TRENTON — The state’s cities may bear the biggest brunt of the Gov. Chris Christie’s budget cuts, which in many cases went well beyond slashing items sought by Democrats. The biggest cut came in so-called transitional aid, which provides relief for the state’s poorest cities, such as Camden and Trenton. Last year, Camden got the biggest chunk of $159...
TRENTON — The state’s cities may bear the biggest brunt of the Gov. Chris Christie’s budget cuts, which in many cases went well beyond slashing items sought by Democrats.
The biggest cut came in so-called transitional aid, which provides relief for the state’s poorest cities, such as Camden and Trenton.
Last year, Camden got the biggest chunk of $159 million in transitional aid with $69 million. Trenton was awarded $27 million. Nineteen other towns split the remainder.
Christie all but eliminated the aid program next, cutting his original funding of $149 million to $10 million yesterday. It was part of roughly $1 billion worth cuts Christie said were necessary to balance the budget that Democrats handed him earlier in the week.
“It’s bad enough that he cut [the Urban Enterprise Zone program], but to take transitional aid from $149 million, down to $10 million, that is a vindictive slap in the face to legislators who represent urban areas,” said Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver (D-Essex).
Oliver said the cuts to urban areas is even more perplexing when the mayors of these cities have supported the governor, even when it might not have been popular with residents. She mentioned the mayors of Camden, Newark, Trenton and Orange as examples.
The governor's office is refusing to provide specific explanations for the cuts, instead relying on the broad defense that there was not enough money to prevent them.
When asked to defend the cuts at a news conference yesterday, Christie responded, "Now let’s not start going down that road, I’m not going to be answering every one of these. Because we can’t afford it. The reason, by the way, that I cut every one of these is we can’t afford it. I’d love to do it. I’d love to do most of the things they put in there."
Christie also cut a Democratic proposal that would have provided $50 million for cash-strapped police departments stung by layoffs and upticks in crime.
“It was not a giveaway program,” said Oliver. “It was designed to help maintain current levels of funding and would have also benefited smaller communities across the state.”
She said this type of funding is critical for communities who now must operate under a spending cap and are still faced with economic challenges, such as foreclosures, she said.
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-Mercer), whose district includes Trenton, said the cut in transitional aid combined with other measures will "devastate" the state's capital.
"We are not going to have safe streets, paved streets," said Watson-Coleman. "This is outrageous, mean-spirited, cruel and vindictive."
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