Post by Michael on Jul 2, 2006 1:32:15 GMT -5
From www.nj.com:
Corzine Orders State Government Shutdown
Gov. Jon Corzine this morning signed an executive order that will shut down all but the essential services of state government, taking action about nine and a half hours after the state lawmakers missed a constitutional deadline to pass a state budget.
It was the first time a New Jersey governor has ever acted to shut down government because of a fiscal crisis.
The action means 45,000 state workers will be furloughed until a budget is passed, the state lottery will stop selling tickets as of tomorrow, and courts would operate with only "essential services." The administration is declaring casinos "non essential," but no action on closing them can be taken until a court challenge by the casino industry is settled by an appellate division panel.
Stuart Rabner, the governor's chief counsel, said state parks and beaches would close July 5 unless a budget accord is reached. He said the parks won't be closed over the busy Fourth of July weekend because of safety issues and "thousands of people" are already there. He said essential services on health, human services, police and prisons would continue.
While Corzine sought to assure "residents of our great state that essential services will be provided," he conceded: "There will be people who do not receive the attention they rightfully deserve from our state government."
The Democratic governor took his action after a bitter day of negotiations failed to produce an agreement over the state budget. Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), says he will not go along with Corzine's plan to raise the sales tax from six percent to seven percent. Corzine, however, said the alternative budget proposed by Assembly Democrats would not provide enough revenue to get long-in-deficit New Jersey state finances back on stable footing.
"The budget was to be a plan to put our state on a path for fiscal stability ... ending fiscal games, gimmicks and mounting debts," Corzine said. "Those efforts have not resulted in the sort of responsible financial plan that the public has every right to expect from us."
Corzine said 40 states are operating with budget surpluses, and he is seeking to end years of fiscal gimmickry in New Jersey.
"I'm prepared to compromise and I have," Corzine said. "But there will not be a continuation of practices in the past."
Corzine Orders State Government Shutdown
Gov. Jon Corzine this morning signed an executive order that will shut down all but the essential services of state government, taking action about nine and a half hours after the state lawmakers missed a constitutional deadline to pass a state budget.
It was the first time a New Jersey governor has ever acted to shut down government because of a fiscal crisis.
The action means 45,000 state workers will be furloughed until a budget is passed, the state lottery will stop selling tickets as of tomorrow, and courts would operate with only "essential services." The administration is declaring casinos "non essential," but no action on closing them can be taken until a court challenge by the casino industry is settled by an appellate division panel.
Stuart Rabner, the governor's chief counsel, said state parks and beaches would close July 5 unless a budget accord is reached. He said the parks won't be closed over the busy Fourth of July weekend because of safety issues and "thousands of people" are already there. He said essential services on health, human services, police and prisons would continue.
While Corzine sought to assure "residents of our great state that essential services will be provided," he conceded: "There will be people who do not receive the attention they rightfully deserve from our state government."
The Democratic governor took his action after a bitter day of negotiations failed to produce an agreement over the state budget. Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), says he will not go along with Corzine's plan to raise the sales tax from six percent to seven percent. Corzine, however, said the alternative budget proposed by Assembly Democrats would not provide enough revenue to get long-in-deficit New Jersey state finances back on stable footing.
"The budget was to be a plan to put our state on a path for fiscal stability ... ending fiscal games, gimmicks and mounting debts," Corzine said. "Those efforts have not resulted in the sort of responsible financial plan that the public has every right to expect from us."
Corzine said 40 states are operating with budget surpluses, and he is seeking to end years of fiscal gimmickry in New Jersey.
"I'm prepared to compromise and I have," Corzine said. "But there will not be a continuation of practices in the past."