Jon Corzine

Jon Corzine
Governor of New Jersey From: January 17, 2006 – Present
Predecessor	Richard Codey
Successor	Incumbent (no successor)
U.S. Senator from New Jersey From: January 3, 2001 – January 17, 2006
Predecessor	Frank Lautenberg
Successor	Robert Menendez
Information
Party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Joanne Dougherty Corzine (divorced)
Religion	United Church of Christ

Jon Corzine (born January 1, 1947) is the Democratic governor of the state of New Jersey. Before politics, Corzine worked in business and finance. After studying at the University of Chicago he would eventually become Co-Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, alongside Henry Paulson.

United States Senate

In 2000, Jon Corzine was elected as the junior United States Senator from New Jersey, defeating Republican Congressman Robert Franks with 50% of the vote to 47%, after spending more money on a senatorial race then any other candidate in New Jersey history. With a net worth of over $71,000,000 he was the fourth richest member of the U.S. Senate. He was a member of the Committees on Banking, Intelligence, the Budget, and Energy and Natural Resources. Corzine sponsored 127 bills while in office, however 120 never made it out of committee and only one was successfully enacted. In 2002, Corzine voted against authorizing President George W. Bush to go to war against Iraq. He chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2003-2005, during which Democrats lost 4 Senate seats.

2005 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2005 Senator Corzine was a candidate for the Governorship of New Jersey. It was the most expensive gubernatorial election in New Jersey history. The combined expenditures for Corzine's senatorial and gubernatorial runs exceeded $100 million. He mostly tried to link his Republican opponent Doug Forrester with the Bush administration. Corzine's campaign was successful, winning 54% of the popular vote and 13 of New Jersey's 21 counties.

Governorship

Corzine was sworn in as the 54th Governor of New Jersey on January 17, 2006.

Government Shutdown

On July 1, 2006, Governor Corzine was forced to shutdown the state government after clashing with fellow Democrats in the the state Assembly to pass a sales tax increase, resulting in the Assembly being unable to pass a new balanced budget. As a result road construction projects were halted, the New Jersey Lottery, Motor Vehicle Commission and the New Jersey Department of Education was shut down. Gambling at Atlantic City casinos were suspended and 45,000 state employees were in indefinitely.

They reached a compromise, with the New Jersey legislator passing Corzine's sales tax increase in exchange for half of the revenue created from it was used to give New Jerseyans direct property tax relief, which is the highest in the nation. The state government was fully restored on July 10, 2006.

Automobile Accident

On the way to a meeting between Don Imus and the Rutgers women's basketball team, Corzine was involved in a serious car accident on April 13, 2007. He suffered multiple injuries including a femur broken in two places that lacerated his skin, a broken sternum, six broken ribs on each side, a head laceration and a minor fracture on a lower vertebrae. Corzine was not wearing his seat belt, in violation of NJ state law. Corzine requested, and received, a $46 fine for this.

Economic Record

Under Governor Corzine property taxes have increased by 19%. The state budget deficit has increased from $3.6 billion to $7 billion and there unemployment rate is the highest in 15 years. In connection with rising jobless claims, Corzine said, "Now the piper is coming home to roost". Corzine has announced his candidacy for reelection in 2009, however trails his Republican opponent Christopher Christie in public opinion polls.