Gov. Christie dismisses Sen. Sweeney's alternate property tax plan

GOP gov reiterated stances on N.J. Supreme Court, property tax amendment, school funding during town hall meeting

GREENWICH TOWNSHIP — Facing a two-week window before his property tax overhaul dies or advances toward the November ballot, Gov. Chris Christie ventured onto his chief rival’s turf today and tore into the Democrat’s competing plan.

At a two-hour, sometimes heated town hall meeting in the district of Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), Christie dismissed Sweeney’s alternative that would limit annual increases through law, not a constitutional amendment.

The Republican governor also reiterated his stance on changing the state Supreme Court in order to revamp school funding, another sore subject dividing him from Democrats who control the Legislature. But Christie said he would follow the long-standing tradition of appointing no more than four Republican justices to the seven-member court.

"You will always see no more than four of one political party on that court," said Christie, whose ouster of Justice John Wallace Jr. last month broke with decades of tradition and infuriated Democrats.

Sweeney’s plan for a 2.9 percent cap will get a committee hearing in Trenton today, while an initial hearing on the governor’s 2.5 percent version has not been scheduled. It would need to pass committees by July 7, then win three-fifths majorities in the Legislature by late July to go to voters in the fall.

"The real core difference is who decides," and it should be voters, Christie said at the meeting in Greenwich Township. "That’s permanent tax relief. That’s tax relief that can’t be erased by the Legislature or the governor."

Sweeney has said his legislation is "not about being afraid to ask the voters."

"The voters are frustrated," Sweeney said. "We’re going to give them a real solution that’s not going to destroy the quality of life that New Jersey has."

Christie’s populist lines — and digs at the New Jersey Education Association, which had more than 100 teachers protesting outside — were met with roars of applause from the audience of about 400.

But after the meeting got under way, several residents questioned the governor’s claims New Jersey would fare well under a "hard cap" modeled after a system Massachusetts adopted in 1980.

"It wasn’t all roses in the beginning … they almost decimated the public school system," said Martin Ware, a Greenwich resident who holds three jobs: teacher, emergency medical technician and security guard. "There are a lot of small districts that are going to go bankrupt. He’s trying to force consolidation."

While Christie’s cap could only be exceeded for debt payments or by a 60 percent voter override, Sweeney’s would carve out exceptions for costs like health insurance, energy and rising school enrollments. That would make it survivable for places like Woolwich, a town in northwest Gloucester County that saw its population triple to 9,000 over the past decade, said Mayor Joe Chila.

"You’re up against the wall with ever-increasing costs," said Chila, who like Sweeney is a county freeholder.

Christie says his plan will force towns and school districts to spend wisely and within their means, as evaluated by the voters. Betty Maul, a Marlton resident and owner of a print shop in Cherry Hill, agreed.

"People can’t afford to stay here," Maul said. "Medicine never tastes good when you’re sick, but if it makes you feel better after you’re done, then it’s worth it."

Staff writer Lisa Fleisher contributed to this report.