No, now it’s Christie’s turn to be bold.

The public will never be in a more accepting frame of mind than now to accept deep budget cuts.  The Quinnipiac Poll was clear on that – giving the new governor majorities on cutting spending just about everywhere but tax rebates and municipal and school aid. Both of which, of course, make sense, given that the public recognizes cuts in those programs likely means more money out of their pockets.

And New Jerseyans’ pockets, just like the state government, are bare.

Whatever hard choices Christie is going to make, he needs to make now – in his first budget.  Now is the time to make systemic changes.  Now is the time to follow through on his pledge and shrink the size of government.

Yes, it will be bloody. Yes, it will be painful. Yes, several good, well-intentioned programs may no longer be funded by the state government.

But the money is no longer there.  You can’t buy good intentions with nothing in the wallet.

We saw again this week the stark difference between Corzine and Christie.  Corzine wants to spend more money on food banks – which is a well-intentioned, noble gesture. But he hasn’t offered budget cuts in order to offset the new spending.

And Christie, rightly, is asking that the governor not spend any more money.

What our governor never understood is that every dollar that state government spends is a dollar that comes out of the pocket of a taxpayer – whether state or federal, business or individual.

And the food banks need more food because they are servicing more people because, as the recession drags on, tens of thousands of New Jerseyans remain out of work.

The same New Jerseyans who would have to pay more in taxes in order for Corzine to keep spending.

Christie was elected promising to turn Trenton upside down. He’s going to have to – and look in the seat cushions too – if he’s going to find money to make the state budget work.

For the sad reality is that years of overspending have caught up to New Jersey.  The dirty little secret is that even though Corzine’s FY2010 budget was less than the previous years, he didn’t cut the size of government.  He cut aid programs.  He raises taxes.  He relied on the federal bailout – and never included the $2 billion he got in the bailout as part of state spending.

But it is state spending.  And what’s clear today is that New Jersey is behind the eight-ball.

Christie cannot give in to legislative wishes or special interest demands for more spending.  He cannot give in on the need to dramatically reduce the size of government, and to reform an out-of-control pension and benefits system. This isn’t just campaign rhetoric – if we don’t do something dramatic now, New Jersey is going to start looking a lot like California.

And while bankruptcy may not be an option for New Jersey, what’s clear is that the old way of doing business is built on bankrupt ideas.

No wonder Christie looked somber last week after he left the meeting with the treasurer’s office.

As the Chinese proverb says, in every crisis is opportunity.  And in New Jersey’s worsening fiscal crisis, is the opportunity to turn the state around, to bring its spending into balance, to reduce the tax burden on its citizens.

There are too many New Jerseyans who are just one more tax increase away from having to leave the state because they just can’t afford it any more. Christie talked about them a lot on the campaign trail.

The governor-elect cannot fall back into Trenton’s comfort zone.  He cannot give in to the special interests. He has to recognize that he’s got one chance to remake Trenton, and it’s his first year – while the public is with him, and while the Legislature gives him a honeymoon of sorts.

In other words, Mr. Governor-elect, now is the time to “Be bold.”