Governor signed $29.4B budget on June 29 after Democrats provided just enough votes to pass it
N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, center, 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 — Seventy-six days after Gov. Chris Christie signed his first budget as governor, Assembly Democrats spent today criticizing it.
In five committee hearings, lawmakers examined the ways they say the budget hurts college students, business owners, the poor and other New Jerseyans.
Christie, a Republican, signed the $29.4 billion budget on June 29 after Democrats, who control the Legislature, provided just enough votes to pass it.
In the Consumer Affairs Committee, Democrats savaged a budget-related law that turns unused gift card money over to the state and bars companies from tacking on dormancy fees. Consumers can still redeem the gift cards after the state takes the money, and businesses that sell less than $250,000 in gift cards are exempt.
But Democrats and business lobbyists today said it would create a bureaucratic nightmare and give an advantage to retailers and restaurants in neighboring states that don’t have such laws.
"It’s anti-consumer, anti-business," said Assembly Consumer Affairs Chairman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester). Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) said he would sponsor a bill to repeal the law.
The Assembly Health Committee sought information about whether the budget cuts have affected two popular programs: FamilyCare, the low-cost health insurance program for working poor families, and Early Intervention, which provides children under 3 with home-based speech and other therapies to address developmental delays.
Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-Hudson) sourly noted the absence of officials from the Department of Health and Senior Services.
"Do they think we should not ask these questions? I think we would be irresponsible as a Legislature if were to do something and never look behind to see what is the fallout," she said.
Christie’s own estimates say 48,000 parents would be denied FamilyCare.
In the Assembly Higher Education Committee, Democrats questioned Michael Angulo, executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, about cuts to the state’s Tuition Aid Grant Program. The program, which serves 65,000 New Jersey college students, has $15.8 million less than it did last year, largely due to a dropoff in one-time federal stimulus funds. The state has increased its portion of funding by $47 million from last year. But Democrats said that’s not enough to make up for larger cuts to public universities.
"If you factor in the overall increase in tuition, how much more is the student paying for college now?" said Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden).
Lawmakers in two other committees also heard testimony on stripping the Commission on Science and Technology of its $10 million in funding, and about the state withholding money that used to go back to urban enterprise zones.
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak called the hearings a "dog and pony show" and criticized Democrats for not taking up the governor’s package of "tool kit" bills to help towns meet the recently signed 2 percent property tax cap.
"It’s a waste of the taxpayers’ time. We are all living with this budget now, and it was approved by Democrats and Republicans" he said.
Assembly Democratic spokesman Tom Hester Jr. said the party lawmakers have been working on their own bills to lower property taxes.
"It’s easy to see why Republicans don’t want to talk about the massive property tax increases and tuition hikes they’ve pushed onto New Jersey families," he said.
By Matt Friedman and Susan K. Livio/Statehouse Bureau