Making Budget History
Posted June 15, 2007

New Jersey is poised to make state history as legislators anticipate they will adopt the Fiscal Year 2007-2008 budget on Thursday, June 21, a full nine days before the state’s constitutionally mandated deadline.

Traditionally, budget season in New Jersey has been characterized by “down to the wire” late-night debates, and last year, when the legislature failed to reach a budget agreement by the July 1 deadline, Governor Corzine effectively shut down state government for one week until lawmakers finally passed a budget on July 8.

Despite the early showing by the legislature, some Trenton lawmakers are anything but pleased, and while Democrats promised a new era of “open government,” Republicans claimed that the final budget proposal was reached “behind closed doors.”

Fiscally speaking, too, disagreements reign. The Star Ledger reported this morning that the proposed budget “increased by $189 million over Gov. Jon Corzine’s $33.3 billion spending plan recommended in February.” This year’s budget represents a substantial increase of over 7.5% from last year’s budget, which was $30.9 billion. Apparently, Trenton does not understand what the average New Jersey family does.

And budget opponents have hit the media waves attacking what they characterize as “Christmas tree” or “pork barrel” items included in the budget proposal.

Complaints notwithstanding, one significant difference has marked this year’s budget process. To increase transparency – particularly under the watchful eye of U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie who is currently investigating whether certain past budgetary add-ons have personally benefited the legislators who have submitted them – lawmakers this year were required to submit in writing any and all requests for special funding.

Additionally, today marks the first-ever public hearing on the proposed state budget, with proceedings slated to take place this morning in Trenton. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the budget which, according to the Morris CountyDaily Record, “includes $16.2 billion in property tax relief…increased school and municipal aid, tax breaks for low-income residents and businesses…more money to help hospitals pay for treating uninsured patients…[and] no tax increases”

With the budget process continuing to unfold over the next week, be sure to check back for updated analysis and run-down in next week’s Musings.

In other Trenton happenings…

The Assembly Judiciary Committee yesterday approved the Jessica Lunsford Act, which imposes more stringent punishments for convicted sex predators and institutes criminal penalties for anyone convicted of harboring them. Drawing its name from 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, the Florida child whose kidnap and murder by a convicted sex offender captivated the nation, the Act sets a minimum 25-year prison sentence for child predators.

The bill (A-960), which sponsored by Assemblyman Eric Munoz (R-Morris) and backed by the Lunsford family, still needs the approval Assembly. The identical bill in the Senate (S-1204) is currently in the Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

The safety and innocence of our state’s children are stake. Convicted child predators should not have the opportunity to strike twice. We urge Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts to schedule the bill for a full vote in the Assembly, and we urge the Senate Committee to pass this important legislation out of committee so it can be brought to a full vote on the Senate Floor.

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