TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem) issued the following statement on Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s budget address today:
“What we all heard from Governor Corzine today was a sobering assessment of the dire state of our economy and a detailed plan for New Jersey to follow to get through this difficult time and emerge stronger in the future. Make no mistake about it – the cuts proposed today will hurt, and that pain will be felt by a lot of people. The Governor is trying to preserve his commitment to property tax relief, health care and education, values all New Jerseyans can support.
“People need to keep in mind this is just the beginning of the process. With the governor’s plan in hand, we in the Legislature will now begin a thorough review of the state’s finances. Given the volatility of the economy, our situation will undoubtedly be in flux throughout this budget review process, and we need to be flexible in anticipating and responding to the changes that may occur. Where the Governor’s plans make good fiscal sense, we will support them. When we can find ways to improve on those plans – or come up with reasonable alternatives, we will do so. We’re all in this together.”