Jersey cities and towns feel the squeeze from Corzine cuts

By: Tom MacDonald

New Jersey Governor Corzine’s proposed budget is designed to spread the pain of spending cuts among all those who depend on state funding. Local governments have some ideas about how the state could help them make do with less.

By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org

New Jersey Governor Corzine’s proposed budget is designed to spread the pain of spending cuts among all those who depend on state funding. Local governments have some ideas about how the state could help them make do with less.

Transcript:
William Dressel of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities says Corzine’s budget reduces state aid by a relatively modest two percent. Still, he says the governor could offset those cuts by giving local governments some relief from costly state regulations.

Dressel: “There’s mandates involving the kinds of vehicles you have to have, the kinds of environmental permits that you take out. There’s the binding arbitration statue the imposed awards in excess of four percent, the state spending cap.”

The governor also recommended that municipalities explore consolidating services with their neighbors to cut costs. That’s an idea Somerdale Mayor Gary Passanante says his Camden County borough is already considering.

Passanante: “We’re talking as groups to share services, we’ll save a few dollars here and there, and every little bit does count.”

Corzine’s budget would slash funding for local governments by $31 million for the coming fiscal year.

Listen:
Click on the play button below or right click on this link and choose “Save Link As” to download. [audio: reports20090311corzinebudget.mp3]