New Jersey lawmakers to vote on budget

By: Phil Gregory

New Jersey lawmakers are preparing to vote Thursday on a state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. But Republican legislators are saying that spending plan doesn’t account for what happens after the budget is enacted.

By: Phil Gregory
philgregorynews@gmail.com

New Jersey lawmakers are preparing to vote Thursday on a state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. But Republican legislators are saying that spending plan doesn’t account for what happens after the budget is enacted.

Listen:
[audio: 090624pgbudget.mp3]

The ranking Republicans on the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees say the new budget relies on $5 billion dollars in revenue such as the tax amnesty collections and the federal stimulus program that will not be repeated in the future. They say there may be a $10 billion dollar deficit for the following budget year.

Senator Tony Bucco says there may be state worker layoffs if spending is not brought into line with revenues

Bucco: We’ve had more public employees added onto the rolls and it’s just getting to the point where we can not absorb anymore. So is there going to layoffs. If they want to control spending there’s going to have to be layoffs.

Governor Corzine says the federal stimulus funds are designed as a bridge to help the state get through the recession.