Gov. Tom Kean and Gov. Brendan Byrne in the Star-Ledger re: annual salary increases for teachers:

Q: The governor’s advisory panels made a number of recommendations, including a possible freeze on the salaries of teachers and other public employees. Given that contracts are involved, could this be done?

BYRNE: We have to get over this attitude of “not on my back.” We have to get it across that everybody has to make sacrifices in order to make this work. It’s not going to if all hell breaks loose every time you try to eliminate one fireman. It’s not going to be easy.

Q: Politically speaking, is taking on the teachers and state employees a fight worth considering simply because of the message it sends?

KEAN: We haven’t any choice. We have wonderful public employees, but they get paid more than anybody in the country in similar positions. We simply can’t afford to do that anymore.