Bucco: Corzine Reads From Cynical and Tired Budget Script

Republican Senate Budget Officer Anthony Bucco issued the following statement after Governor Jon Corzine signed the worst budget in state history into law:

"After eight years, we all know the routine," Bucco said. "A Democrat governor signs an irresponsible budget that perpetuates a multi-billion dollar deficit and paves the way for a new round of tax increases and high-cost borrowing.

"Then the governor praises himself for making 'tough' choices, when he made few or none. He talks about 'painful' cuts, when the reality is he protected special interests and kicked the can down the road again, deferring billions of dollars of expenses so that our children and grandchildren can pay for his mistakes.

"Let the record show: multi-billion deficits didn't start when the economic crisis hit last year. Trenton ran seven years of deficits during one of the most prosperous periods in our history. Instead of responding with courage and foresight, the governor and his allies helped push through every job-killing policy, irresponsible borrowing and tax increase possible.

"We now have by far the highest rate of unemployment rate of any state in our region. New Jersey has a unique economic problem. Yet rather than take real steps to fix it, Governor Corzine says he needs a Washington bailout again next year.

"I urge the governor to promise to change the budget script next year, if he is re-elected. Republicans, who did not run multi-billion-dollar deficits for eight years running, stand ready to help him bring fiscal responsibility back to New Jersey."

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