N.J. Senate Passes $29.4B Budget

TRENTON– The New Jersey Senate has passed a $29.4 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts Thursday, the Associated Press reports.
Senate Democrats supplied four votes needed for Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget to pass. All 17 Republicans supported the budget, and it passed 21-19, the report said.
According to the report, as of 9 p.m. Monday, the Assembly was considering budget-related legislation and had yet to start debating the main appropriations bill.
The bare-bones budget cuts $820 million in aid to schools, suspends property tax rebates and trims programs and services for students and the poor.
Christie could sign the budget as early as Tuesday.
Earlier Monday, the Senate passed by a veto-proof majority a bill restoring $7.5 million to fund 58 family planning centers around the state.
day Governor Chris Christie issued the following statement:
“I am proud that after working with the Legislature we were able to fulfill our commitment to New Jerseyans not to raise taxes, while still closing an unprecedented $11 billion budget gap and protecting our most vulnerable citizens. This budget deals responsibly with the fiscal nightmare we inherited and makes the tough and necessary choices to restore fiscal sanity to our state and begin fundamental reform.
“As difficult as this process was, we are not done – not by a long shot. Without more excuses or further delay, we must move to lock in real, lasting reforms, including a constitutional cap on property taxes without loopholes or exceptions. New Jersey is tired of half measures and empty promises. Now is the time to finish the work we started and give the people a vote in controlling their property taxes.”