newjerseynewsroom.com

The Assembly Budget Committee on Monday will hold a special public meeting with acting state Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff to discuss the $2.2 billion 2009-10 budget shortfall.

Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said Friday he hopes the public hearing will be a first step toward a cooperative effort by Gov. Chris Christie's administration and the Legislature to develop ways to eliminate the deficit.

After talking of a cooperative effort, Greenwald said, "We will continue cutting spending, but we need alternatives to Governor Christie's plan to increase property taxes on and threaten the health care of New Jersey's hard-working middle-class and poor. We should be doing everything we can to avert a tax increase of any kind, and that includes property taxes. I look forward to hearing first-hand from the acting treasurer on how we can work together to find a sensible approach that doesn't target New Jersey families. Stripping aid from schools and leaving federal funding opportunities on the table is not the type of change New Jerseyans expected. We have to work together and establish priorities so we protect our middle-class as best we can."

As part of his effort to eliminate the deficit, Christie wants cut $475 million in school aid, $12.6 million in charity care aid to hospitals, and $32.7 million in aid to NJ Transit.

The hearing is set for 10 a.m., Monday in the Statehouse Annex.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM