Christie compares budget to four-year-old Corzine campaign promises

Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie weighed in on the budget today in a conference call with reporters, bashing Gov. Corzine for allegedly failing to come through on campaign promises from 2005.

Christie pointed to several comments Corzine while campaigning then, mostly regarding pledges to reduce the tax burden on the middle class.

“He has specifically lied to the people of New Jersey when he said that he would stand for middle class tax cuts and cutting taxes for seniors,” he said.  “He has not stood by it, and this budget is proof positive, the last straw, I’d say, on the credibility of his campaign in 2005, and that should have a lot of impact about how people feel about the statements he makes in this campaign and the promises he makes to the people of New Jersey.”

Christie said it will be interesting to hear how Corzine will address the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) at its dinner tomorrow night given the budget’s tax increases for businesses.  Christie likely will hear Corzine’s speech, since he’s scheduled to speak at the same dinner.  

One reporter pointed out that the NJBIA came out in favor of the budget today.  The Star-Ledger quoted the group’s vice president, Arthur Maurice, telling the Assembly Budget Committee this morning that some measures they had taken eased the brunt of the budget’s payroll tax increase.  Still Maurice was critical of one-shot revenue fixes and called for more spending cuts.

“I think they also called into question a number of things in the budget as well. I think if you look at the overall approach that has been taken by the governor in the last four years compared to what he’s done before,” said Christie.  “I think he’ll have a problem tomorrow night trying to explain to the members of the NJBIA why this makes any sense at all.”