Since 2001, spending by local towns across New Jersey has risen by 70 percent, with average 4 percent raises for teachers each year playing a major role in the increases. During that same period, property taxes have risen by 56 percent. Christie…has called on teachers to agree to a shared sacrifice of freezing their salaries and helping to cut school costs so taxes can be lowered and property owners will stop griping that it costs too much to live in New Jersey. My prediction: Christie is going to win this war.

Mike Kelly in The Record.