Joe Malone

REPUBLICAN BUDGET MEMBERS: BUDGET IS FULL OF TAX HIKES, BUT STILL SEEMS TO LACK SPENDING CUTS

TREASURER ACKNOWLEDGES BUDGET LACKS SIGNIFICANT CUTS

REPUBLICAN BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS SAY PLAN TO CHARGE MUNICIPALITIES FOR STATE POLICE COVERAGE WILL DRIVE UP PROPERTY TAXES

CONCERN OVER USING STATE POLICE IN RURAL AREAS -- BUT NOT IN PLACES LIKE CAMDEN AND IRVINGTON -- IS A DOUBLE-STANDARD

OLS REVENUE PROJECTIONS PROMPT REPUBLICAN BUDGET MEMBERS TO CALL FOR MORE SPENDING CUTS
NEW REVENUE PROJECTION DATA INDICATES MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE CUTTING MUST BE DONE
The four Republican members of the Assembly Budget Committee today called on Governor Corzine to submit more fiscally responsible spending cuts in response to a report from the Office of Legislative Service's (OLS) showing revenue projections for the next two years that are nearly $200 million below what is anticipated in the governor's budget proposal.

"The public outrage about this budget is growing and these new revenue numbers are very troubling news," said Assembly Republican Budget Officer Joe Malone, R-Burlington, Ocean, Monmouth and Mercer. "This revenue shortfall again emphasizes that we cannot rely on tax increases to straighten out this budget. We need to cut spending."

GREENWALD STATEMENT ON OPENING
OF STEPPED-UP BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS

(TRENTON) -- Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis D. Greenwald issued the following statement at his panel's opening meeting where members took testimony from State Auditor Richard Fair on his office's continuing work to identify potential cost savings and operating efficiencies that might help alleviate the state's anticipated FY07 budget shortfall:

MALONE QUESTIONS STATE'S DECISION TO INVEST PENSION FUNDS IN HEDGE FUNDS
Bad time to be risking the taxpayers money