November 20, 2007
Corzine Rains On Jersey's Black Friday Parade
One of the few benefits of living in New Jersey (and this native Garden Stater should know) is the plethora of shopping malls. From just about anywhere in the state, the nearest Nordstrom, Macy's or Wal-Mart is just a stone's throw (or jughandle) away. So it's little wonder that one of the most hallowed days for Jerseyites is Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.
But for state workers this year, Gov. Jon Corzine has already ruined the fun.
"Jersey Scrooge" ended the long-standing tradition of giving state government workers Black Friday off as a paid holiday this year. The former Goldman Sachs chairman says he merely wants to keep the state running efficiently to serve taxpayers. His employees, not surprisingly, see it a little differently.
"What I don't understand with the politicians," state worker Shawn Ludwig told AP, "is they make sure we're off on Election Day so we can vote for them, but on a day when we're supposed to be with our families, they're taking that away from us." (Might that quote resurface in a future campaign ad for Jon Bon Jovi?)
According to AP, there are "at least 24 states that let their workers take the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday, not by law but as a proclamation by the governor." Corzine's staff has reportedly received about 5,000 calls and e-mails from angry workers, even though he gave them a year's notice about the holiday cancellation. Some counties are "granting" the day off for their employees to bypass Corzine's decree. But most state workers will have to use one of their allotted vacation days if they want to hit the stores or enjoy turkey leftovers in the comfort of their own homes.
Meanwhile, at least one newspaper, the Morris County Daily Record, is giving Corzine credit for "not budging" despite the criticism.
Graphic: Reuben Dalke
Posted at 11:29 AM
Posted to:
Governors, Jon Corzine
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