newjerseynewsroom.com

In response to news reports about Governor Christie's FY 2011 Budget, Better Choices for New Jersey spokesperson Margarita Hernandez issued the following statement:

"Governor Christie talks a good game about shared sacrifice, but so far he's only asking it from working families. Reported cuts of $800 million to school aid and $445 million to municipal aid will mean two things: higher property taxes for middle-class New Jerseyans and drastic reductions to basic services like public education, libraries, and fire & public safety. Meanwhile, he plans to cut taxes for the wealthiest New Jerseyans and big corporations like Citigroup and A.I.G."

"Last year, New Jersey took a balanced approach to weathering our economic crisis by modestly increasing income tax rates on those making over $400,000, which preserved vital services and maintained property tax relief. The contrast with Governor Christie's proposed budget couldn't be clearer."

"New Jersey's fiscal crisis is too severe to be addressed by spending cuts alone, and we need real shared sacrifice if we are going to get through it and lay the foundation for a shared recovery. Working families are already paying their fair share, and Governor Christie's wealthy friends should too."

Over the last two years, Better Choices for New Jersey has led the charge for a plan to increase revenue and protect services. The Better Choices campaign has previously called for:

• Adjusting state income tax rates to better reflect ability to pay;
• Maintaining and increasing the surcharge on the corporate business tax;
• Protecting our environment while generating revenue by increasing registration fees on polluting, gas-guzzling SUVs over 5,000 pounds.

Better Choices for New Jersey represents 50 organizations including the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Jersey Tenants Organization, New Jersey Environmental Federation, and the Hispanic Directors Association. The campaign calls for increased investment in critical public services and long-term solutions to New Jersey's fiscal troubles. Some of its revenue proposals were adopted in the budget for FY 2010.

ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS
AFSCME, NJ Council 1
Bergen Community College Environmental Club
Bergen Grassroots
BlueWaveNJ
Center for Women and Work at Rutgers
Communications Workers of America, District 1
Communications Workers of America, Locals 1032, 1037, 1039, 1080, 1081 and 1082
Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT
Displaced Homemakers Network of New Jersey
First AME Zion Church in Paterson
Fund for an Open Society
Grassroots Institute of New Jersey
Haiti Solidarity Network of the Northeast
Health Professionals and Allied Employees, AFT
Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey
Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey
Immigrants' Rights Defense Committee
La Casa de Don Pedro
National Association of Social Workers, New Jersey Chapter
New Jersey Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
New Jersey Black Issues Convention
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Environmental Federation
New Jersey Immigration Policy Network
New Jersey Policy Perspective
New Jersey Tenants Organization
New Jersey Work Environment Council
New Jersey Working Families Alliance
Our Children/Our Schools
NJIT Student Senate
People's Organization for Progress
Prodigal Sons and Daughters
Puerto Rican Family Institute
Roosevelt Institution, Rutgers-New Brunswick/Piscataway Chapter
Rutgers Labor Association
Service Employees International Union, New Jersey State Council
Sierra Club, New Jersey Chapter
Statewide Education Organizing Committee
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Union of Rutgers Administrators - AFT Local 1766
United Food and Commercial Workers, Region 1
United Presbyterian Church in Paterson