Star-Ledger Editorial Board, “Legislators should take deals offered by governor”:
“In his budget address, Christie offered the Legislature two deals: • If lawmakers pass health care reform by the middle of next month, Christie will double the property tax rebates for middle-class families and seniors. • And if lawmakers pass pension reform, Christie immediately will funnel $500 million into the severely underfunded pension accounts. Both reforms have to pass his muster, of course. Still, these are good deals. Legislators should take them. We have supported the governor’s pension reform.” (“Legislators should take deals offered by governor,” Star-Ledger Editorial Board, 2/23/2011)
The Record, “…this is a grown-up approach that we hope does much to unravel a culture of spend now, pay later that has laced Trenton's air and water for generations”:
“GOVERNOR Christie on Tuesday proposed a state budget that would cut business taxes, double homestead rebates for some middle-class homeowners, increase school aid and even pay into New Jersey's lagging public employee pension fund. His $29.4 billion spending plan is a series of reasoned, urgent and important decisions, he said, the product of a zero-based budgeting mind-set that sets priorities and refuses to protect long-held sacred cows. …He urged legislators to follow those leaders and pass reforms by March. A worthy goal. …this is a grown-up approach that we hope does much to unravel a culture of spend now, pay later that has laced Trenton's air and water for generations. … We are glad to see increased support for job-boosting biotechnology and research tax credits, expanding NJ Transit bus service and grants for low-income college students. … There was some happy news in the budget address — insofar as flat funding can be a happy occasion.” (“The new normal,” The Record, 2/23/2011)
Asbury Park Press, “The long-term fiscal health of New Jersey depends on the Legislature passing Christie's pension and health care reforms”:
“He called his budget "a line in the sand" and "the new normal." Whatever it is, the budget does contain welcome news for some. It increases school aid to every district. It doubles funding for the Homestead Rebate Program to provide direct property tax relief in the form of a property tax credit. The budget increases hospital and student financial aid by $20 million each. It fully funds the fiscal year 2011 increases to the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) and Senior Gold Prescription Assistance programs without increases in co-pays or eligibility. It provides $200 million in "job-creating, strategic tax cuts" — and Christie gave assurance that these tax cuts would be paid for by spending cuts. The governor also said he would make an immediate $506 million payment to the state pension fund, if the Legislature gets pension reform to his desk by mid-March. Obviously, pension and health benefit reforms are vitally needed. Public employees need to start kicking in much more to these benefit programs, until their contribution is more in line with what folks in the private sector are expected to pony up. Christie said he plans to see public workers pay 30 percent of their medical plan costs by 2017. That will be a welcome day. … The long-term fiscal health of New Jersey depends on the Legislature passing Christie's pension and health care reforms. …And we hope the bipartisan spirit on display yesterday in the Statehouse will continue when the green eyeshades and fine print come to the fore.” (“Gov's budget talk big on bravado, broad strokes,” Asbury Park Press, 2/22/2011)
Courier-Post, “It's real fiscal discipline, something that's been lacking for too long in Trenton”:
“Governor right to push for cost-saving reforms and more money for property tax relief. …We're pleased to see that, for a second straight year, the governor has put forward a budget which isn't built on a foundation of tax and fee increases and irresponsible borrowing that past budgets of recent years relied upon. … Those days of undisciplined budgeting in Trenton have been replaced with mind-set of constraint under Christie. It's a mind-set that had to be adopted in light of the recession and revenue reductions that have befallen governments at all levels in New Jersey and beyond. … The governor says this is the new normal for budgeting in New Jersey, that old spending commitments must be revisited and, if they aren't essential or haven't been effective, the spending will be cut. It's real fiscal discipline, something that's been lacking for too long in Trenton.” (“Budget represents further restraint,” Courier-Post, 2/24/2011)
Home News Tribune/Courier News, “…Christie does have New Jersey headed in a more responsible fiscal direction”:
“… there appears to be much by which to be encouraged in this budget's broad brush strokes — at least given the dire circumstances. Aside from the school aid increases — which will affect every district — and the flat municipal aid, higher education aid will be maintained while student financial aid will be increased by $20 million. Christie is also proposing $200 million in business-tax cuts designed to promote jobs. …But in the end, Christie does have New Jersey headed in a more responsible fiscal direction.” (“It's all relative - budget's pain feels like small gains,” MyCentralJersey.com, 2/23/2011)
Daily Journal, “Christie has laid out a solid blueprint for sustainability and growth”:
“… it's hard to argue with the overall tone and message delivered by the governor in his budget address Tuesday. The overall budget is down 2.6 percent from the current fiscal year, which reflects the economic realities of the times and the new norm in which governments must operate. He increases state aid to education by $250 million, which is good news for school districts because it will provide them some cushion against program cuts and layoffs. State aid to municipalities will remain at 2011 levels, which had to be a relief for mayors around the state. … The governor's proposed budget will provide $200 million in "job-creating" tax cuts for now and in the future. The state has to start doing what it can do to make up for the loss of 108,500 jobs in 2008 and 121,000 jobs in 2009. Christie said his philosophy is not to provide tax cuts that aren't paid for, and that's the kind of fiscal responsibility we have come to expect, if not demand, from the governor. … The governor also is right with his call for state workers to contribute more toward their pension and health care benefits. He also is calling for long-term reforms, as the pension system has an estimated deficit of $54 billion with the health benefits liability at $67 billion. The current system just isn't sustainable -- for taxpayers or state workers. Christie has laid out a solid blueprint for sustainability and growth.” (“Governor's budget plan sets right tone,” Daily Journal, 2/24/2011)
The Times of Trenton, “it's also an object lesson in continuing "to make the hard choices" as the state's fiscal outlook inches toward improvement”:
“The governor has offered a $29.4 billion budget that includes a $250 million increase in school funding and more tuition help for college students, as it keeps municipal funding aid stable. But it's also an object lesson in continuing "to make the hard choices" as the state's fiscal outlook inches toward improvement. Those hard choices are apparent in the across-the-board cuts to almost all state government departments. Those cuts will hurt; unfortunately, they are necessary as the state continues to try to cover the huge distance between revenue and spending.” (“Budget sequel,” The Times of Trenton Editorials, 2/24/2011)
Press of Atlantic City, “The Legislature should - must - pass comprehensive pension reform to head off fiscal disaster”:
“Christie heralded his budget as a "new normal" that "cuts and spends responsibly." And the $29.4 billion budget appears to be appropriately austere without being devastating. … The Legislature should - must - pass comprehensive pension reform to head off fiscal disaster. … Certainly, public employees should pay more for benefits.” (“Christie's budget plan / New normal, old normal,” Press of Atlantic City, 2/24/2011)
The Express-Times, “… this budget plan is innovative in its give-some, get-some approach”:
“… this budget plan is innovative in its give-some, get-some approach. In an interview Wednesday, Christie said he thinks New Jersey can get back on track without trashing collective bargaining — a refreshing note following angry labor demonstrations in Wisconsin and Ohio. Yet he made it clear he and legislators should tackle employee benefit changes through legislation, not deferring them to contract negotiations, as former Gov. Jon Corzine chose to do. “There can no longer be two classes of citizens — one that receives rich health and pension benefits — and all the rest who are left to pay for them,” Christie said. Amen to that …” (“Christie offering a reasonable deal on benefit reform,“ The Express-Times, 2/24/2011)
The Gloucester County Times, “… Christie still gets some credit for the improvement here”:
“With more radical versions of Christie's tough- love approach creating friction in Wisconsin and Ohio, our governor has a compelling reduced-spending story, a year ahead of the pack. And, if lower unemployment is a national trend, Christie still gets some credit for the improvement here. … the good stuff: Overall spending, by Christie's measurement, will decline by 2.6 percent, to $29.4 billion, with a slight increase in allocated state (as opposed to federal) dollars. He proposed no new direct state tax increases for a second year. …Targeted business tax cuts that Christie proposed could actually create jobs. … Christie promised to make a mandated $500 million state pension contribution early, so it can earn interest, after stiffing the pension fund last year, IF lawmakers pass public-worker pension reforms by mid March. He noted that this is a schedule that was announced by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney. It sounds like a workable tradeoff.” (“Grim budget a bit less grim,” The Gloucester County Times, 2/23/2011)
