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==Biography==

==Biography==

Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term. <ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term. <ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

==Record as Governor==

==Record as Governor==

On Christie's first day as governor he signed eight executive orders and froze several government regulations. He gave a nod to Casinos, signing an order saying that their employees are essential state workers and will not have to close in any future state government shutdown, as they were in 2006. Christie also added unions to the list of groups who cannot receive state contracts of more than $17,500 if they have donated more than $300 to a campaign for governor or county political committee in the previous 18 months.<ref>http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/new_jersey/article_63a14ff8-8038-591a-8f1a-7503e1bbcbcc.html</ref>

On Christie's first day as governor he signed eight executive orders and froze several government regulations. He gave a nod to Casinos, signing an order saying that their employees are essential state workers and will not have to close in any future state government shutdown, as they were in 2006. Christie also added unions to the list of groups who cannot receive state contracts of more than $17,500 if they have donated more than $300 to a campaign for governor or county political committee in the previous 18 months.<ref>http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/new_jersey/article_63a14ff8-8038-591a-8f1a-7503e1bbcbcc.html</ref>

In February, Christie announced that he would immediately freeze all state spending. Saying New Jersey is on the verge of bankruptcy, Christie declared a fiscal emergency, announcing drastic cuts. <ref>http://wcbstv.com/local/governor.christie.freezes.2.1487727.html {{dead link}}</ref>

In February, Christie announced that he would immediately freeze all state spending. Saying New Jersey is on the verge of bankruptcy, Christie declared a fiscal emergency, announcing drastic cuts. <ref>http://wcbstv.com/local/governor.christie.freezes.2.1487727.html {{dead link}}</ref>

On March 16, 2011, Christie announced major cuts to education to help balance the budget bloat caused by years under Democratic governors. <ref>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/03/22/25559/</ref> The New Jersey Education Association hotly contested these vital cuts, as they would almost certainly require the firing of non-tenured teachers to balance local school budgets, a problem the teacher's union created in the first place. Recently, the cuts have been challenged by the Supreme court, despite there being no link between New Jersey's relatively large amount of educational spending and increased statewide academic success. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/christies_school_aid_cuts_left.html</ref>  

On March 16, 2011, Christie announced major cuts to education to help balance the budget bloat caused by years under Democratic governors. <ref>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/03/22/25559/</ref> The New Jersey Education Association hotly contested these vital cuts, as they would almost certainly require the firing of non-tenured teachers to balance local school budgets, a problem the teacher's union created in the first place. Recently, the cuts have been challenged by the Supreme court, despite there being no link between New Jersey's relatively large amount of educational spending and increased statewide academic success. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/christies_school_aid_cuts_left.html</ref>  

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench.  Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench.  Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University.  The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref>  Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011.  The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012.  By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University.  The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref>  Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011.  The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012.  By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>