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Chris Christie on Technology

Eliminate all funding for NJ public broadcasting

Governor Christie Whitman, also a Republican, compared NJN to Pravda, the Soviet Union-controlled propaganda machine. Even Democrats, such as Corzine, had floated the idea of privatizing NJN.

Fast-forward to 2011, when Christie finally pulled the plug on NJN. After considering several proposals, his administration settled on a plan to sell NJN's 9 small radio stations for about $4.3 million (less than half of it in cash, and for less than the stations' appraised value) but hold on to the TV licenses and cut a deal with WNET, a NY-based public broadcaster considered the nation's flagship PBS station, to run the NJ operation, which was renamed NJTV.

Put more Motor Vehicle Commission functions online

• The MVC plans to introduce license renewals by mail during 2012 and on-line before the end of 2012. This will make it so that drivers will only need to visit a MVC facility once every eight years to obtain a new photo, which is required by federal law, resulting in less crowding at MVC facilities by potentially more than a million people a year.
• The MVC will begin the use of facial recognition technology in 2012.
• Service hours were expanded to 54 hours per week (the most ever offered), which includes evening service once per week, and Saturday service.