Corzine budget includes wage freeze and furlough for workers

By: Tom MacDonald

Governor Corzine has delivered his budget address for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The plan contains $4 billion in spending cuts.

By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org

Governor Corzine has delivered his budget address for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The plan contains $4 billion in spending cuts.

Transcript:
More than 850 items take a direct hit in the New Jersey fiscal 2010 budget, including $400 million in projected savings from a wage freeze and furlough of state workers. Governor Corzine says tough choices had to be made to balance the close to $30 billion spending plan.

Corzine: “Around the kitchen table, every family knows what it means to make tough choices in these tough times. But people also understand the importance of making the right choices. They identify their most important priorities and their change their spending habits to live within their means, that’s exactly what those of us in this chamber must do in this budget season.”

School aid will increase by more than $300 million, including $25 million in funding for preschool expansion. The budget also expands the senior property tax freeze and preserves property tax rebates for two thirds of homeowners who qualified a last year. To help balance the budget there will also be a one year three quarter percent income tax hike on those making more than a half million dollars a year.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090310njbudget1.mp3]