Republican Leaders Senator Tom Kean and Assemblyman Alex DeCroce stated today that the Senate and Assembly Republican caucuses were united in their opposition to Governor Corzine’s fiscal 2010 budget and members would not be supporting the spending plan.

Chris Christie

Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie today launched a new radio ad in which the former U.S. Attorney objects to State Treasurer David Rousseau’s assertion to the Assembly Budget Committee that New Jerseyans are not overtaxed.

The 60-second ad begins with Assemblyman Joe Malone (R-Bordentown) asking Rousseau if he believes residents are overtaxed, the treasurer replying no, and Christie’s voice coming in to provide resolution to the conflict.  

Republican budget officers urge Corzine to expedite release of January revenue figures so that the public can play a significant role in how the budget crisis is solved.

CORZINE SAYS HE WELCOMES IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO RESOLVE NJ's FINANCIAL MESS

WANT TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE? NOW YOU CAN!

            During his State of the State address to the Legislature last week, Gov. Jon S. Corzine said he is receptive to "intellectually honest" ideas about how to address New Jersey economic crisis and chronic budget problems.

            "My door is always open to anyone who is seriously interested in putting good ideas, intellectually honest ideas, on the table," the governor said.

            Is it really? Just in case this is another instance of a disconnect between Gov. Corzine's rhetoric and reality, New Jersey Assembly Republicans are making it possible to actually deliver a message to the governor.

            Just go to NJAssemblyRepublicans.com and click on the blue box that says "Fight Back! Let Corzine Know You Won't Pay for His Mistakes." That will take you to a page where you can describe how New Jersey's worsening economy and seven years of rising taxes, tolls and fees have affected you. You can share your thoughts about what the governor and Legislature should do balance the state budget without inflicting more financial pain on the taxpayers.

            We will collect your stories and suggestions and send them to the governor before the Legislature votes on a new budget. In addition, we will post the best entries (without your name) on our website. Your ideas and recommendations will also be reviewed by our budget analysts and shared with our members serving on the Assembly Budget Committee.

DeCROCE SAYS CORZINE’S REFUSAL TO RE-EXAMINE THE STATE BUDGET NOW DEFIES COMMON SENSE

ENTIRE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN CAUCUS ENDORSES CALL FOR SPECIAL ECONOMIC SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE IN LETTER TO CORZINE

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce said today he is “disappointed and baffled” by Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine’s cavalier dismissal of calls by Republican lawmakers to take a fresh look at the state budget in the wake of economic turmoil even he concedes has left New Jersey “vulnerable.”

He announced that the entire Assembly Republican caucus has signed a letter sent to Corzine today urging him to reconsider his decision.“New Jersey has been in the grip of an affordability crisis for quite sometime,” states the letter to Corzine. “But now, in the wake of the economic turmoil triggered by the troubles on Wall Street, many taxpayers in New Jersey now face a survivability crisis. People are scared. They worry about possible foreclosure on their homes, how they will make their next mortgage payment, will they have a job tomorrow, and whether the money they have invested for retirement will be there when they need it.

“We, the undersigned members of the Assembly Republican Caucus, implore you to reconsider your refusal to revisit the budget for the current fiscal year and find more cuts to compensate for the loss of tax revenue that will be the inevitable result of the calamity on Wall Street and the continued loss of jobs.”

BIPARTISAN BILLS FOR NOVEMBER SCHOOL ELECTIONS,
SLASHING SCHOOL OVERHEAD COSTS CLEAR COMMITTEE
Measures Aim to Enhance Accountability at School Board Level,
Clamp Down on Non-Classroom Administrative Costs

(TRENTON) - Two bipartisan measures Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. is championing to enhance local voters' ability to hold elected school board members accountable for their fiscal and policy decisions and to slash inefficient non-classroom administrative spending in public schools were released today by the Assembly Education Committee.

As PolitickerNJ.com begins a subjective tournament to choose New Jersey's Smartest Legislator, state Sen. Leonard Lance could be the early front runner. Lance has faced some criticism from members of his own party for being more of a statesman than a politician, but several statehouse watchers and former legislators say he may be one of the brightest people in Trenton.

"Leonard Lance is the one guy who sits in the legislature today that could have sat in the Senate in the late 1960's and early 1970's," said lobbyist/public relations executive Alan Marcus, who served as Clerk of the General Assembly in 1969, at age 21. "Leonard is a throwback to that era of the noblesse oblige, of quiet brilliance -- of people who don't speak on every issue, but who become conversant on every issue."

Lance isn't the only name that comes up in discussions about smart legislators. In the Senate, the most repeated names were Raymond Lesniak, Nia Gill, Kevin O'Toole, Bill Baroni, John Adler, Dick Codey, and Barbara Buono.

In the Assembly, Joe Roberts, Michael Patrick Carroll, Joe Malone, David Russo, and John Wisniewski were frequently mentioned as among the brainiest.

ROBERTS ASKS TREASURER FOR QUICK REVIEW
OF DeCROCE/MALONE BUDGET PLAN

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today asked state Treasurer Bradley Abelow to conduct an expedited financial review of budget changes proposed by Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce and Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joe Malone.

ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENTS TO PROPERTY TAX COMMITTEE TEAMS

SUBCOMMITTEES ON EACH TOPIC WILL ENSURE ALL MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS HAVE INPUT

MALONE AND KEAN: NOT EVERY STATE WORKER
CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A PAY CUT
SAY FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE EXTRAVAGANT SALARIES