Coming midway through Whitman's second term, the speech lacked sweeping initiatives like last year's property tax rebate, and the open-space goal of the year before. Democrats belittled it mostly as a litany of small ideas. But Republicans praised her proposals, most of which require legislative approval, and expected her to address big-ticket items in her budget address in two weeks.
The high-tech economy package was the single largest proposal, with $100 million in new state funds and $65 million in federal and private-sector dollars in fiscal 2001. The plan includes funds for small-business incubators, job training, university programs in the sciences, and seed money to encourage new high-tech start-ups.
New Jersey already is known as a high-tech mecca of sorts, particularly Monmouth County and the greater New York area, but Whitman said she doesn't want other states to surge ahead.
"If we run in place, we fall behind," the governor said in her 45-minute address, delivered in the chambers of the state Assembly.
Perhaps her most unusual pledge was a $4.75 million offer of free "character education" programs to any public school district that wants them.
Districts could choose from a variety of such programs, which typically include books and videos as well as instructions for teachers on how to incorporate "values" into regular classroom subjects. One example given by Whitman's staff was a program designed by a Columbus, Ohio, nonprofit called Quest International.
"With so many horrible stories about youth violence in the news, we have to renew our efforts to teach our kids values like respect and responsibility, decency and civility," the governor said.
