New Jersey’s economic team meets with governor

Governor Chris Christie will deliver his state budget plan to the state legislature in two weeks, and he says everyone will be asked to sacrifice to put New Jersey back on the path to economic growth.

Governor Chris Christie will deliver his state budget plan to the legislature in two weeks, and he says everyone will be asked to sacrifice to put New Jersey back on the path to economic growth. [audio:100302PGECO.mp3]

The Governor told the first meeting of his council of economic advisors the budget will be the most difficult one any administration has had to deal with since the early 1970’s when the state’s income tax was created.

Christie says one in eight adults in New Jersey is employed by some unit of government.

Christie: Do we need that many public employees? If we do, how do we compensate them in a way that’s fair so we do not bankrupt our state or do what I believe we have done already which is to make ourselves completely non-competitive.

Christie says the state’s pension, benefit, and salary system is out of control. He says fixing it will mean taking on special interests that were previously seen as off limits.