| Governor Christie was accurate in saying a few days ago there would be no big surprises in today's speech. His three themes were "maintaining fiscal discipline, achieving needed education reform, and fixing the state's broken pension and benefits systems." His tone was somewhat more subdued than normal, but he was also frequently blunt and to the point.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) statement:
"It's been painfully clear throughout the Governor's first year in office that we are living in two very distinct and separate New Jerseys.
"In Chris Christie's New Jersey, he thinks he can say 'buck up' and deal with my painful budget cuts and working and middle class families will simply fall in line without missing a beat. In the other New Jersey - the reality the rest of us live in - families are paying more for less and systematically being forced out of their way of life.
"Working class women have lost access to critical healthcare. Seniors have lost their property tax rebates and the working poor have seen their Earned Income Tax Credit cut while the state's wealthiest received a tax break. Vital after-school programs have been slashed, while transit fares have been hiked. Meanwhile, our unemployment rate remains alarmingly high and the Governor seems content with that.
"This year cannot be about more of the same.
"This week the Legislature finished passing a package of roughly 30 bills designed to create real and lasting jobs and stimulate long-term economic growth. The fate of New Jerseyans everywhere is now in the Governor's hands.
"If Governor Christie truly cares about turning New Jersey around, he will sign this package into law and he will do it quickly. We are now on year two of the Christie agenda and residents cannot afford to wait any longer."
Open Thread: your comments on his speech |
Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) statement
"Speeches are nice, but the reality is that Gov. Christie's first year in office was a tough year for working class New Jerseyans.
"Under Gov. Christie, hard-working New Jersey families endured property tax increases, education cuts, transit fare hikes and after-school program cuts, as well as police and firefighter layoffs that put public safety at risk.
"Women saw their health care slashed. Working poor families had their income taxes increased. Unemployment remained above 9 percent as the governor paid little attention to the economy.
"Meanwhile, millionaires enjoyed a nice tax break while senior citizens saw their property tax relief slashed.
"Hopefully the governor in the year ahead will be more willing to work with us to protect New Jersey families, children, women's health care and senior citizens.
"The governor can take an immediate step to do just that by signing into law our extensive Back to Work NJ job creation and economic development package."
Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney statement
"The Governor says he wants to stay the course over the coming year. I certainly hope he doesn't mind taking an exit ramp, because New Jersey won't be able to afford to stay a course of higher property taxes and continually high unemployment.
"For his talk of 'cutting the popular to fund the necessary,' it's obvious that in Chris Christie's New Jersey working families are popular, but millionaires are necessary.
"Working families see their schools as necessary, but the Governor cut them anyway. Property tax relief is necessary, but he cut it anyway. Women's health is necessary, but he cut it anyway and refused to budge even when presented with realistic and bipartisan options.
"What is most necessary now is real action to improve our business climate and create jobs. The Governor needs to remember that small businesses, not the millionaires among whom he's very popular, create jobs.
"We have presented the Governor with 30 bills that are necessary to reposition our economy from one of stagnation and high unemployment to one of growth and opportunity. They would do exactly what the Governor said he wants to do: roll back the taxes that are strangling small business.
"Nothing else is possible unless we get New Jersey back to work. There's no time to waste. The Governor should sign these bills today so we can start tomorrow on a better course."
Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) statement
"For all the pomp and circumstance of the Governor's address, I found it alarming that there was no mention of creating jobs. There was nothing to give working families hope for a new or better job, or a small business owner hope for a tax break that can allow them to stay afloat.
"The Governor crowed that 'the state of our state is getting better every day.' But many working families woke up today to a situation not unlike the one they woke up to one year ago. Their property tax bills are still too high. They fear that they won't be able to afford their child's education. And they still don't know what they'll do if they lose their job, if they still have one.
"The Governor's 'culture of truth' is apparently at odds with the realities of countless families. He is in denial about the desperate straits many working families are in, which is the only thing he didn't take credit for.
"The Governor's desk is currently weighed down with 30 bills that can turn our economy around and give real hope to working families for a better day. If he wants to send a message to residents that he actually understands the state of our state, he will sign them immediately."
Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) statement
"Speeches can make for a nice show, but what we heard today doesn't match with reality.
"Our budget problem remains unsolved, with nonpartisan analysts predicting another $10.5 billion budget deficit and the governor planning to borrow without voter approval.
"Property taxes are going up all over the state, with the governor presenting no plan to reduce our painful overreliance on this tax without a conscience.
"Women's health care and senior citizen property tax relief has been slashed while millionaires get a Christie tax cut.
"Everyone know the problems facing our state. What New Jersey needs is leadership that will makes the tough decisions, not make short-sighted ones - such as skipping pension payments - that only worsen our problems over time.
"Let's hope 2011 becomes the year in which we all decide to work together to do what's right for working class New Jerseyans.
"The governor can make a great start toward that shared goal by signing our Back to Work NJ job creation and economic development package to put New Jersey back on track."
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