DeCROCE AGREES WITH SWEENEY, CORZINE’S BUDGET ‘STILL STINKS’

DESPITE LATEST $400 MILLION ONE SHOT, GOVERNOR STILL COULD NOT FULLY RESTORE PROPERTY TAX REBATES

    Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce reaffirmed today that no Republican Assembly members will support Governor Corzine’s budget on Thursday because it eschews substantial property tax relief and long-term financial reform for continued gimmicks, deferrals and deceit.

    “Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney recently said ‘This budget still stinks,’ and he’s right,” DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, said. “But the reason this budget stinks is that it continues the eight years of Democratic rule in Trenton that has been marked by excessive tax increases, borrowing and spending that have driven our residents and the businesses that employ them to other states.

    “Majority Leader Sweeney won’t be the only one holding his nose on Thursday,” DeCroce continued. “Unfortunately, our state’s residents will be left with the stench of this budget for the foreseeable future as it has set the state up for even worse fiscal times ahead.”

    DeCroce said although Governor Corzine reinstated property tax rebates for some, he has failed to keep his promise of substantial property tax relief for middle class taxpayers who have the nation’s highest property tax bill.

    “Our members have recommended $783 million worth of budget cuts and the governor has found another $400 million from a one-shot gimmick tax amnesty program,” DeCroce said. “That was more than enough to fully restore property tax rebate checks for the state’s middle class taxpayers, battered by Trenton’s endless tax increases and a poor economy, but the governor chose to omit the hard-working families who earn more than $75,000.

    “Only under Jon Corzine’s warped Wall Street world could a $75,000 family income could be considered rich. We will bring real-life stories from these taxpayers to the budget debate on Thursday to share with members of the Legislature who don’t realize what it’s like to be taxed out of their home state,” DeCroce added.