RICK MERKT FOR STATE ASSEMBLY

JACKSON AND SCHINDLER WRONG AGAIN ON "FACTS"

PRESS RELEASE FALSELY CLAIMS ONLY DEMOCRATS REDUCED BUDGET

OFFICIAL RECORD PROVES REPUBLICANS CUT BUDGET IN 1990'S

October 20, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JACKSON AND SCHINDLER WRONG AGAIN ON "FACTS"

PRESS RELEASE FALSELY CLAIMS ONLY DEMOCRATS REDUCED BUDGET

OFFICIAL RECORD PROVES REPUBLICANS CUT BUDGET IN 1990'S

Assemblyman Richard A. Merkt (R. - Morris) today corrected another error in a press release issued by Democrats Thom Jackson and Janice Schindler. Jackson and Schindler claimed that the only times a state budget got smaller were under Democrats. Referring to official figures reported in Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, Merkt pointed out both errors and misrepresentations in the Jackson and Schindler press release.

"The official figures show that, in 1995, under a Republican governor and Legislature, the state budget declined from its1994 levels," said Merkt, "so Jackson and Schindler's press release is just plain flat out wrong on the facts."

Merkt went on to point out that the state budget also declined from 1992 to 1993, while Florio was governor, but the Legislature was controlled by veto-proof Republican majorities.

"This is a perfect example of a half-truth coming from the Jackson-Schindler campaign," declared Merkt. "True, a Democrat was governor when the 1993 budget was adopted, but the reduced spending was due entirely to the Republican Legislature, which slashed Florio's proposed budget before passing it and sending it to the governor for signature. Jackson and Schindler are, once again, misrepresenting actual history for political gain."

Finally, Merkt noted that the current state budget is, in fact, understated by nearly a billion dollars due to state spending moved off budget by the Codey Administration, a practice that Merkt termed "Enron-style public accounting." The fact is, actual state spending in the current fiscal year will be higher than last year, not lower.

"I know that we're in the political 'silly season,'" added Merkt, "but this really is serious business. It demands accuracy in reporting the facts, a quality that has been noticeably lacking in Jackson and Schindler's press releases. If folks can't rely on Jackson and Schindler to get the facts right, then how can they possibly trust them to represent the 25th Legislative District with integrity and competence?

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