To Christie, New Jersey has become an 'afterthought'

The Little Ferry Circle may be history, but construction continues, narrowing Route 46 to one lane in places, above.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Governor Christie's veto of a bill to ban or limit smoking in public parks and on beaches has generated a lot of news coverage and outraged editorials.

But I haven't seen any coverage of Christie also vetoing a bill to allow New Jersey's Medicaid program to pay for abortions, as reported this morning on WNYC-FM.

Today's Page 1 column on the smoking-ban is another rote recitation of the political reasons for Christie's move (A-1).

As usual, Staff Writer Charles Stile can't muster an opinion -- the stock-in-trade of columnists who work for every other newspaper on the planet.

An editorial urging the state Legislature to override the veto also doesn't condemn or, God forbid, even criticize the GOP bully (A-18).

For that, you'll have to read the editorial on myCentralJersey.com, a Gannett company.

Here is an excerpt:

"Gov. Christie’s national ambitions have gotten in the way of good public policy in New Jersey yet again, this time with his veto of a bill that would have banned smoking in public parks and limited it at many beaches.

The proposed ban was overwhelmingly supported by the Legislature, and it’s really nothing more than a common-sense public health measure. There are dangers from secondhand smoke even in open-air places, and the ban would have also reduced litter and fire hazards.

But none of that matters to Christie. He explained the veto with predictable and tired blather about unwanted government intrusions on local jurisdictions — even though he’s perfectly happy to intrude when it suits him.

In the meantime, remember, Christie isn’t governing for any of us, even though that’s his job. He’s governing for himself. You may not mind when you agree with him, but wait until you don’t. Then you may not be quite so content with a governor for whom his own home state is an afterthought."

You can read the entire editorial by clicking on this link:

Christie says no -- to good public policy


13 times 9/11

Ignore Staff Writer Mike Kelly's second lame column in as many days (A-1).

Then, turn to Local for moving coverage of 9/11 anniversary observances in Hackensack and other towns (L-1, L-2, L-3 and L-6).

Why bother?

Staff Writer Elisa Ung gives a lukewarm, 2-star rating to Marmaris Cafe in Edgewater, a Turkish restaurant that served her dry chicken kebabs and gamey lamb shanks (BL-20).

Does the place serve fish or shrimp? Not a clue. Ung confines herself to two food groups -- meat and dessert.

And the restaurant reviewer never grills restaurant owners on the origin of meat and poultry they serve, but when she encounters low-quality food, as she did here, why bother with a full-blown review?

A few paragraphs of warning would suffice, leaving room for an appraisal of a place all of us would want to visit.

Kates Bros.

Joan Verdon, The Record's retail reporter, writes mostly about malls, and big box and luxury stores -- big sources of North Jersey Media Group's advertising revenue.

But on Tuesday's first Business page, she did a terrific job reporting that the 73-year-old Kate Bros. shoe store in Hackensack won't be closing after all.

Like many reporters, Verdon assumes readers are intimately familiar with Hackensack's Main Street.

The address -- 329 Main St., at Berry Street -- is mentioned only in passing near the end of the story.