TRENTON — New Jersey's budget battle could spill into next week. The state Senate plans to return to Trenton next Thursday to vote on action Gov. Chris Christie takes on the budget, according to three sources with knowledge of the decision. Christie is expected to line-item veto the budget, said three sources who requested to remain anonymous because they...
Gov. Chris Christie pictured in this May 2011 file photo at the Statehouse.TRENTON — New Jersey's budget battle could spill into next week. The state Senate plans to return to Trenton next Thursday to vote on action Gov. Chris Christie takes on the budget, according to three sources with knowledge of the decision.
Christie is expected to line-item veto the budget, said three sources who requested to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak publicly. His administration maintains the $30.6 billion spending plan advanced by Democrats who run the Legislature is not constitutional.
The line-item veto authority would allow Christie to make the budget law but remove some items or reduce some spending. It would still allow the lawmakers to try to override the reductions.
He could also conditionally veto the budget, which allow him to both delete and add words to the budget. A conditional veto would require lawmakers to vote again before it became law.
By Ginger Gibson and Jarrett Renshaw/Statehouse Bureau
Previous coverage:
• N.J. Assembly approves millionaire's tax, Gov. Christie expected to block bill
• In budget proposal, N.J. Democrats now agree with Christie's savings estimates
• N.J. Democratic budget proposal restores funding to Medicaid, provides $50M to public safety fund
• Gov. Chris Christie rips Democrats' budget proposal, warns of more modest revenue projection
• N.J. budget plan could help police departments and senior citizens