Governor Corzine should tell districts now if they are going to lose $35 million in debt service aid. Stalling until after the budget is passed isn't fair to the school children of New Jersey.

Senator Says Governor's Action Too Little, Too late, and Calls on Attorney General to Recover Taxpayer Money That Was 'Lost in Space"

COUTINHO NAMED TO ASSEMBLY BUDGET PANEL

Assemblyman Gives State's Largest  City a Voice in Budget, Fiscal Issues

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Albert Coutinho was today named to the Assembly Budget Committee, providing the City of Newark with a voice on the powerful fiscal panel.

TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney today issued the following statement in response to Sen. Marcia Karrow’s criticism of the city of Bridgeton:

“At last week’s Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing, I was troubled by Senator Marcia Karrow questioning the appropriateness of the City of Bridgeton receiving Special Municipal Aid from the state while the city still maintains a free zoo. Her statement that the Corzine administration ‘pampers’ Bridgeton and other distressed cities is not supported by the facts.

Republican Budget Officer Tony Bucco's opening remarks as the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee began budget hearings today:

The six Republican members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee said today's testimony shows Governor Corzine has created a breathtakingly irresponsible budget that will inevitably result in crippling tax increases on New Jersey's middle class if he wins re-election.

“The reason New Jersey is in the midst of a financial crisis stems from seven years of Democrats using taxpayer money to buy votes of special interests including public employee unions. The proverbial chickens have come home to roost.  

Governor Corzine delivered his fourth budget address to the Legislature yesterday asserting "we are living within our means."  This has been a favorite theme of Democrats since 2001 when Jim McGreevey campaigned against the Whitman-DiFrancesco spending spree of 1998-2001, and in 2005 Jon Corzine campaigned as a savvy Wall Street manager who was going to shake up Trenton and impose more fiscal discipline on spendthrift career politicians. 

When former president Bill Clinton declared in his 1996 State of the Union address, "The era of big government is over," Republicans gave him a standing ovation and cheered wildly.  Clinton easily won reelection to a second term by running to the "right" of the hapless GOP nominee, former senator Bob Dole, who expressed admiration for the welfare state.  Ross Perot also was in the race and grabbed only 9% of the vote, after a strong third party run in 1992.   

Corzine's Budget Forces Camden County Municipalities
To Shoulder Unfair & Disproportionate Burden

Governor's budget proposes $1 billion in new taxes
in the most heavily taxed state in the union

HADDON HEIGHTS -- Governor Jon Corzine (D-Hoboken) delivered his annual budget address to the Legislature today, declaring his support for $1 billion in new taxes but no fundamental or permanent reforms to control spending or the growth of state government.

"Jon Corzine's reckless and irresponsible fiscal policy has fallen to new lows with today's budget address," said Camden County GOP Chairman Richard DeMichele, Jr. "The Governor continues to saddle our towns with deep cuts intended to force consolidation measures that citizens across the state oppose, and he has introduced $1 billion in new taxes."

"New Jersey deserves a Governor who will fight on behalf of the people of this state, not against them," DeMichele added. "When Jon Corzine raises our taxes and implements his budget gimmicks, he proves again and again that he truly has brought his Wall Street values to our state government."

"With today's address, Jon Corzine declared that he does not care about on middle class families across New Jersey and the struggles they face," DeMichele concluded. "In November, the voters will have an opportunity to begin our economic recovery by sending Jon Corzine and the tax-raising Trenton crew to join the ranks of the unemployed, just like they have done to too many of our fellow New Jerseyans."

TRENTON – Senator Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic), vice chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee issued the following statement on Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s budget message today:

“This budget message illustrates two important points – that we are in an economic crisis like most of us have never seen before and that the tough choices this Governor and Legislature have made in the past have positioned us to be able to better get through it. We have a head start on states that have not taken some of the steps we have already.