Trenton, NJ - Today Governor Chris Christie issued the following statement in response to the World Trade Center counterproposal produced by the Port Authority:

“We simply cannot delay any longer on the World Trade Center site which is why I have worked with the Port Authority to put together a thoughtful and substantive counterproposal. Now is the time for all interested parties to quickly and responsibly finalize an agreement that both protects the memories of those we lost and the overstretched taxpayers of New York and New Jersey. This is a good first step we must all quickly build upon so we can come to a timely and meaningful conclusion.”

March 4, 2010

“President Obama’s education initiative, Race to the Top, embodies many ideas that Governor Christie and I agree with and will advocate for in the next four years.  While we are extremely disappointed that New Jersey was not included as a finalist in this first round of funding, we are not surprised.

“From the start of this process it has been clear that while the Corzine administration submitted a good application, a major deficiency in New Jersey’s submission was the lack of support from local union leadership.  With union leaders in more than 350 participating districts refusing to sign on, it would have been very difficult to convince the U.S. Department of Education that New Jersey was united behind this effort.

“In these extremely difficult fiscal times, the entire education community in our state must come together to fight for New Jersey and put the best interest of our children first.  As we begin to work on the second round due in June, I am encouraged that the NJEA leadership has agreed to work on this with us.  With their support of what the President is seeking from New Jersey, I’m convinced we will be able to put forward a winning application.”