Taxpayers are ready for a conservative Republican message committed to reducing big government. The state’s bloated budget can be reduced by a conservative legislative majority committed to achieving fiscal stability and implementing fundamental change. The promise of Republicans should not be to make government “more efficient�-- that translates into taking taxpayer dollars faster and spending them quicker, but rather to reduce its size. It is essential to determine just what government should be doing and return all functions feasible to the private sector. In short-downsize, prioritize and privatize.

Downsizing starts with the general appropriation budget, rampant with billions in pork barrel spending programs. Republicans must draw a line in the sand. Regardless of whatever “grant “is inserted in the budget for their district, Republicans must put all taxpayers ahead of special interests. Only when Republicans stand tall and do not sell out for some cheap “grant “can they begin to rebuild the confidence of taxpayers.

Opposing non-essential programs would save billions. Republicans should point out that operating budgets for every department are inflated as every department of the state government is overstaffed. They should call on every department head to be required to reduce their budgets a minimum 10%. If incapable, they should demand new managers.

Privatization will cut costs dramatically. Bookkeeping, maintenance and a host of functions can be bid on a competitive basis. Privatization also takes people out of the pension system and eliminates sick and vacation days. This means layoffs-which takes guts.

New Jersey has one of the most lucrative pension systems in the country. The Republicans should call for a roll back in the pension increases granted in 2001 when union bosses claimed the fund was solvent. Taxpayers are subsidizing the pension system through direct taxation. New employees should be placed in private 401(k) plans. This ends the stagnation that occurs when employees remain to build their pension well after they are productive. This is a key reason for Trenton’s large entrenched bureaucracy.

Republicans can lead the move to bring the states medical benefits in line with the private sector. Even Governor Jon Corzine realized this before being caught up in the Trenton mentality. We provide the finest medical benefits available while requiring little or no employee contribution. Health Savings Accounts are a cost saving alternative while benefiting the employee. It is common in the private sector to require employees to contribute when adding a spouse to their coverage.

For Republicans to effect these sweeping changes requires breaking the hold of powerful labor unions. union leaders continue to call for more spending and higher taxes. We have seen the unions’ effect on many of the nation’s manufacturing industries, rendering them unable to compete in a world economy.

Project Labor Agreements, Jim McGreevey Executive Order #1, have driven up costs of local and state projects an average of 30%. Republicans must call for PLA’s to be repealed and there must be union givebacks.

The biggest obstacle to implementing change is the legislature itself. Legislators are vested in the state’s pension and medical benefits program. What is often a lifetime position in the legislature is a significant part of the problem and therefore cannot be the solution. Our legislature is almost always in session, constantly imagining ways to borrow and spend. Benjamin Franklin had it right when he said “no one is safe when the legislature is in session�. Correcting this problem requires implementing term limits, removing legislators from the state pension and medical benefits programs and returning to part time citizen legislators. This requires a majority willing to force these changes.

These steps are difficult but necessary. Since 2001, NJ has added over 50,000 new government jobs while the private sector has remained stagnant. In 2005 almost 57,000 residents fled the state. We have had the fastest growing tax burden in the nation since 2002, and as other states are building surpluses we are creating deficits.

It is obvious the Democrats vision for New Jersey is for more big government that is clear in the current budget proposal, and higher taxes. Republicans have the opportunity to offer a better vision. Smaller government, lower taxes, less government regulations and greater prosperity. Or they can accept the status quo and the crumbs that might be thrown their way.

Come on, Republicans, strap on the armor. New Jersey taxpayers are hankering for a fight. The time is now.