TRENTON – Senate President Pro Tempore Shirley K. Turner made the following statement this morning following the passage of the FY07 Budget by the full Senate:
“As Governor Corzine said Thursday morning, we must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. This budget is far from perfect, but it is good – good for a state that needs to get its financial house in order, good for the thousands of workers and businesses hurt by the shutdown, and good for homeowners in need of property tax relief.
“When the Governor gave his budget address in March, I was encouraged by his commitment to providing an honest budget free of gimmicks and one-shot revenue raisers. At the same time I was concerned about the negative impact many of his proposed cuts would have on working families.
“I am proud that this budget embraces that vision of an honest balance of revenues and expenditures and am relieved that restored many of the cuts that would have hit working families hardest, especially the additional $130 million for higher education.
“This was a very difficult budget negotiation for the entire State, and it is my hope that everyone in Trenton has learned the need to deliver a budget on time in future years. The consequences are too dire to ever allow the State to shut down again.
“It is my hope that we continue to work hard throughout the summer to develop ways to put the more than half billion dollars in property tax relief from the sales tax to the best use possible. We now have a responsibility to the taxpayers of New Jersey to make sure that this summer’s special session is a success.”