Posted on 07/04/2006 1:43:38 PM PDT by Libloather
N.J. Gov. tells lawmakers to end shutdown
By TOM HESTER Jr., Associated Press Writer
1 minute ago
New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine speaks to the media at the New Jersey Statehouse Monday, July 3, 2006, in Trenton, N.J. about the state's ongoing budget impasse. Corzine said state lawmakers must report to the Statehouse on the July Fourth holiday and stay there until they adopt a budget.(AP Photo/Mel Evans)
TRENTON, N.J. - Gov. Jon S. Corzine hauled lawmakers in to work on the July Fourth holiday, imploring them to end a budget standoff that has shut down many government services, while Atlantic City casinos fought to keep from being dragged into the dispute.
Tuesday's special session came three days after Corzine started shutting down state government because lawmakers missed the July 1 constitutional deadline to approve a new budget. Without a budget, the government can't spend money.
"Make no mistake, people are being hurt and unfortunately more will be hurt in the days ahead," the governor told the lawmakers.
The state lottery, road construction, motor vehicle offices, vehicle inspection stations and courts already have closed. More than half the state work force 45,000 people was ordered to stay home on Monday. Lost lottery ticket sales are costing the state $2.2 million per day, according to the state treasury.
Legislative leaders said Corzine's speech wasn't likely to resolve the stalemate right away. If no deal is reached, state parks and historic sites would be closed Wednesday along with Atlantic City casinos, which are required to have state regulators on duty.
Casino operators, rejected by the state Supreme Court in one effort to avoid the budget crunch, said Tuesday they were filing a new lawsuit against state regulators in a last-ditch attempt to avoid being shut down as a side-effect of the state's problems.
Some gamblers said they didn't understand why the state would close the casinos during a budget crisis when gambling provides so much in-state revenue $1.3 million per day, according to the state Casino Control Commission.
"Why close it down when you could just do your job and put the budget together. That's what they're paid for," slots player Jerome Harper, 42, of Philadelphia, said Tuesday of state officials.
The dispute between the governor and his fellow Democrats who control the Legislature centers on his plan to increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to help overcome a $4.5 billion budget deficit for his $31 billion spending plan. The proposal would cost the average New Jersey family $275 per year, according to experts.
Corzine urged the lawmakers to approve a compromise offered by Senate President Richard J. Codey that would use half the $1.1 billion raised by his sales tax increase to ease the state's property taxes, among the nation's highest.
"I'm willing to meet the Legislature half way," Corzine told lawmakers.
After the governor's speech, Codey said he wasn't optimistic Corzine and the leader of the tax hike opposition, Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., would come together.
"I don't see where either one is anyway going to change their position at this particular point in time," Codey said.
"I think we're as divided today as we were before the speech," said Assembly Joseph Cryan, chairman of the state Democratic Party and a Corzine budget plan supporter.
___
Associated Press Writer John Curran in Atlantic City contributed to this report.
On top of every other tax? Dang, thats a lotta loot. Everyone in New Jersey must be RICH!
My family (my wife in particular) is one such example. She is waiting on the State to process her physician's license. That won't happen until the government re-opens. It's not a big impact, but it is one that prevents her from being able to work at full potential.
That'll teach Jersey voters to elect a limousine liberal as head of state. Pay up, suckers!
Is there no talk of cutting Govt? Maybe deep 6 a bloated program or two?
Oh, wait - it Dem on Dem budgeting....never mind.
and when the state fails and falls totally on it's face they will expect we other 49 states to clean up the mess and foot the bill for their stupidity.
Happy July 4th New Jersey. Celebrate the DimRat's plans to suck you dry of your $$. You get what you elect....isn't it fun to live in a Blue state controlled by da 'Rats?
He's Norcross' guy in Trenton.
Corzine is outmanned!
The working people of New Jersey don't seem ever to learn! Whenever they elect a democrat, tax increases are the order of the day! Of course, for those people in New Jersey who don't work and don't pay any taxes (the base that actually elected Corzine), that's not a bad deal. For them tax increases only increase their entitlements! But for the tax payers who actually work for a living and pay the freight, it might be time to consider a move to any other state that is not a racketeering enterprise.
Not me! I grew up there but knew by the time I was 16 that I couldn't afford to live there - ever. There is some family still left there. Latest rumor - my uncle pays over $10,000 a year - just for property taxes on the house. Nope, not for me - thanks!
This is simple pass the budget but no sale tax increase.
This is an interesting time to push for tax increase when other states are running surpuses.
RED cities and states are running surpluses.....Blue cities and states are always in the red.
Corzine has billions more spending on the planning board.
Total shutdown looms in New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J., July 4 (UPI) -- New Jersey moved a step closer to a total shutdown of government services Tuesday when Assembly Democrats rejected a penny increase in the state sales tax.
Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts blamed Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine for the crisis, saying he has not been willing to consider alternatives to end the budget impasse. Corzine signed an executive order Saturday, the beginning of the new fiscal year, putting non-essential state employees on unpaid leave.
But the speaker said all officials have let down New Jersey citizens.
"We have not been able to deal with our constitutional responsibility to achieve a balanced budget," he said.
Roberts said only 15 of the 49 Democrats in the Assembly would be willing to support a sales tax hike unless the revenue was devoted almost entirely to property tax relief.
The shutdown of state government had little impact during the long holiday weekend, although motor vehicle offices and other state agencies that would have been open Monday were closed. State parks, racetracks and the Atlantic City casinos remained open through July Fourth. The casinos lost another legal challenge Tuesday to have state inspectors declared essential workers.
Roberts said the Assembly Budget Committee would keep working into the night to craft an alternative budget that would be acceptable to the governor and the state Senate.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060704-050403-1832r
Have a happy Dependence Day!
Brought a house in 91, prop taxes were $2800, today it will be $7200. School funding represents 60 percent and each year the voters vote down the budget, the school advocates would pepper the local papers with letters to the editor stating that the voters of my town don't care about kids. Gee budget/taxes (school funding) grows at 5.5 percent annually and wage growth of taxpayers is about 3 percent, and we are still being accused of being uncaring. Problem in NJ is officials do not control spending, and their increases out strip the wage increases of a typical taxpayer. Eventually the officials would be caught between the taxpayers and the programs they created.
New Jersey moved a step closer to a total shutdown of government services Tuesday when Assembly Democrats rejected a penny increase in the state sales tax.
Note the liberal analysis:
a penny increase????
Gimme a break!
Liberal speak: 1% sales tax hike = a penny increase.
More math is needed in schools.
Yeah right.
Somehow when they take money out of one of my pockets to put into another of my pockets, it gets lost along the way.
The property tax relief is a mirage. If the state spends a certain amount of money, they are going to get it out of our hides one way or another. The only thing to do is reduce the amount of money the state spends, but none of the Democrats are even talking about that.
Any recall petitions started yet?
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