Governor Chris Christie Orders Funds Reserved Until Health Care Savings Are Achieved

TRENTON — June 30, Governor Chris Christie signed the following Executive Order:
Executive Order No. 209 was issued in response to the Legislature’s inability to responsibly identity realistic revenues and health care cost savings.
To address the Legislature’s irresponsible spending plan, the Executive Order places millions of dollars in budget appropriations in fiscal reserve.
“The legislative majority wants to thoughtlessly spend down the State’s surplus by $160 million,” said Governor Christie. “Worse, however, is their shameless inclusion of a $250 million savings in public employee and retiree health care costs which I called for in February, but which the Legislature did absolutely nothing to embrace, negotiate or achieve. The savings was penciled in on paper, but completely nonexistent.”