TRENTON — Despite Gov. Chris Christie’s painful budget cuts and months of partisan battles over his plan, an agreement is taking shape between Democratic and Republican lawmakers that would avert a shutdown of state government and save a handful of popular programs scheduled for elimination. The plan, described to The Star-Ledger by lawmakers of both parties involved in the...
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie makes his first budget address to a joint session of the Legislature. Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (left) and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (right) look on.
TRENTON — Despite Gov. Chris Christie’s painful budget cuts and months of partisan battles over his plan, an agreement is taking shape between Democratic and Republican lawmakers that would avert a shutdown of state government and save a handful of popular programs scheduled for elimination.
The plan, described to The Star-Ledger by lawmakers of both parties involved in the discussions, would leave the Republican governor’s $29.3 billion budget largely intact, preserving most of the most unpopular cuts, like $820 million in aid to school districts. But several smaller changes will be made, which could include more money for public libraries, keeping open Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Hunterdon County, and preserving the so-called blue laws that forbid Sunday shopping in Bergen County.
The deal would also entail a legislative maneuver placing responsibility for the budget on Republican lawmakers, a rare move with Democrats controlling both houses of the Legislature.Lawmakers were reluctant to speak openly about specific programs and stressed the talks are not final. But they were emphatic about their goal - to pass a budget on June 24, a full week ahead of the July 1 deadline for Christie’s signature.
"There’s little appetite for a government shutdown on either side," said Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-Essex), a member of the budget committee.
Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said there is "very serious discussion" about minority Republicans taking the lead on drafting and sponsoring the budget legislation, a role usually left to the majority party.
If Republicans take charge, only the minimum number of Democrats -- four in the Senate, eight in the Assembly – would likely join the GOP in voting for the plan, lawmakers said. While Democrats would still control the timing of the budget votes -- and several companion bills needed to accomplish Christie’s proposals -- it would allow them to keep some political distance from the governor’s plan.
"It’s a Republican governor, and some people really dislike the bill so much, some people feel Republicans should sponsor the budget based on how bad it is," Sweeney said. "We have a responsibility to pass a budget. Unfortunately, we have to provide votes for this budget. That doesn’t mean we like it or agree with it."
GOP leaders said they are glad to own Christie’s first budget, despite deep spending cuts to items like school aid, pension payments and property tax rebates.
"If the Democratic majority is unwilling to lead, we are certainly willing to do so," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union), who acknowledged the budget is full of "very difficult decisions" and still needs "fine-tuning" even from the GOP side of the aisle.
From the time Christie introduced the plan in March -- and through dramatic budget hearings where those hit by the cuts aired their concerns – the governor stressed lawmakers could make adjustments as long as they did not violate his "core" beliefs about smaller government. The governor has refused to sign off on a tax increase, despite Democrats’ attempts to tap millionaires for more revenue for seniors and the disabled.
Christie has been dismissive of the possibility of a government shutdown, while at the same time laying the groundwork to blame the Legislature if it did occur.
Sweeney, though, said Democrats are not interested in shutting down the state over a budget stalemate, as happened in 2006. He and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) both said they are targeting June 24 for passage of the budget. Soon afterward, lawmakers said, they could return to Trenton for a special session on the governor’s proposed property tax overhaul.
Before June 24, lawmakers and Christie’s office will hammer out changes on items like state aid to libraries, which saw a 74 percent reduction -- $10.4 million -- under the governor’s plan. Legislators on Friday submitted their wish lists for what to save, including a resolution by Sens. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) and Richard Codey (D-Essex) to keep Hagedorn Pyschiatric Hospital open. They propose to cut its budget by 4 percent and establish a task force to determine its future.
"There’s not really that much to fight about, because there’s no money," said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), a Christie adviser.
Lawmakers said there is bipartisan support for preserving the Bergen blue laws, which would require finding $65 million elsewhere in the budget. Christie has said he is open to that change. Stores in retail-heavy Bergen County are required to remain closed on Sundays, which the Christie administration estimates costs the state $65 million in sales tax. Bergen residents are weary of the heavy traffic congestion treasure on what they consider their one day of respite.
Democratic leaders will also need to line up the remaining votes to supplement the Republicans – who number 17 in the Senate and 33 in the Assembly – expected to support the budget. Sweeney said he needs to find four in his caucus to swallow hard and vote yes.
"That will be my challenge, I guess," Sweeney said. "No one likes it."
Oliver said "it’s too early to identify affirmatively" that there are eight Assembly Democrats on board. But "a lot can happen in 20 days," she said. "We’re early in the dance."
By Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau and Lisa Fleisher/Staff Writer
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