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No estimates provided by Governor at New Jersey State League of Municipalities gathering
Gov. Chris Christie told over 200 mayors and local officials Wednesday to prepare for state aid cuts to their cities and towns but he stopped short of saying just how much money the municipalities can expect to lose.
Instead, the governor pledged he would attempt to provide financial relief in the form of pension, benefit and arbitration reform.
Local officials will have to wait until Christie unveils his proposed 2010-11 state budget and addresses a joint session of the Legislature on March 16 to learn how much aid their towns will lose. The officials had hoped the governor would provide them a figure as he did for school officials when he told them to expect a 15 percent cut in aid.
"We don't have the money," Christie said during an appearance at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities 18th annual Mayor's Legislative Day at the Statehouse.
Christie drew a round of applause when he also pledged to reform the public employee contract arbitration process but he did not provide specifics. "There's something wrong," Local officials frequently complain arbitrators grant public employees pay hikes municipalities cannot afford to provide.
"At some point, there has to be parity between what's happening in the real world and what's happening in the public sector world," Christie said.
Christie expects to confront a deficit of a much as $11 billion as he prepares his first budget.
William G. Dressel, the League's director, said following the meeting, "The good news is the governor recognizes that if there are going to be budget cuts mayors need the tools to help them manage their employees and reduce costs such as the reform in arbitration for fire and police personnel which has had a direct impact on high property taxes. Additionally these tool and reforms need to be enacted in an expeditious fashion in order to have an impact on the 2010 budget. Incremental reform will not reduce property taxes and make up for any additional budget cuts in the forthcoming budget."
— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
