In his statement released in the wake of Gov. Jon Corzine's budget address, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie hove to the language of the middle class. 

“Today's speech by the Governor is the unfortunate culmination of the Corzine-McGreevey era--seven years of tax increases, irresponsible spending, the doubling of our state debt and, most importantly, a failure to make the tough decisions," said the Republican frontrunner for governor. "The Wall Street philosophy of spend now, borrow now and pay later has driven New Jersey to be unaffordable for its people. This budget proposal is just more of the same--higher state taxes, higher property taxes and no accountability for the pain that this lack of strong leadership has caused the people of New Jersey."