SARLO: CHRISTIE CAN’T BLAME ECONOMIC & FISCAL PROBLEMS ON SANDY

SAYS LAGGING REVENUES, GROWING BUDGET GAP PRECEDED THE STORM

TRENTON – Senator Paul Sarlo, chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on Tuesday in response to Governor Chris Christie’s State of the State address:

“While we all join with the governor in our shared concern for the victims of Sandy, it is just plain wrong for him to use the storm as an excuse for his failed economic and fiscal record. The governor has fallen far short of his unrealistic revenue projections for seven consecutive months, including the five months before Sandy hit. He created a budget deficit of $705 million that could grow as high as $2 billion if revenues continue to flatline. This is a man-made disaster-in-the-making that has nothing to do with the natural disaster of the hurricane.

“In fact, the economic and fiscal impact of Sandy is still an unknown.

“What we do know is that the budget gap is growing by the month and the governor continues to avoid facing up to this reality. His speech today continues the denial of fiscal policies that just aren’t real.”