Louis Greenwald

CHRISTIE’S FISCALLY RECKLESS BUDGET IS DISHONEST WITH NEW JERSEY

“You cannot promise all things to all people and call yourself honest”

TRENTON- Senate Budget Chair Barbara Buono and Assembly Budget Chair Louis Greenwald today held a press conference on Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie’s fiscally reckless budget that would make New Jersey’s financial situation dramatically worse. They noted that Christie’s budget is a series of political promises that would blow a $7.4 billion hole in the budget.

GREENWALD STATEMENT AS BUDGET COMMITTEE RELEASES FY2010 PLAN

(TRENTON) - Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) today released the following statement as the panel voted 8-4 to send the Fiscal Year 2010 state budget to the full Assembly, where a Thursday floor vote has been scheduled:

SWEEPING STATE ECONOMIC STIMULUS MEASURE
CLEARS ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
Would Place Moratorium on Nonresidential Development Fee,
Expand Transit Hub Tax Credit, Fuel Redevelopment,
Allow Colleges to Partner with Private Firms To Build Infrastructure

(TRENTON) - Landmark legislation that would maximize New Jersey's federal stimulus investments, promote economic growth and development efforts vital to pulling the state out from the current recession and positioning it for long-term prosperity was released today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Twelve members of the State Assembly had more than $100,000 cash on hand as of the most recent reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission:

GREENWALD: GOP RHETORIC A DAY LATE AND $383 MILLION SHORT

TRENTON) - Assembly Budget Chairman Louis D. Greenwald (D-Camden) released the following statement today on Assembly approval of legislation he's sponsoring (A-3981) to help save the state $383 million amid the global economic recession:

"For a group that says it doesn't have the ability to put together a budget plan, the Republicans sure seem to have more than enough time on their hands to work on their political posturing, write press releases and think up creative new ways to misrepresent legislation and scare residents."

GREENWALD, BURZICHELLI, ALBANO & MILAM:
POLL SHOWS NEW JERSEY SHOULD TAKE SPORTS GAMING BET

(TRENTON) - Four Assembly Democratic lawmakers who have long advocated for legalizing sports wagering at Atlantic City casinos today said a new Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released this morning strengthens the argument that New Jersey should seek to overturn a federal ban and allow resort gamblers to bet on pro-sporting events.

Former Glen Ridge Mayor Carl Bergmanson stands with state workers reps outside the Statehouse on Tuesday.

TRENTON – Twenty-five red-shirted state workers from CWA Local 1039 hold signs aloft and march around the fountain in front of the Statehouse Annex screaming for Gov. Jon Corzine to “negotiate, not dictate,” and “no furloughs, no layoffs,” while inside on the fourth floor, Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) and Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) open up on each other with the first full-throated argument of these late morning budget hearings.

In the middle of this committee eyeballing of Corzine’s $29.8 billion budget, their disagreement occurs on the issue of whether New Jersey is the highest taxed state in the country. O’Scanlon says indeed it is, and the committee chairman disagrees, making the case that the assessment of tax impact should be made based on income. 

“For the top 1% of income earners – those making over $500,000, we’re the highest in the nation,” says Greenwald. “But for 99% of the population, we’re in the middle.”

But O’Scanlon still wants to know how New Jersey intends to approach next year’s budget when the proposal this year to stop the budget bleeding now includes $2.2 billion in one-time federal stimulus money, $1 billion in pension deferrals, $361 million in bond refinancing, and $800 million from a sunset provision tax increase and other single shot injections.

“I add up $4-5 billion right off the top,” says O’Scanlon. “We’re pushing out the budget schedule.”

Greenwald goes after him.

GREENWALD OPENING STATEMENT

Following are Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald's (D-Camden) opening remarks as prepared for today's meeting of the Assembly Budget Committee:

Even before Governor Corzine introduced his proposed Fiscal Year 2010 state budget, we knew this year was going to be like no other.

GREENWALD, SCHAER, POU PLEDGE FINAL STATE BUDGET
WILL REFLECT, PROTECT NEW JERSEY'S CORE VALUES

(TRENTON) - The leaders of the Assembly Budget Committee today said the panel's work to craft the Fiscal Year 2010 state budget will center on ensuring that the state's priorities reflect and protect New Jersey's core values.

ASSEMBLY BUDGET PANEL MEMBERS DISCUSS IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON PROPOSED FY 2010 BUDGET

(TRENTON) - Democratic members of the Assembly Budget Committee today issued a multimedia package discussing the importance of holding hearings in which the public can address the committee on the proposed FY2010 budget.

Today's public hearing - the third such hearing on the proposed spending plan -  focused on economic development, public safety, transportation, environment and arts, history and cultural issues.  Since the public hearings began, the committee has taken testimony from roughly 150 individuals and groups.