Cynical Nation

I can't say I was exactly thrilled when Jon Corzine bought was elected to the governorship of New Jersey last year, but I'm very impressed with how he's getting started: by taking a meat ax to the governor's staff.

Governor-elect Corzine began cutting state government a week early Tuesday by asking the current administration to slash the governor's office staff by 62 jobs.

Corzine's cutbacks covered all operations in the governor's office and included administrative staff. The cuts mean 41 people will lose their jobs; 21 of the positions had not been filled by Governor Codey.

In October, 97 people were on the payroll in the governor's office, down from 152 when former Gov. James E. McGreevey took office in January 2002.

"We're going to try to do as much and more with less people," Corzine spokeswoman Ivette Mendez said.