNTIL A FAR GREATER AGE?

MR.

MURPHY?

I WOULD SAY THE FOLLOWING: THE BATTLEFIELD OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS IS LITTERED WITH OFFENSES AND BAD PUBLIC POLICY JAMMED DOWN THE THROAT OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES.

I HAVEN'T MET ONE PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEE , WHETHER IT'S AN EDUCATOR, WHO AGAIN WE GOT TO GET BACK UP ON THE PEDESTAL, POLICE, FIRE, I WAS WITH A BUNCH OF FRIENDS FROM CWA AT LUNCH.

I HAVEN'T MET ONE PERSON WHO WENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT TO GET RICH, NOT ONE.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE PART OF SCIU AND CHANGING BEDPANS FOR 20 YEARS AND YOU ARE RETIRED, WHEN GOVERNOR CHRISTY JAMMED CHAPTER 78 DOWN THE THROATS OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS AND TOOK COLA OUT, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE OF THE PERSON BEING ABOVE OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

SO LET'S NOT GO DOWN THE PATH GOVERNOR CHRISTY LED US DOWN AND TRUMP WANTS TO LEAD US DOUGH OF FILL FIGGING.

MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN YOU PUT THAT BURDEN ON PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WHOSE PENSIONS HAVE KIND OF DISAPPEARED.

BUT MICHAEL, I WOULD RESPOND HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THE BURDEN THE STATE HAS PUT ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES BY WELCHING ON THEIR PENSION PAYMENTS BY TRAMPING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND JAMMING CHANGES DOWN THEIR THROAT, IN FACT SUSPENDING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

YOU HAVE GOT TO VIEW IT IN A BROADER CONTEXT.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

JUST BECAUSE OTHER FOLKS AREN'T GETTING WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE, THEY SHOULD BE GETTING IT.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU TAKE IT AWAY FROM OTHER FOLKS.

I ALSO VOTED AGAINST CHAPTER 78 BECAUSE THERE IS A CLAUSE IN THERE FOR THE STATE NOT TO FULFILL ITS OBLIGATION.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH PUBLIC TRUST.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM WITH NEGOTIATING WITH OUR DWRUN I DON'T KNOWS BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT --UNIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO FULLY FUND THE PENSIONS AND THEN SIT DOWN AND NEGOTIATE.

MICHAEL, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST.

STATE OF NEW JERSEY MADE A ROMPT TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND WE CAN ARGUE UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME AS TO WHETHER THAT PROMISE SHOULD BE MADE, BUT THE PROMISE MADE HAS TO BE KEPT.

THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT WHO TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTH.

CHAPTER 78, WHICH I WAS PROUD TO VOTE AGAINST HAD ITS UNDERPINNINGS ON WHAT FIM MURPHY AUTHORED.

SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY CARE ABOUT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY WERE IN FACT RESPONSIBLE FOR CHAPTER 78, IT REALLY RINGS HOLLOW.

MR.

MURPHY.

THERE IS A NEW PHRASE FOR THIS.

IT'S CALLED ALT FACTS.

IT IS NOT TRUE.

WHAT DID YOUR REPORT SAY.

AS YOU RECALL, NO MORE PENSION HOLIDAYS.

NOWHERE DID IT TALK ABOUT AISING THE RETIREMENT AGE TO 65.

NOWHERE DID IT TALK ABOUT TAKING COLA AWAY AND NOWHERE DID IT TALK ABOUT TRAMPLING AND SUSPENDING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

NO CLARIFY, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING -- THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN THIS CASE HAS TO STOP WELCHING ON ITS SIDE OF THE DEAL.

ALL RIGHT.

MICHAEL, ONE OF THE [INDISCERNIBLE] IN THE REPORT IS TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE.

MR.

MURPHY.

I THINK TO 50 OR 60, CHRISTY RAISED IT 5 OR 7 YEARS MORE.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE CAMPAIGN.

WE ARE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OWN OPINION.

WE ARE NOT ENTITLED TO OUR OWN FACTS AND THE FACTS ARE CLEAR.

THAT REPORT RECOMMENDED RAISING RETIREMENT AGE I THINK IT WENT FROM 55 TO 60.

PLAN -- NO IT DIDN'T.

NOW HE IS SAYING MAYBE IT DID.

LAST WORD, MR.

MURPHY.

MR.

MURPHY, I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR REPORT AND CHAPPER 78 IS NONEXISTENT.

WE RESPECTED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COMPLETELY.

WE SAID NOTHING ABOUT COLA.

WE SAID NOTHING ABOUT RAISING RETIREMENT AGES TO 65, PERIOD.

WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MASS TRANSIT INTO AND OUT OF NEW YORK CITY.

WE HAVE A BACKGROUND PIECE ON THAT FROM BRIANNA.

NEW JERSEY TRANSIT RIDERS HAVE ENDURED RISING FARES AND LOUSY COMMUNICATION FOR PASSENGERS STRANDED BY BUSTED SWITCHES.

WHEN THE COMMUTER TRAIN KILLED ONE AND INJURED MORE.

NEW JERSEY TRANSIT HAD POSITIVE SAFEGUARDS THAT MIGHT HAVE SLOWED THE TRAIN AND IN LATE SPRING TWO SEPARATE DERAILMENTS AT PENN STATION AND ONE TRAIN STALLED IN A CORRODED TUNNEL BY HUDSON RIVER.

ALL MAINTAINED BY AMTRAK WHICH ADMITTED FAILED TO MAINTAIN.

GOVERNOR CHRISTY WITHHELD FROM AMTRAK AND NOW AN EXPENSEI RENEWAL PROJECT THAT COULD SHUT DOWN TRACKS TO THE BUSIEST RAIL SYSTEM FOR 45 DAYS IN AUGUST THIS SUMMER.

COMPLICATING THE TRANSIT EVEN FURTHER, REPLACEMENT, NEW ESTIMATED 24 BILLION GATEWAY PROJECT WON'T BE COMPLETED UNTIL 2025.

ASSUMING IT'S ADEQUATELY FUNDED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S START WITH MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

YOU ARE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.

YOUR OPPONENT PHIL MURPHY PUT OUT A PLAN ON EASING THE TRANSIT CRISIS INTO NEW YORK CITY.

HE PROMISED MORE FUNDING FOR NEW JERSEY .

WHAT'S YOUR PROPOSAL.

IT IS SIMPLE, MANAGEMENT AND MONEY AND IT DOESN'T HAVE EITHER.

AN EMERGENCY MANAGER, THAT'S CALLED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

BUT WE NEED SOMEBODY LEADING THE AGENCY WHO IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CALLING THE GOVERNOR ERR SINGLE MOMENT TO SEE HOW THE AGENCY SHOULD BE RUN.

I ALONE WHAT MANY LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR FUNDING FOR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FOR A LONG TIME.

LEADERSHIP IN THE STATEHOUSE HAS NOT WANTED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THAT.

AND WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS.

PATRONAGE HIRES WHERE GUNIAK LEFT THE OFFICE.

WHAT NEW JERSEY NEEDS TO BE TO HAVE IS A TOP TO BOTTOM REMAKE, GOOD LEADERSHIP THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW TO MAKE THE TRAINS AND BUSES LITERALLY RUN ON TIME SAND AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FROM STATE GOVERNMENT WHICH I WOULD PUT IN MY FIRST BUDGET.

SO YOU WOULD DO SIMILAR TO WHAT MR.

MURPHY SAID, WHICH IS MORE FUNDING, BETTER MANAGEMENT.

I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR MORE FUNDING AND BETTER MANAGEMENT FOR A LONG TIME.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS UNDER THIS GOVERNOR WE HAVE HAD 31% FARE INCREASES BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION THINKS WE OUGHT TO BE PUTTING THE BURDEN ON COMMUTERS AND NOT ON THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME, MICHAEL.

MR.

MURPHY.

I WOULD SAY JUST AS I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO, NJ USED TO BE A CHERISHED ASSET OF THE STATE AND NOW A LAUGHING STOCK.

THE GOVERNOR CUT ITS FUNDING BY 90%.

WE'VE PUT FORWARD A WHOLE PLAN OF SHORT TERM STEPS AND LONGER TERM STEPS.

ONE OF THE SHORT TERM STEPS IS TO FORCE AMTRAK TO USE EVERY WAKING HOUR, PARTICULARLY ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS TO MAKE THEIR REPAIRS.

I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE CEO OF AMTRAK AGREE WITH ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH CLOSER COOPERATION IN PEN STATION ON AMTRAK AND NJ TRANSIT.

BUT AT THE END OF DAY PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT AND PUT STATE MONEY BACK INTO IT.

BY YOUR MEASURE GOVERNOR CHRISTY CUT THE FUNDING BY 90%.

HE SAYS HE HAS INCREASED THE FUNDING BY 55%, BUT I DON'T THINK EITHER OF US WILL SOLVE THAT.

NOT ALT FACTS.

NEW MEXICOING NJ TRANSIT ON MONDAY, I HAVE BEEN A REGULAR COMMUTER FOR 15 YEARS.

I DON'T NEED TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE PROBLEMS THAT COMMUTERS HAVE BEEN FACING AND IT'S NOT JUST MANAGEMENT AND IT'S NOT JUST MONEY, BUT IT'S ALSO VISION.

WE HAVE AN AND KWAT AND ANCIENT VIEW HOW IT SHOULD BE COORDINATED TOGETHER INSTEAD WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY COMMUNICATE INSTEAD OF DUALING OVER RESOURCES AND RESPONSIBILITY AND BLAME, THAT A COMMUTER HAS REAL CHOICES.

WE JUST SAW A PICTURE OF THE HOBOKEN CRASH.

MY WIFE MISSED THAT BY 40 MINUTES.

FOR ME THIS IS PERSONAL AS IT IS FOR HUNDREDS OF COMMUTERS IN THE STATE.

THE NEXT GOVERNOR NEEDS TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY FROM NORTHERN NEW JERSEY TO SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

WE HAVE A TRUST FUND AND THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE INVESTING THAT TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND INTO MAKING MASS TRANSIT A WORLD CLASS MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM.

BUT INSTEAD THEY HAVE THIS PORK PANEL.

THE GOVERNOR, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY HAVE A VETO OTHER ANY PROJECT, SO THEY ARE GETTING A LIGHT RAIL.

THEY ARE GETTING THIS ACCESS ROAD INSTEAD OF INVESTING IT EN MASSE TRANSIT, TAKING CARE OF THEIR POLITICAL FRIENDS.

INVEST EN MASSE TRANSIT FIRST AND PUT TWO REAL COMMUTERS ON THE BOARD WITH THE VOTE AND A SECOND THAT CANNOT BE TABLE AND YOU WATCH AND SEE HOW MANAGEMENT IMPROVES.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI, 30 SECONDS.

MICHAEL, THE CAPITAL PROGRAM IS AS MUCH TO BLAME AS THE MANAGEMENT AND LACK OF FUNDING.

WE HAVE INVESTED IN THE CAPITAL NEW JERSEY TRANSIT.

BIAS TOWARDS ROADS, NOT TO RAILS AND BUSES AND THAT'S A B PRO.

WHEN YOU SEE THE LACK OF NVESTMENT AND LACK OF MANAGEMENT AND LACK OF LEADERSHIP, THAT IS TAKING A WORLD CLASS AGENCY AND MAKING IT A LAUGHING STALK.

I WOULD CHANGE THAT.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF OUR ECONOMIC MALAISE, IT NO LONGER GROWS UNDER GOVERNOR CHRISTY.

WE COULD BE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS.

AND ONE OF THE BIG LEGS OUT IS INFORMSMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ECONOMY AND IN PARTICULAR RAIL.

IT'S AXIOMATIC.

WHEN YOU PUT DOLLARS INTO LIGHT RAIL YOU HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.

MR.

JOHNSON.

MIKE, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR A LONG WHILE, BUT AS DEMOCRATS STRIKINGLY WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT INEQUALITY.

AND I HOPE WE GET TO IT.

TRANSIT AND PROPER TRANSIT, BUSES AS WELL AS TRAINS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE IN FEBRUARY I WAS AT PENN STATION AND I DID SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY DO, INCLUDING PHIL MURPHY.

THERE WAS A LOBBY TRAIN THAT WENT DOWN TO WASHINGTON.

I STAYED AND TALKED TO COMMUTERS.

I DIDN'T GO TO WASHINGTON.

I STAYED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO NEED REAL CHANGE.

GOING TO THE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL TRAIN TRIP TO WASHINGTON.

MR.

JOHNSON -- [INDISCERNIBLE] I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU SAID THAT YOU HOPE WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT INEQUALITY.

ABSOLUTELY.

GO AHEAD.

TAKE 60 SECONDS.

I AM ONE OF FOUR DOZEN IN MY GENERATION, IN MY FAMILY.

WE GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY CITY, NEWARK, EAST ORANGE AND MONTCLAIR.

OPPORTUNITY IS NOT EVENLY SHARED AND THE ZIP CODE YOU END UP IN IS THE ZIP CODE THAT CAN REALLY DETERMINE YOUR LIFE CHANCES.

WE NEED GOVERNMENT POLICY, PARTICULARLY AS DEMOCRATS THAT ANSWERS AND ADDRESSES THOSE ISSUES, WHICH IS WHY I SAY THAT WHEN WE MAKE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS, WE SHOULD BE THINKING OF INEQUALITY AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN WE IGNORE THEM.

IT'S WHY I AMONG OTHERS RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR AND WHY I PROPOSE WE INVEST IN SMALLER BUSINESSES AS WELL AS MEDIUM SIZE BUSINESSES BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE GROWTH IN JOBS IS GOING TO GROW, WHERE PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREAS WHERE MOST OF THE JOBS OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THOSE URBAN AREAS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET EMPLOYED.

IT IS STUNNING TO ME, SHOCKING THAT THERE ARE MANY JOBS IN NEW YORK AND 18% OF THEM ARE HELD BY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN NEWARK.

AND WE NEED POLICIES THAT CHANGE THAT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INEQUAL, WE NEED TO START WITH EDUCATION.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE BIGGEST GAP BETWEEN THE BEST AND WORSE AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED THESE PRE-K PRENATAL TO PRE-K PROGRAMS IN LOW INCOME AREAS SO THOSE CHILDREN CAN GET THE HEAD START THEY NEED, SO THAT THAT GAP GOES TO HERE AND THAT ALL OF OUR -- ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CLASSES ARE TOP NOTCH, TOP OF THE WORLD, WORLD CLASS, AND YOU WILL SEE INEQUALITY CHANGE REAL FAST WHEN EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO THESE CHILDREN.

MR.

MURPHY, AND I WILL GIVE YOU A FULL 60 SECONDS.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I WITH GREAT EVIDENCE SAY THIS IS THE STATE THAT IS AMONG THE WEAKNESS IN THE COUNTRY.

WE NEITHER GROW NOR ARE WE FAIR.

AND ON THE STEPS WE MUST TAKE TO MAKE THE STATE EQUAL, RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15, EARN SICK LEAVE, NOT JUST FOR SOME, BUT ALL.

CHILD DEPENDENT CARE, MAYBE CAREGIVER TAX CREDIT, FOLKS TAKING CARE OF ELDERLY PARENTS.

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.

THE STATE IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE 2017 A WOMAN EARNS 80% OF A MAN AND IF YOU ARE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN OR LATINO, LESS THAN 60.

AND HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETY IN OUR ECONOMY'S COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.

WE ARE A STATE WITH THE WIDEST WHITE-NONWHITE GAP OF PERSONS INCARCERATED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS STHOKING, HARD TO BELIEVE.

WE GOT TO BREAK THAT.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

AND PART OF OUR INCARCERATION CRISIS IS THIS RIDICULOUS WAR ON DRUGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOSING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IT'S TIME WE DECRIMINALIZE AND LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND CREATE A LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR ITS SALE AND TAXATION.

IT WOULD DO A LOT TO FREE UP POLICE RESOURCES AND END THE DISPARITY WE SEE IN YOUR PRISON SYSTEMS WHERE TOO MANY BROWN OR BLACK FACES ARE IN JAIL OR HAVE BEEN IN JAIL AND ARE UNDER SENTENCES THAT KEEP THEM FROM DOING SIMPLE THINGS LIKE STUDENT LOANS AND GOOD JOBS.

I WOULD PROVIDE THOSE WITH AMNESTY AND PARDON.

WE NEED TO MOVE BEYOND THAT.

WE HAVE OTHER CRISES.

WE HAVE WE HAVE TO DEMILL TARIZE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE TRAIN TO POLICE OFFICERING AND PUT THE MOST EXPERIENCED OFFICERS IN COMMUNITY POLICING, NOT JUST THE NEW OFFICERS.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI AND THEN MR.

MR.

MR.

JOHNSON.

FIRST ELIMINATING MANDATORY SENTENCES THAT FELL 98% ON MY ON OR ABOUTS.

AND I CHANGED THAT LAW AFTER TWO PEOPLE WERE STANDING OVER MY BED AND SAID SHOOT THEM.

THEY WERE STRUNG OUT ON CRACK COCAINE.

BUT THEY SAID WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

JUST IN A BAD PLACE RIGHT NOW.

AND THEY TOOK MY MONEY AND THEY GOT CAPTURED A FEW DAYS LATER BECAUSE IT WAS IN ALL THE PAPERS, BUT I REMEMBERED THAT.

WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

JUST IN A BAD PLACE.

AND WHEN I TESTIFIED ON THEIR BEHALF, I TESTIFIED ON THEIR BEHALF TO GET THEM TREATMENT INSTEAD OF GOING TO PRISON WHERE THEY WOULD COME OUT AND BACK ON MY BED OR SOMEONE ELSE'S BED.

SO I HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT MASS INCARCERATION.

WE CAN DO MORE, BUT GOVERNOR CHRISTY IS STANDING IN THE WAY UNFORTUNATELY.

I FIRST HEARD MY VERSION OF THE TALK, THE TALK WAS THIS.

I WAS GOING TO THE STORE AND MY MOM SAID IT'S GREAT YOU CAN GO TO THE STORE YOURSELF, BUT REMEMBER WHEN YOU LEAVE, MAKE SURE WHAUFR YOU ARE GETTING, BUBBLE GUM, IT GOES IN THE BAG AND GET A RECEIPT.

I KNEW FROM THAT POINT ON RIMINAL JUSTICE WAS NOT ALL FAIR FOR ALL OF US, AND PARTICULARLY FOR ME.

WHICH IS WHY I BECAME A PROSECUTOR.

I HAVE DONE THAT IN NEW JERSEY WORKING FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND STATE TROOPERS TO DEAL WITH RACIAL PROFILING ON THE NEW JERSEY HIGHWAYS AND WE BROUGHT ABOUT CHANGES.

I LED THAT GROUP.

I HAVE DONE THAT RECENTLY AFTER GARNER AND AFTER FERGUSON BY BRINGING TOGETHER POLICE AND COMMUNITIES AND REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE TO DO FOUR THINGS THAT CAN REDUCE BOTH CRIME AND INCARCERATION.

I WOULD BRING THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT LEADERSHIP TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND FIGHT AGAINST ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS, WHICH I DID 20 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS IN GOVERNMENT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO TAKE US BACK.

30 SECONDS AND WE WILL MOVE ON.

IT WON'T BE 30.

THIS NOTION OF GETTING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WALKING IN EACH OTHER'S SHOES IS A HUGE GAME CHANGER HERE.

MY FRIEND JOHN BEHIND YOU, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER QUITE SURPRISINGLY THE POLICE UNION AND NACP HASN'T SAT TOGETHER AND WE BROUGHT TOGETHER THE CHANGE OF VIEWS AND NOTION OF WALKING IN EACH OTHER'S FEET.

IT'S A PRODUCTIVE STEP.

WE HAVE TO TAKE OTHER STEPS LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

TIME TO MOVE ON.

THIS QUESTION IS FOR MR.

JOHNSON.

AS WE SEE ALL AROUND US, NEW JERSEY HAS AN OPIOID CRISIS AS DOES THE NATION.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BRING DOWN THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND TOVR DOSES.

THERE ARE --OVERDOSES.

YOU MOVE AROUND THE STATE AND YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING SOME OF THE TOUGHEST PROBLEMS.

AND NOTHING IS WORSE THAN HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A PARENT WHO HAS LOST A CHILD TO VIOLENCE OR TO DRUGS.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT.

AND AS GOVERNOR, I WOULD DEFINITELY ABANDON WHAT HAS BEEN A LONG-TIME VIEW IS THAT ADDICTION OUGHT TO BE CRIMINALIZED.

IT SHOULDN'T.

AND THAT GOES FOR WHAT GOES ON IN OUR URBAN AREAS AS WELL AS THE SUBURBAN AREAS AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT VIEW BEFORE.

IN TERPS OF WHAT TO DO, FIRST, THERE IS THE EDUCATION COMPONENT, WHICH HAS IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WITH DRUG ABUSE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE NARCAN MORE AVAILABLE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO HOSPITALS AS A TREATMENT.

AND THAT IS A DRUG THAT ACTUALLY REVERSES THE EFFECTS OF AN OVERDOSE.

AND WE HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE MORE TREATMENT.

BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT THESE ADDICTIONS ARE CRIMES OF DESPAIR.

WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THAT AS WELL.

MR.

MURPHY.

ADDING TO THAT THERE ARE A SERIES OF STEPS WE MUST TAKE.

I WAS HEARTND TO SEE THE FIRST ROUND OF PRESCRIPTION TO FIVE DAYS.

WE HAD A SITUATION IN OUR FAMILY WHERE ONE OF OUR KIDS FOR AN INJURY GOT 92 PILLS.

IN NEW JERSEY THAT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

WE HAVE TO BULK PURCHASE NARCAN SO IT'S MORE AVAILABLE.

WE NEED MORE BEDS.

WE NEED MORE COUNSELING.

HE IS PERSONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH GOVTHIS CAMPAIGN TO HISISY.

CREDIT, BUT HE IS ALSO COMPLETELY SILENT ON THE DISMANTLING OF MEDICAID AND THE IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE ON OUR STATE.

THAT WOULD CAST A DEVASTATING BLOW IN OUR ANT TO PUSH BACK -- ABILITY TO PUSH BACK AND FIGHT THE OPIOID PROCESS.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

HEALTH AND RECOVERY SCHOOL.

WE HAD OUR FIRST GRADUATE AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, MY ALMA MATER AND RECEIVED A CHAMPION AWARD FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.

SO BY STARTING WITH THE CHILDREN, GIVING THEM A SAFE HAVEN, BECAUSE WHEN THEY GO INTO A TREATMENT PROGRAM AND COME BACK TO THE REGULAR SCHOOL, THEY GET OFFERED DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ALMOST THE SAME DAY.

THEY NEED A SAFE HAVEN WHERE THEY WILL HAVE PEER SUPPORT, RATHER THAN PEER PRESSURE.

SO WE NEED TO EXPAND ON RECOVERY SCHOOLS AND FOLLOW THE MODEL AND START WITH THE YOUTH AND WE WILL SEE THAT OPIOID CRISIS REDUCED TREMENDOUSLY.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

THE OPIOID CRISIS IS TERRIBLE BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A COMMUNITY IMMUNE AND NOT A PERSON WATCHING THIS WHO DOESN'T KNOW SOMEBODY WHO IS AFFECTED BY IT.

BUT WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE, THE OPIOID CRISIS IS IN PART A MENTAL CRISIS AND A HEALTH CRISIS.

LET'S NOT FORGET FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH HEALTHCARE SERVICES, THEY CAN GET TREATMENT AND GET INTO A BED, BUT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, THEY GET ARRESTED, CONVICTED, GO TO TREATMENT AND COME OUT AND REPEAT THE PROCESS AND THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THEM.

AND THAT'S WHY MY PLAN TO CREATE A SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE PLAN WILL ADDRESS THE OPIOID CRISIS.

OKAY.

LET'S MOVE ON.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI, THIS IS AN EDUCATION QUESTION.

NEW JERSEY SYSTEM OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN SCHOOL KNOWN AS THE PARK TEST HAS FACED CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC PROTEST MOST OVER ITS GRADUATION PLAN REQUIREMENT.

WOULD YOU PROTEST THE PARK PLAN IF NOT, WHAT WOULD YOU USE AN ALTERNATIVE GUINN STATE LAW REQUIRES SOME KIND OF GRADUATION TEST.

THIS HAS GOTTEN VERY STRANGE.

WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL WE TOOK STANDARDIZED TESTS.

IT TOOK ONE DAY, WE USED NO.

2 PENCILS AND NOW WE ARE DONE WITH IT.

NOW TEACHERS SPEND 15 EDUCATION DAYS A YEAR PREPARING THE STUDENTS FOR THE P AR RAISING RETIREMENT CEDAR RAPIDS TEST.

I WOULD END THE TEST IMMEDIATELY.

WE CAN COME UP WITH A NEW PROTOCOL FOR TESTING, BUT THAT PROTOCOL AND CRITERIA SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO EVALUATE EDUCATORS.

ONLY TO CREATE A BASELINE TO MEASURE THE PROGRESS OF STUDENTS.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI, 30 SECONDS.

THE WORST THING THAT GOVERNOR CHRISTY DID WAS DEMONIZE OUR TEACHERS.

THE CHILDREN SEE THAT LACK OF RESPECT AND THEY HAVE A HARD TIME LEARNING UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

POLAND AND FINLAND HAVE GREAT MODELS, THE TEACHERS ARE PROFESSIONALS.

THEY ARE ALLOWED TO TEACH AS THEY USE, SO I WOULD DO AWAY WITH THESE PARK TESTS, GIVE RESPECT BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AND LET THE TEACHERS TEACH AS THE PROFESSIONALS.

QUICK FOLLOW-UP, NO TESTING?

APPARENTLY THE LAW CALLS FOR SOMETHING.

I CAN CHANGE THE LAW WHEN I'M GOVERNOR AND I WILL.

THAT WILL BE UP TO THE TEACHERS AND PEER GROUP ESTABLISHED IN THE SCHOOL.

AS I SAID, A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IN FINLAND AND POLAND THAT HAVE BETTER PERFORMANCE THAN WE DO.

WE SHOULD ALLOW TEACHERS TO BE TEACHERS AND SEE PERFORMANCE GO UP.

MR.

JOHNSON.

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF EDUCATORS, MY MOTHER IS A TEACHER, MY SISTER IS A TEACHER.

TWO OF MY KIDS IS A TEACHER, INCLUDING MY STEPSON, WHICH IS OUTSIDE.

THE PARC EXAM UNDERCUTS THEM.

YOU WOULD STILL HAVE EVALUATIVE COOLS, NOT ONLY TO GRADUATE, BUT AS YOU GET FEEDBACK AS THEY ARE LEARN K TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING IT AND DEVELOP A SET OF TOOLS THAT DOES THAT.

MR.

MURPHY.

I WOULD ELIMINATE THE PARC TEST, PERIOD AND ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T WANT KIDS TESTED.

I GOT FOUR TEENAGERS.

TWO OF THEM BEHIND YOU.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY ARE DOING IN SCHOOL, BUT I WANT TO PUT THAT IN THE HANDS OF EDUCATORS WHO KNOW THE KIDS AND CLASSROOM BEST.

SHORTER FEEDBACK LOOPS WOULD BE HECK OF A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVE.

NOT HIGHER STAKES, BUT LONGER TO FIND OUT HOW YOU DID.

LET'S GO TO LEARNING AND NOT TEACHING THE TEST.

BEAR WITH ME ONE SECOND.

WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE LOTTERY.

AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MR.

WISNIEWSKI ON THIS.

ST STATE TREASURE THIS MORNING OUTLINED IN GREATER DETAIL THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN TO DIVERT LOTTERY REVENUES INTO THE PENSION SYSTEM.

LOTTERY MONEYS WOULD BE --SOME LOTTERY MONEYS WOULD BE HELD BACK FOR EDUCATION AND STATE INSTITUTIONS AS CURRENTLY REQUIRED, BUT MOST WOULD GO TO HELP BOLINGERSER THE PENSION PROGRAMS.

WE HAVE SO-CALLED NOVEL IDEAS HOW WE ARE GOING TO FUND SOMETHING AND NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVERY PENNY THE LOTTERY GENERATES IS ALREADY BEING SPENT.

AND WE HAVE PROPOSALS MADE OBODY TALKS ABOUT HOW THOSE CUTS WITH GOING TO BE MADE OR WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITHOUT.

WE NEED TO HAVE A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE PENSIONS.

WE NEED TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ENFORCE THAT.

BUT TAKING A REVENUE SOURCE WE ARE ALREADY USING AND NOW DABOUT THE CUTS AND WHERE THEE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM IS THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY.

QUIT FOLLOW-UP, THE TREASURE SAYS WE WILL SAVE SO MUCH IN OUR ANNUAL PENSION CONTRIBUTION IT WILL OFFSET WHAT WE ARE PUTTING INTO THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE LOTTERY.

WE HEARD THIS BEFORE.

WHEN WE PEAKED THE DISASTROUS DEAL FOR THE GAS TAX LAST YEAR.

WE WERE TOLD IF WE CUT THE ESTATE TAX WE WERE GOING TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT BECAUSE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE FORMERLY THREATENING TO LEIGH THE STATE WOULD STAY AND THEIR MONEY WOULD TRICKLE DOWN TO US.

WE KNOW TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS DOESN'T WORK.

IT DIDN'T WORK UNDER REAGAN AND DIDN'T WORK UNDER CHRISTY OR ANYONE ELSE.

QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW THAT BOARD WALK GAME WHACK A MOLE?

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

POUND DOWN SOME SOURCE OF FUNDING OVER HERE AND EXPOSE ANOTHER SOURCE OF EXPENSE REQUIRED OVER THERE.

THIS IS ANOTHER CLASSIC GOVERNOR CHRISTY LET'S FOCUS ON SOME NEW SHINY OBJECT AND GET EYES OFF THE FACT HE HAS UNDERFUNDED THE PENSIONS BY MULTIBILLIONSES OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR HE HAS BEEN GOVERNOR.

MR.

JOHNSON, 30 SECONDS.

PHIL, THIS IS NOT WHACK A MOLE.

PEOPLE ON THE STATE FEEL THEIR PENSION PAYMENT, LIKE A LOTTERY, THEY ARE AT RISK FOR.

SO WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO REAL MATH, NOT GIMMICKS TO PUSH FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PENSIONS ARE FUNDED APPROPRIATELY.

AND I HAVE A PLAN TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

THIS IS OUR LAST QUESTION BEFORE CLOSING STATEMENTS.

YOU EACH GET TO ANSWER THIS.

WE STWART MR.

LESNIAK WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MAJOR COMPLISHMENT.

NEW JERSEY HEALTH WOULD KILL THE PIPELINE AND MAKE US XENT ON FOSSIL FUEL FOR THE NEXT CENTURY AND TAKE THAT INVESTMENT AND PUT IT INTO SOLAR AND INTO WIND AND INTO ENERGY EFFICIENCY SO THAT WE WOULD BE FOSSIL FUEL FREEBIE 2050.

THAT WOULD GENERATE JOBS, HIGH-TECHNOLOGY JOBS AND WE ARE AT GROUND ZERO FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

IN 50 YEARS, IF THE WORLD DOESN'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, 20% OF NEW JERSEY IS GOING TO BE UNDER WATER.

I WOULD BE THAT LEADER.

I WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY, MAKE NEW JERSEY FOSSIL FUEL FREE, GO TO EVERY STATE, EVERY NATION ACROSS THE WORLD TO SAFE OUR STATE AND TO HELP OUR ECONOMY GROW BY REAL JOBS, HIGH-TECH JOBS WILL BE THE SILICON VALLEY OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE UNITED STATES.

MR.

MURPHY, WHAT WOULD WILL THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS.

IF WE DON'T GET THE ECONOMY RIGHT WE DON'T GET NEW JERSEY RIGHT.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A BIG CONOMIC AGENDA AND THAT INCLUDES GROWING OUR ECONOMY AND MAKING IT FAIR AGAIN.

ON THE GROWTH SIDE YOU HAVE TO PLANT SEEDS.

THAT'S LIKE THE GATEWAY PROJECT, FIND THAT MONEY AND GET IT STARTED.

INVESTMENTS GET BACK TO NVESTING IN HIGHER EDGE OCCASION AMONG OTHER INITIATIVES.

--EDUCATION PONG OTHER INITIATIVES.

HOPE TO GET MINIMUM WAGE TO $15, EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK, COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PROGRAM.

WE NEED TO GET THE STATE STANDING FOR THE RIGHT THINGS AGAIN.

WE USED TO BE THE STATE THAT FUNDED PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

I BACK PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

LET'S ACCEPT THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUT A PLAN IN PLACE.

LET'S FIND SENSIBLE GUN SAFETY LAW THAT IS KEEP COMMUNITIES LIKE NEWARK SAFE.

LET'S NOT HAVE TO BE DRAGGED KICKING AND SCREAMING PUTTING MONEY INTO REMEDIATION ACCOUNTS.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI .

MOST OF THE PROBLEMS OTHER CANDIDATES ARE BECAUSE OF THE PARTY BOS DRIVEN SYSTEM WE HAVE IN NEW JERSEY.

WE CAN'T MAKE PROGRESS BECAUSE TOO MANY POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE THEIR OWN POLITICAL AGENDA GET IN THE WAY.

WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS FIRST WE ARE RESTORING INTEGRITY AND TRUST BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T EXIST NOW.

PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THEY CAN TRUST IN GOT AND THEY NEED TO.

THAT MEANS ETHICS REFORM IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT MAKES THEM SUBJECT TO THE SAME ETHICS EVERYBODY ELSE.

ALSO WORK ON OUR ECONOMY.

AS I SAID BEFORE, INVESTING IN EDUCATION BY FULLY FUND K K-12 SYSTEM AND COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES IS IMPORTANT.

WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE NEED TO GET TO WORK AND NEED TO GET TO SCHOOL.

AND MAKING SURE WE ARE FUNDING OUR NEW JERSEY TRANSIT SYSTEM, MAKING SURE BUSES CAN GET INTO A NEW PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL, MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE BASIC SUPPORT THE ECONOMY DESERVES BECAUSE NEW JERSEY HAS UNDERINFORMED IN THOSE THINGS -- UNDERINVESTED IN THOSE THINGS.

MR.

JOHNSON, FIRST 100 DAYS.

I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED 100 DAYS AS I WAS LISTENING I WAS WONDERING HOW ANY OF THAT CAN BE IN 100 DAYS.

I OVERSEEN 1.6 BILLION.

I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE HELP BARACK OBAMA ORGANIZE HIS GOVERNMENT BEFORE HE GOT STARTED BECAUSE I SERVED ON HIS TRANSITION TEAM.

MY FIRST 1 H DAYS WOULD START AT 100 DAYS BEFORE WE TOOK OFFICE OR 40 DAYS BEFORE WE TOOK OFFICE BY MAKING SURE WE WERE APPOINTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THESE JOBS, BY MAKING SURE WE ARE APPOINTING PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN THE FIRST THING OF THE MORNING THEY WERE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY AND NOT THEMSELVES AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY WOULD ACCOMPLISH THAT TASK.

FIRST 10 DAYS I WOULD FIND ETHICS REFORM.

THOSE I CAN DO BY EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THEN MOVING THIS STATE FORWARD, WHICH MEANS PUTTING IN PLACE THE TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER THAT HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF TRANSPORTATION AND MEANS MAKING SURE PEOPLE FEEL THE GOVERNMENT SEES THEIRS.

STOP YOU THERE.

IT'S TIME FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS.

WE BEGIN WITH MR.

LESNIAK.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF WORDS, BUT WE NEED MORE THAN WORDS.

WE NEED ACTION.

WE NEED A WARRIOR AND CHAMPION WHO HAS FOUGHT FOR FOR NEW JERSEY NEW JERSEY FOR MANY YEARS.

I HAD TO SUE EXXON MOBILE TO CLEAN UP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SITES IN THE STATE AND I DID AND I WON.

UP HERE IS WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE THAT WENT ROW VERSUS WADE AND THE WOMAN HAD THE RIGHT TO CHOOSES ANY PROCEDURE OVER HER BODY, HER CHOICE AND NO ONE ELSE'S CHOICE.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, I EDUCED THE POPULATION BY 50% FOR DRUG OFFENSES.

WE NEED MORE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT --WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF CORRECTIONS SO THAT A PRISONER COMES OUT OF PRISON BETTER THAN WHEN THEY WENT IN.

AND LASTLY, I WAS THE LEADER ORANGE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND HAD ONE OF THE FIRST SAME SEX MAY REMEMBERINGS IN MY HOUSE.

I HOSTED IT AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

MR.

MURPHY, YOU ARE NEXT WITH A CLOSING STATEMENT.

I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN HERE TONIGHT.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD NRICHING DISCUSSION, CERTAIN HAD OUR SHARE OF DISAGREEMENTS, BUT THERE IS ONE THING I KNOW WE CAN AGREE ON, IS WE WILL HAVE A NEW GOVERNOR IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN JANUARY 2018 AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THAT RIGHT, GOVERNOR WHO HAS THE RIGHT TEMPERAMENT, THE RIGHT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING SERVING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

THE RIGHT LIFE STORY, THE STORY THAT UNDERSTANDS THE STRUGGLES OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, NOT SOMETHING READ IN A BOOK OR THAT'S ABSTRACT, BUT THAT HAS BEEN LIVED.

WE NEED A GOVERNOR THAT UNDERSTANDS HOW YOU GROW AND PROPEL AN ECONOMY IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW WE MAKE THE STATE FAIR AGAIN FOR ALL OF US, ALL 9 MILLION, WHETHER THAT'S WAGES OR BENEFITS OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.

AND LET'S GET BACK TO THE RIGHT THINGS, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, SIGNING GUN SAFETY LAWS.

WITH HUMILITY I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON JUNE 6.

I WILL BE THE GOVERNOR WHO HAS YOUR BACK.

MR.

JOHNSON, YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT.

DOES ANYONE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD KEEP RUNNING WITH THE SAME PLAY BOOK WRITTEN BY THE SAME INSIDERS THAT YOUR LIVES ARE GOING TO GET ANY BETTER?

I DON'T.

AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

WE NEED REAL CHANGE IN THIS STATE.

THAT OLE PLAY BOOK GOT US THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX, HIGHEST FORECLOSURE RATES AND GREATEST INEQUALITY IN STATES.

IT GOT US JOHN CORZIN AND CHRIS CHRISTY AGAIN AND IT WILL GET US PHIL MURPHY UNLESS WE DEMAND REAL CHANGE.

THE BEST IN MONEY AND POLL SICKS IS ORGANIZED PEOPLE.

AND I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM TO GIVE REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL CHANGE.

THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET PRE-K FOR OUR CHILDREN, THE ONLY WAY WE WILL HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US AND CONFRONTS THE WAY OF INEQUALITY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE AND THE ONLY WAY WE WILL GET A GOVERNOR FOR ALL OF US, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AND NOT THE INSIDERS.

THANK YOU.

MR.

WISNIEWSKI.

THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR NJ TV FOR HOSTING THIS DEBATE.

THIS PRIMARY IS AN AUCTION.

WE SAW PHIL CAMPAIGN'S REPORTS WHERE HE HAS BID UP THE PRICE TO ALMOST 20 MILLION, INCLUDING A $15 MILLION LOAN, OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ELECTION.

WE KNOW NEW JERSEY CAN DO BETTER.

I DON'T BEGRUDGE PHIL HIS SUCCESS, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT SUCCESS HAS BEEN ON THE EXPENSE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS BECAUSE WE KNOW THE WALL STREET BANKERS ALWAYS GET THEIR CUT.

PHIL SAYS HE'S FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE KNOW THAT HE HAS INVESTED IN FRAKING AND PIPELINE COMPANIES AND HE MAKES HIS MONEY OFF OF THOSE THINKS.

WE ALSO KNOW PHIL AUTHORED THE REPORT THAT CREATED CHAPTER 78 AND THAT REPORT PUT PEOPLE IN RISK.

THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE.

WE DON'T NEED WALL STREET BANKERS DICTATING PUBLIC POLICY IN NEW JERSEY.

TIME.

MY NAME IS JOHN WISNIEWSKI.

I'M RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR AND I WOULD LIKE YOUR VOTE.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT DOES IT FOR ALL OF US.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CANDIDATES AND THANK YOU OUR PARTNER NJ SPOTLIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT AND THANK YOU ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING AND OUR AUDIENCE OPT CONCOURSE, YOU CAN APPLAUD NOW IF YOU CHOOSE TO.

AND WE WILL BE BACK HERE A WEEK FROM TONIGHT WITH THE TWO MAJOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.

MARY ALICE AND MICHAEL HILL, BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

ENGAGED IN A LIVELY DEBATE URING WHOM THE FRONT RUNNER TOOK ALL THE HEAT, OR AT LEAST MOST OF IT.

WHAT WAS YOUR TAKE?

WELL, I JUST COMMENTED ON I THINK FOR ONE, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS MICHAEL'S FIRST TIME MODERATING A DEBATE AND I THINK HE DID A GOOD JOB AS A ROOKIE.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PREDICTABLE AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLY.

THE OTHER THREE CANDIDATES WEREN'T PHIL MURPHY MADE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE OUT OF THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT IN THIS RACE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WOULD PENETRATE AT ALL.

WE COUNTED AS I WAS GOING ALONG, I THINK WE WERE UP TO SOMETHING LIKE 22 REFERENCES TO GOVERNOR CHRISTY AND ABOUT CLOSE TO 10 REFERENCES TO DONALD TRUMP.

PRETTY HEAVY IN THE DISCUSSION AS WELL.

WE DID HEAR A LOT IN TERMS OF POLICY AND IDEAS.

A LOT OF AGREEMENT BACK AND FORTH AMONG THEM, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS SURPRISING, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE LINES OF SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE AND SCHOOL FUNDING.

I CAN SAY KNOCKOUT PUNCHES, WE TALKED BEFORE THIS PROGRAM FOR THE UNDERDOG CANDIDATES AND THEY ARE THAT IN MY BOOK.

THEY HAD TO LAND HARD.

I DIDN'T SEE IT.

THEY TRIED AND THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PARTY BOSSES AND THE SYSTEM AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF.

THE GREAT BULK OF THIS DEBATE WAS ON ISSUES AND THAT WAS FASCINATING AND WONDERFUL.

I DISAGREE AS A REPUBLICAN MUCH OF IT.

IF I'M INVITED BACK, I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT ABOUT TAXINGS AND SPENDING.

BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY JUST DIDN'T PUT A GLOVE ON THEM.

AND WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO AND THE FUNDING DEFICITS THESE CANDIDATES HAVE, THEY CAN SPEND 6.4 MILLION UNDER THE PUBLIC, BUT MUCH OF THEM ISN'T GETTING THAT AMOUNT.

MORE THEY TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUES, FASCINATING FOR US, THE LESS THEY PUT THE GLOVE ON PHIL.

THAT'S THE WAY I SAW IT.

I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT THIS.

YOU MENTIONED TAXES.

IN A STATE THAT IS AS HEAVILY TAXED AS NEW JERSEY, YOU HAD -- DIDN'T GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

--YOU HAD FOUR CANDIDATES WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT --AT LEAST IN THE BEGINNING -- TAXES, TAXES, TAXES.

EXACTLY.

MILLIONAIRE TAX, ESTATE TAX, MARIJUANA TAX, CORPORATE TAX.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE SPENDING.

FULLY FUND THE EDUCATION, PRE-K, HIGHER EDUCATION, PRE.

WE ARE TALKING TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THEY CAN RAISE EVERY ONE OF THOSE TAXES.

THEY CAN RAISE THE MILLIONAIRES TAX 100% AND IT WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAM THAT IS HAVE TO BE FUNDED AND THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT PEOPLE CUT -- WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A DEMOCRAT PRIMARY DEBATE.

THESE GUYS ARE TALKING TO THEIR AUDIENCE.

WE ARE A DEMOCRAT PRIMARY.

THE DANGER IS TO YOUR POINT, MARRY ALICE.

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT WORK.

THEY HEAR ALL THE PROMISES.

FRANKLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE DIDN'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO REIGN IN PROPERTY TAXES.

WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF PROGRAMS.

EVEN NOW WE THREW IN THE CAREGIVER TAX CREDIT.

ALL THE THINGS PEOPLE WOULD FOCUS ON AND WANT.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HAS NECESSARILY CAME THROUGH.

WHICH IS WHAT ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT.

AND WHOEVER THE NOMINEE IS AND I ASSUME MR.

MURPHY, LIKELY TO BE, HE IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEFEND THAT.

HE IS GOING TO SAY TO WHOMEVER HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT IS HOW DO YOU ADD UP THESE COLUMNS, MR.

MURPHY?

YOU ARE SUPPOSEDLY A WALL STREET EXPERT.

YOU PROPOSE ALL THESE TAXES, WHAT DO THEY RAISE WITH ALL THE SPENDING, WHICH IS TENS AND TENS OF BILLIONS, GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW BETTER, BILL, WORKING IN THE ASSEMBLY AS YOU DID.

BUT THEY ARE CLEARLY PLAYING THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT AND THAT'S FINE IN PRIMARY.

ONE THING THAT IS INTERESTING AND ROGER IS RIGHT, THERE WEREN'T ANY CLEAN PUNCHES ON MURPHY.

BUT I THINK MURPHY SHOWED TREMENDOUS RESTRAINT.

THERE WERE PLACES I THINK HE COULD HAVE GONE MORE, YOU KNOW, REALLY AT THE THROAT OF SOME OF THOSE CANDIDATES THAT WERE THROWING BARBS ON HIM.

HE WAS RESTRAINED.

THAT SHOWS ME IN LOOKING TOWARD THE GENERAL INCREDIBLE DISCIPLINE FROM A CANDIDATE POINT.

I THINK HE DID AN EXQUISITE JOB OF ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION.

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT.

IF YOU LET THESE FOLKS GET UNDER YOUR SKIN, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET TO BE ANGRY OR ANNOYED OR IN SOME WAY NOT PRESENT YOURSELF WELL, HATTED BE A HUGE VICTORY FOR THE OPPONENTS.

WHAT WAS THE LEADING FODDER THAT YOU HEARD TONIGHT THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE USED BY THE REPUBLICANS IN THE GENERAL.

THE TAXES AND THE SPENDING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW --IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW DO THESE NUMBERS WORK OR DO THEY WORK?

LET'S SAY SOMEBODY SAID DOUBLE THE MILLIONAIRES TAX.

IT'S 9% NOW, THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX, WHAT DO YOU MAKE IT?

18?

AND KEEP IN MIND THE TOP 5% OF TAXPAYERS IN NEW JERSEY, INCOME TAXPAYERS PAY 50% OF THE TAX TODAY.

SO DO UGH YO FORCE THE PEOPLE OUT?

THEY TALK ABOUT TRICKLE DOWN DOESN'T WORK.

AT WHAT POINT DOES THE SCALE GO, OKAY, FOLKS ARE GOING TO LEAVE THE STATE.

THE WEALTHY 5% THAT CAN AFFORD TO LEAVE AND HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE IN MANY CASES, MY DEMOCRAT FRIENDS AND PROGRESSIVE THINK GROUPS, BUT I THINK IT'S THE HEART OF THE QUESTION, VIS-A-VIS THE SPENDING TENS OF BILLIONS.

LET'S GO TO THE DIGITAL NEWS ROOM, TALK TO JOHN MOONEY, EDITOR AND CHIEF EDITOR OF NJ SPOTLIGHT.

YEAH, WE HAVE RESULTS FROM OUR POLL, WHICH ARE INTERESTING, DEFINITELY CLOSER IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO WEIGHED IN TONIGHT THROUGH THE DEBATE.

PHIL MURPHY REMAINS THE FRONT RUNNER AND TAKEN WITH SOME GRAIN OF SALT.

IT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC POLLING.

HE HAS 35% OF THE VOTERS HAVE HIS SUPPORT.

SECOND PLACE IS JIM JOHNSON WITH 29%.

JOHN WISNIEWSKI AT 27%, RAIL LESNIAK FINISHES, FIVESTY PERFORMANCE, BUT NOT A LOT OF VOTES AT 5% AND WE ASKED WHAT ARE THE FOLLOWING ISSUES MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU, EDUCATION, NOT SURPRISINGLY WAS FAR AHEAD AT 41%, PROPERTY TAXES AT 18%, TRANSPORTATION A BIG ISSUE TONIGHT WAS 10%, PENSIONS A VERY BIG ISSUE IN THE STATE, 9%, AND OTHER, WHICH COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF ISSUES WAS 21%.

SO IF YOU READ TOO MUCH THE INTO THIS POLL, YOU WOULD THINK THE RACE MIGHT HAVE TIGHTENED.

OBVIOUSLY THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME MORE POLLING THAT COMES OUT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, BUT IT WAS A REALLY ANIMATED DEBATE.

A LOT OF ISSUES APPROACHED AND OBVIOUSLY OUR VIEWERS AND READERS FELT THE SAME WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

BILL, NOT A SCIENTIFIC POLL, BUT IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS FOR THE UNDERDOG?

THEY ARE.

AND IT REFLECTS WHERE THE VIEWER SHIP IS AND THE FOLKS OUT THERE.

THE CHALLENGE IS --AND ROGER REFERENCES IN THE PREEFS SEGMENT, HOW DO YOU GET -- PREVIOUS SEGMENT, HOW DO YOU GET OUT THERE BEYOND THIS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THE THING IS PHIL MURPHY HAS AN EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT LEAD NOW AND THE OTHER QUESTION, I WAS BACK AND FORTH WHEN WE WERE WATCHING WITH PATRICK MURRAY, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION WITH THIS 50% NUMBER OUT THERE, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS REAL?

HOW MANY OF THOSE FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO COME OUT TO THE POLLS?

IT'S A QUESTION OF NOT ONLY WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF THE ELECTOR, BUT WHO IS COMING OUT TO VOTE ON JUNE 6?

DO YOU SUSPECT THAT THE RESISTANCE GROUPS THAT HAVE SPUN UP AROUND THE STATE WILL GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS IN A PRIMARY ELECTION WHEN THAT REALLY HASN'T HAPPENED IN ANY MEASURABLE WAY BEFORE?

YOU GOT 30 SECONDS.

I DON'T SEE IT.

AT THE TOP OF THIS FRAM PROGRAM, WHAT MATTERS IN PRIMARIES IS ORGANIZATION SUPPORT AND MONEY.

AND PARTICULARLY IN PRIMARIES WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE UNKNOWN BECAUSE THEY FALL BACK ON THE ORGANIZATION AS TO THEIR GUIDE ON HOW TO VOTE.

PHIL MURPHY HAS IT IN DROVES.

I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT CHANGES THAT.

A VIGOROUS EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND CHALLENGES.

ROGER THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND TO ALL OF THOSE THAT WATCHED AND THANKS TO THE CANDIDATES AND MIKE LAREN, THE MODERATOR.

NEXT TUESDAY IS THE REPUBLICAN'S TURN OF THE DEBATE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND JACK SQUARE OFF.

I'M MARY ELLIS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN AT NJTV NEWS.