No neighboring state is suffering as much in this recession as New Jersey. There are no excuses that Governor Corzine can give that will make New Jersey feel better about the suffering of so many of our friends and neighbors.

“I'm proud of the citizens who stood up to put an end to reckless government borrowing. What we are witnessing throughout the nation are regular citizens standing up to entrenched and self interested politicians like John McKeon to take their government back."



"An auditor general may poll well, but creating a new bureaucracy is not the responsible answer to this problem. While I support many of the party leadership’s initiatives of the party, this is one that I do not support,” Funt continued, "The creation of one more new office just masks the symptoms of the real problem: a legislature that allows our tax dollars to burn a hole in their pockets."

TRENTON – New Jersey Republican Party Chairman Jay Webber today released the following statement regarding President Obama’s visit to New Jersey to campaign with Governor Jon Corzine: “The people of New Jersey don't have to look any further than today's unemployment numbers - now at 9.2% - to know Governor Corzine's record of failure has led to 17 consecutive months of job losses and the highest unemployment in the state in 32 years. No amount of campaigning by the President or any of Governor Corzine's Washington friends can change this fact. New Jerseyans are hungry for a candidate that represents positive change in Trenton and throughout our state - it's clear they have found that in Chris Christie."

###

Click here to view a memo from Frank Haines, the Assistant Legislative Budget and Finance Officer of the state Office of Legislative Services, providing details of the $4.949 billion New Jersey is receiving from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The memo identifies funding "received or to be received" in the state FY 2009 and 2010 "for which maintenance of state funding efforts or program eligibility continuation conditions."

CLICK HERE TO READ THE HAINES MEMO

New Jersey seems headed for the first end-of-year deficit in state history. With just eight weeks remaining in fiscal 2009, state revenues are running a gut-wrenching $1.2 billion below Governor Corzine's projections, and the governor's lack of transparency is adding to the crisis.

Will State Be Able to Make $1.8 Billion Loan Payment on June 25?

More than 300 activists and representatives from think tanks, community organizations and unions will gather Saturday to discuss new ideas for fixing New Jersey’s budget problems and turning around the state’s economy.

Senator Joseph Pennacchio, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to Treasurer David Rousseau seeking details of Governor Corzine's plan for refinancing state bonds. The governor's 2010 budget includes $361 million in "savings" from an unspecified debt restructuring. The treasurer has so far provided no details of how much debt will be restructured, how it will be accomplished or how much it will cost taxpayers.

Republican Christopher Christie has a nine percentage point lead, 46%-37%, over Gov. Jon Corzine in the race for Goveror of New Jersey, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released early this morning.  Christie led Corzine by six points last month, and a Fairliegh Dickinson University poll also out Chrisie nine points ahead. 

Corzine has an upside-down approval rating of 40%-50%, about the same as his standing five weeks ago.  The governor has favorables of 38%-50%, also upside-down.  Just 31% approve of the way Corzine is handling the economy, while 56% say they disapprove.

This poll was in the field from March 4-9 and does not affect voter attitudes after Corzine delivered his budget address to a joint session of the New Jersey Legislature on Tuesday.

“There are no good numbers for Gov. Jon Corzine in this poll, and since it was taken before his Draconian budget was released, his numbers could be even worse today,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Chris Christie continues to widen his lead over Jon Corzine in the race for Governor and this poll indicates Christie could become stronger once he gets better known.”

In a Republican gubernatorial primary matchup, Christie, the former U.S. Attorney, leads former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan by 21 points, 40%-19%.  Franklin Mayor Brian D. Levine is at 3%, and Assemblyman Rick Merkt (R-Mendham) is at 1%.

Christie has favorables of 31%-7%, with more than six out of ten voters have no yet heard of him.  Lonegan is at 15%-17%, with 77% of voters unaware of his candidacy. 

Lonegan trails Corzine by four points, with Corzine holding a 41%-37% lead over the leader of the state's conservative GOP movement.

Asked if Corzine deserved a second term as Governor, 34% said yes and 53% said no.