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Corzine Approves New Budget
Governor Jon Corzine has signed the state budget of New Jersey, long overdue, on Saturday evening at 7 pm. The non-resolution of the budget on time caused a 7-day shutdown of the government costing the state millions of dollars in business revenue and state taxes.
Corzine approved the $30.9 billion budget in a crowded public ceremony. However, he also cut $51 million in proposed spending, much of it proposed by legislators at the last minute. Corzine crossed out with his red pen 53 items on the Legislature's appropriations list. Corzine is the first governor to use his line-item-veto authority.
"This crisis should never have occurred and it must never be repeated," Corzine said. While many had cast the weeklong standoff as a political turf battle, he said, "this crisis was about something much more basic: change."
The executive order that lifts the government shutdown was signed earlier that day by Corzine, that signaled the return of nearly 100,000 workers to their jobs, and the reopening of casinos in Atlantic City.
The twelve Atlantic City that were arguably the most affected in the impasse have opted to open as soon as it was permitted. The casinos reopened Saturday morning and lottery ticket offices followed soon after.
State parks and beaches will open Sunday, while most government offices are expected to be back to normal by Monday.
"The lives of the people of New Jersey can now, at long last, begin to return to normal," a tired looking Corzine said shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday. He added that he was working on three hours' sleep.
Monday, 24. 2006
Edward O'Connor