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TRENTON, N.J. -- An agreement has been worked out that will result in a new budget for the state of New Jersey, sources told NewsChannel 4 on Thursday. Gov. Jon Corzine and lawmakers are still hammering out details on how to spend the penny sales tax increase. Indications are at least half the revenue will go for property tax relief this year with larger amounts going for property tax relief in later years. If lawmakers can begin acting on this deal, Atlantic City casinos could be open sometime this weekend and full state services would resume as early as Monday.

NEW YORK, July 3 (Reuters) - A New Jersey appellate court rejected a plea by casinos to stay open despite a shutdown of non-essential government services, Dan Heneghan, a spokesman for the Casino Control Commission said on Monday. "The appellate division denied the relief that the Casino Association had requested," Heneghan said. "I understand they will now try to get relief from the New Jersey Supreme Court. Absent that and absent the state budget, the Casino Control Commission chair ordered all gaming will have to cease as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday."

We all know that old saying about things always looking greener in someone else's pasture. Compared to the brown, dead grass that is New Jersey's state government, I'd say that's certainly true. However, I have a feeling that residents in our neighboring states aren't thinking the same about us. In fact, they're probably shaking their heads in-between fits of laughter. Yes, Garden State residents' morale is at an all-time low. This is what shutting down the government has done to us. What makes me most angry is that the state's residents are suffering at the hands of the people we...

Gov. Corzine to address full legislature Wednesday Trenton -WABC, July 4, 2006) - Despite an all day effort by sequestered New Jersey lawmakers, there's still no budget agreement. Now, Governor Jon Corzine will address the Legislature on Wednesday morning. New Jersey lawmakers opposed to Governor Jon Corzine's sales tax hike rejected a compromise sought by the governor on Tuesday. They are now working on their own plan that could increase income taxes. Even after an emergency closed door session, lawmakers failed to come up with a budget agreement. Talks will continue through the night. And if a deal isn't met...

TRENTON, N.J. - As the state government shutdown threatened to close Atlantic City's casinos, Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Monday said New Jersey lawmakers must report to the Statehouse on July Fourth and stay there until they adopt a budget. Corzine called for a special session of the Legislature after Monday afternoon negotiations with the lawmaker leading opposition to the governor's proposed sales tax increase failed yet again. "I will try to speak explicitly about a compromise that I hope people will find is reasonable," Corzine said. At the casinos, meanwhile, executives and employees were fearing the worst — a...