Free Republic

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...

TRENTON, N.J. (2006-06-28) Corzine's veto promise, made while taking calls on New Jersey 101-point-five F-M radio yesterday, came as Assembly Democrats opposed to the tax hike unveiled their own ideas. Corzine has proposed boosting the sales tax from six percent to seven percent to help close a projected four-point-five (b) billion budget deficit. He quickly rejected yesterday an alternate Assembly Democrats plan that features other tax increases. The governor said the Assembly Democrat plan includes proposals that "flat out are not going to work" and said he sees no alternative but a sales tax increase. The state Constitution requires a...