Despoiled Politics in New Jersey

New York Times: "The campaign for governor of New Jersey was a harrowing trek across low-road attack ads and character assassination, and a battle of millionaires. Senator Jon Corzine easily staved off the fierce run of Douglas Forrester, the Republican businessman. But now Mr. Corzine must convince the abused electorate that his governance will be considerably better than the campaign.

Mr. Corzine won our endorsement on the basis of his record in the Senate, where he opposed reckless tax cuts and stressed such issues as the insecurity of American ports and the genocide in Darfur. The problems of New Jersey are a decidedly different kettle of fish - from chronic political corruption to runaway property taxes.

The corruption challenge has been highlighted by 75 indictments in the past four years, and Mr. Corzine himself bought party peace by salting Democratic machine politicians with millions of dollars in donations. The question now is whether he can buck the entrenched political hacks and win the enactment of his proposal for an independent government watchdog.

Mr. Corzine's campaign promise to increase property tax rebates does not begin to deal with the underlying problem of reforming the state's antiquated tax structure, a complex challenge that stretches from the encrusted politics of the Statehouse to the fragmentation of county and municipal governments. The new governor will need all the strengths of his Wall Street track record to deal with Trenton's precarious finances on both the revenue and spending sides.

New Jersey was cheated out of an important campaign about these issues in favor of a sleazefest costing more than $70 million. Residents wound up yearning for the humane, pragmatic touch of the acting governor, Richard Codey, who didn't run. But now Mr. Corzine will have a clean slate and a chance to show that they got the right man after all."