[cheers and applause] thank you. [cheers and applause] thank you. Thank you all very much. Now, before we begin, i have to ask you for a favor. Not for a moment of silence but for a moment of celebration, for the extraordinary life of governor brendan burn. Thats what he would have wanted. We know brendon wouldnt have wanted violence. He would have wonted celebration so lets all rise and celebrate governor burn. [cheers and applause] [applause] [applause] nine years ago yesterday, i went to pick up theneightyearold patrick and thenfiveyearold bridget from school. On my way out of school with them, on the front lawn of the Assumption School in morristown, i announced to the assembled media that i was a candidate for governor of new jersey. On that day i said many things but looking back the most important statement was this. I said if youre looking for the same old stuff, you got the wrong person. Little did i know just how right i would be nine years later. Nine years is a lifetime ago
Wildlife, fisheries, water and wildlife to order. We are here today to discuss innovative financing and funding to address americas i did efficient Water Infrastructure sflchl. Many members of this committee including myself often reference the American Society of Civil Engineers, infrastructure report card. Currently they grade americas drinking Water Infrastructure with a d. Was wastewater slightly better at dplus. Reminds me of some of our grades in school. How about you . This is not a rural problem or big city problem. Its not a republican or democrat problem. This is a National Emergency and we need to find solutions before its too late. It is one thing to see these terrible grades on paper but what does this actually mean for people in their daytoday lives . Usually when we imagine life without clean and efficient Drinking Water and wastewater, we picture communities that do not resemble our own. We picture faroff countries that do not have all the blessings america has. Sadly,
Wildlife, fisheries, water and wildlife to order. We are here today to discuss innovative financing and funding to address americas i did efficient Water Infrastructure sflchl. Many members of this committee including myself often reference the American Society of Civil Engineers, infrastructure report card. Currently they grade americas drinking Water Infrastructure with a d. Was wastewater slightly better at dplus. Reminds me of some of our grades in school. How about you . This is not a rural problem or big city problem. Its not a republican or democrat problem. This is a National Emergency and we need to find solutions before its too late. It is one thing to see these terrible grades on paper but what does this actually mean for people in their daytoday lives . Usually when we imagine life without clean and efficient Drinking Water and wastewater, we picture communities that do not resemble our own. We picture faroff countries that do not have all the blessings america has. Sadly,
Management system fail under your leadership in this instance . In this instance, it would be much to the case i that have. As you wished they would have asked more questions and pushed harder. Is that a yes or no . In this particular case, with respect to to the water issue, thats a fair conclusion. Its a very important issue, since it negatively impacts the health and well fair of children, impacting their ability to laesh and be successful in life. Your own former adviser, dennis sheranack learned the lesson, because he said that government was allowing the citizens to be on the losing end. Were you wrong to run that government like a business . In terms of running it like a business, a government is not a business. It isnt. Why should you say it should be run like one . In terms of accountability and measurement and delivering results to the people and in terms of not just flint but the state of michigan, im proud we did things as healthy michigan bringing medicaid to citizens, and
Discussions to address those in terms of the resources we had currently available to us. In terms of going back to your list, the color and odor of this water was not good. You dont want to see people drink that if you can help that. But we didnt have all the resources then. They were working on these issues. In terms of e. Coli, in terms of other issue, we would continually go through mr. Snyder my administration, and ask the experts another article. Yes. The National Journal which i hold up here. Yes. It says michigan Governor Snyder conceded monday that his administration handling of the flint water crisis is a stain on his legacy, and i quote, im not sure of the specific dates in terms of saying there is any lead in the water sometime during 2015. Again, they presented some of the information about having to do with a second set of tests. Governor snyder, we all know that when we are elected to an office, we take an oath. And we are empowered by the electorate to hire staff. Do you