With no budget, New Jersey moves closer to government shutdown

Press of Atlantic City ^

[Sub-Driver]

With no budget, New Jersey moves closer to government shutdown By TOM HESTER Jr., Associated Press Writer Published: Friday, June 30, 2006 Updated: Friday, June 30, 2006

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey lawmakers neared the brink of a financial crisis Friday, just hours before the state's constitutional deadline to adopt a budget that has been stalled by a dispute over the governor's plan to increase the sales tax.

The state constitution requires a balanced budget by midnight, but with budget legislation far from law, Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine and legislators were expected to miss that deadline for the fourth time in five years.

Nothing has happened when deadlines were missed before, but the state never went past the morning of July 2 without an adopted budget.

If no agreement seems imminent, Corzine's administration said he plans Saturday to sign an executive order that will begin a shutdown of state government, with services such as the lottery the first to close and parks and beaches taking several days to completely shutter.

Casinos, which require monitoring by state gambling regulators to operate, planned to fight any plans to close. Several newspapers reported Friday that the 12 Atlantic City casinos were heading to court to challenge any such attempt.

[Sub-Driver]

jeez Florzine, your own party is against you.......

[mware]

LOL, you should see the commericals Daddy Warbucks is putting on television.

He is really going after the Dem's who control the Legislative Branch of the government here.

State workers are also going after them because they want to get rid of some of the vacation days, stopping them from collecting on unused sick days when they retire.

Speaking as someone who has 165 sick days accumulated I am not too keen on that one myself.

[getbillnow]

Corzine is obviously a man of conviction.

He says he won't raise taxes before the election. He lies.

He says he has to raise sales tax (to 7%) now he backtracks.

Now hes willing to shut down the casino (in AC) which doesn’t bother me a bit (because without NJ State oversight they aren’t supposed to run) this snake is running out of maneuvers.

[Beagle8U]

I wonder if any of the RATS that control that state ever thought that rather than raise taxes, they might cut some spending to balance the budget?

[Element187]

This is what happens when democrats remain in control for far too long.

[tcostell]

Frankly, I'll be relieved that the state gets shut down, we have FAR too much government in NJ anyway. Corzine made a speech the other day where he told the civil service unions, "I'm with you...." fine... let him stay home too.

The real controversy is because the civil service unions sent pink slips to the legislature and told them to support their most recent bit of extortion or they would see to it that they lose their jobs. The legislature doesn't really mind being their lapdogs, they just don't like being told what they are in such unambiguous terms.
Now the unions can't back off without losing face, and the legislature can't back off without letting the voters know who's really running things.

Personally I think a civil service union should be illegal, but what do I know... I'm just a labor economist.

[jamaksin]

They tried to sell New Jersey last year in a Dutch auction;
there were no bids.

[edcoil]

Here in California, the Constitutional budget requirements have not been met in over 10 years. Naturally since we have a left leaning congress the Constitution is a living document capable of changing its meaning and guidence as left to the reader.

The Constitution means nothing to liberals.

[T'wit]

Soon, the good citizens of New Jersey will be dancing in the streets. Soon, prosperity will return and reach new heights in a fabulous economic boom fueled by zero taxes. zero regulations and zero bureaucrats. Soon all the Jersey politicians will be selling used cars for a living -- a switch they can make without job retraining.

[Xenalyte]

With no budget, New Jersey moves closer to government shutdown

I can't see how this is a bad thing.

[ELS]

ping!

[gakrak]

"State workers are also going after them because they want to get rid of some of the vacation days, stopping them from collecting on unused sick days when they retire."

Sorry, but sick days should be used for being sick, not for a bonus at the end of your work life. If you don't use them you should loose them. Unions once were good now they are evil. Amen.

[mware]

I hear ya. That is why I have so many sick days. I don't use them unless I am sick. They are a good thing to have accumulated in case of serious illness or an accident.

I once had to use 60 days because of a car accident.

Our school has a system that we do not get full pay for accumulated sick leave, it is actually a part of our contract that we get 1/2 pay for accumulated sick leave up to but no more than $6,000.

[chimera]

So, if they shutdown the government and there are no "services" provided, do taxpayers get a prorated rebate on their state taxes? In the business world, the paradigm is, no servee, no payee. Probably not true in the wonderful world of government (at least not one dominated by 'Rats).

[OldFriend]

LOLOL......this jackass is getting exactly what he deserves.

[OldFriend]

Does anyone believe that he will shut down the casinos?????? LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Diana in Wisconsin]

This happened in 2005, too:

"They are California, Delaware, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin."


http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=39847

[Tiberius109]

New Jersey lawmakers neared the brink of a financial crisis Friday
Good . I live in NJ and I hope this whole corrupt govt falls apart. NJ politicians live like rock stars , the corruption is beyond words , Nero himself would blush at what goes on here. THAT's where all the money is in NJ. Congressmen working hand and hand with the mob , school districts (Union City ) are family run businesses , hiring girlfriends and cousins from Dominican Republic to hi paying no show jobs, missing money by the MILLIONS. The Dems own this state for 70 years and they've turned it into the poster chhild for political graft. Screw them all.

[ClaireSolt]

Are you still paying your toll booth ticket people $70,000/an? Will they be affected by proposed minimum wage hikes? LOL

[Incorrigible]

As long as he gets the last golden egg, he'd have no problem killing the goose!