TRENTON — Dianne Spinelli didn’t realize she was caught in the partisan crossfire over the state budget on Wednesday. She was just glad she won’t have to lay out $310 after Gov. Chris Christie reversed course on a contested plan to raise prices on prescription drugs for seniors in state health care programs. "You have to pay for so...
N.J. Gov. Chris Christie spoke to seniors about rolling back cuts in health care at the Gregorio Towers in Linden on Wednesday.TRENTON — Dianne Spinelli didn’t realize she was caught in the partisan crossfire over the state budget on Wednesday.
She was just glad she won’t have to lay out $310 after Gov. Chris Christie reversed course on a contested plan to raise prices on prescription drugs for seniors in state health care programs.
"You have to pay for so many things, and medicine is a big, big factor," said Spinelli, 67, who lives in a retirement community in Linden. "Even though it may not seem (like) a lot to some people, to us seniors it’s really like a breath of fresh air."
Spinelli was one of nearly 164,000 senior citizens and disabled residents who received a reprieve yesterday when Christie canceled a proposed $310 deductible and increased co-pays.
The Republican governor’s move was, in part, a pre-emptive strike against a Democratic bill up for approval today that would restore those cuts by increasing taxes on income over $1 million.
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Democrats said they would press ahead with the "millionaires tax," which they would also use to restore property tax rebates for seniors — at $563.2 million, far more expensive than the $55.5 million for prescription drug benefits. Christie had proposed cuts to both programs in his $29.3 billion budget.
Christie has vowed to veto the "millionaires tax" increase on approximately 16,000 taxpayers, but Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) yesterday said Democrats would push forward with an attempt to override it if necessary.
"If he wants to veto it, he can look people in the eye and say everyone’s sharing in the sacrifice," Sweeney said. "Obviously, he’s sensitive to this somewhat because he changed his tune on (the senior drug programs). He changed his tune, and this is not a guy that changes his tune."
Christie said the funding restorations for the Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled and Senior Gold programs were made possible in large part by greater-than-expected savings from the federal health care legislation President Obama sheparded through Congress in March, as well as a projected increase in those who choose generic over brand-name drugs. The state initially estimated it might save far less — $15.6 million — from the federal health care plan.
Democrats immediately jumped on that discrepancy, as well as the irony of the Republican governor reaping benefits of the health care package that passed without GOP support in Washington.
Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) said she doubts all Christie’s projected savings will come through, and the millionaires tax would still provide necessary revenue for the state.
"The question remains, why should millionaires get a tax break while people are losing their rebates, after-school programs are being cut?" she said.
Christie, Sweeney and other officials are scheduled to speak to AARP members in Trenton today.
Susan K. Livio contributed to this report.
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