RIBLE ENCOURAGED BY CORZINE'S CALL FOR FISCAL RESTRAINT DURING LAME DUCK SESSION

Assemblyman Dave Rible today said he is pleased to hear Governor Jon Corzine is calling for fiscal restraint by asking the Legislature to refrain from passing any legislation that would result in added spending during the lame duck session.

“It would seem Governor Corzine intends to impound his pen and not sign any spending bills that cross his desk before leaving office in January,” stated Rible, R-Monmouth. “I certainly hope he and Democrat legislators abide by his statement because now is not the time for the governor and Democrats to go on a spending spree at the expense of the taxpayer.

“The excessive spending and borrowing of the past eight years are the primary reasons New Jersey’s economy is in ruins,” he continued. “It would be utterly irresponsible for Governor Corzine and his party to take advantage of the lame duck session to further exacerbate the state’s fiscal problems. Now, more than ever, the governor and Democrat legislators need to exercise restraint.”

In a press release today, Corzine asked the Legislature to not pass any bills that would result in additional spending this current fiscal year.

Rible said lame duck should not be regarded as a free-for-all to push through myriads of self-serving legislation at the cost of taxpayers.

“While we look forward to working with Governor-Elect Christie next year, we still have much difficult work to do right now,” he said. “We have a lot of hurting people out there who need this current administration and Legislature to work together to get our state back on the road to fiscal stability.”

Since the end of FY 2002, the Democrats have nearly doubled. State spending has increased by $11 billion or 48.8 percent between Fiscal Year 2002 and FY 2010. In addition, Democrat spending decisions have caused local property taxes to increase by 51.5 percent, from an average bill of $4,651 in 2001 to $7,045 in 2008. During Corzine’s tenure, property tax rates have increased nearly 20 percent. Since the end of fiscal year 2001, state debt has increased by $30.8 billion, growing from $16.2 billion to $47 billion – an increase of more than 133 percent in eight years.

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