newjerseynewsroom.com

Republicans stick with governor and block 13 override attempts

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The state Senate Democratic majority on Tuesday failed to gain enough support to override 13 of the nearly $1 billion in line-item vetoes Gov. Chris Christie made to the 2011-12 state budget the Democratic-controlled Legislature sent him.

On Monday, the upper house Democrats failed to override 15 vetoes.

During both sessions, the 24 Democrats could not gain the support of at least three of the 16 Republicans needed to garner the 27 votes necessary for a successful override.

The failed overrides included restoring $50 million for public safety funding in urban areas such as Newark and Camden, $139 million in aid for 22 financially-struggling cities, $6 million for child care for low-income residents, $48 million in college tuition aid, and $3 million for an after school program for inner city children.

Each override attempt failed 24 to 13 with Democrats voting in support and Republicans in opposition. If the Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester) decides to call a third session, 11 other proposed override bill remain.

In convening the two floor votes, Sweeney knew there was little chance of Republicans breaking with Christie and supporting any of the override bills. The Democrats intend to use the Republicans’ decision not to support the overrides against them in the upcoming legislative election.

In a debate over providing aid to the cities, Sen. Donald Norcross (D-Camden) said, “Our cities are already reeling from a down economy. Public safety has been decimated, workforces have been slashed and services cut to the bone. The bottom line is, our cities have run out of places to cut back and in many urban centers a robust tax base just doesn’t exist. Without a reversal of these devastating cuts, cities across our state will be in jeopardy of total economic collapse.”

The Transitional Aid program was developed last year to replace three former programs that provided funding to cities facing extraordinary circumstances: Special Municipal Aid, Extraordinary Aid and Trenton Capitol City Aid. In 2011-12 budget, 22 municipalities shared in a total of $157 million – approximately $60 million less than the amount awarded under the three eliminated programs in that 2009-10 budget.

Bill Dressel, New Jersey State League of Municipalities director, expressed disappointment that several bills to restore state aid to cities and towns failed.

“From our perspective, the most important initiative was SCR-219, which would have restored $139 million in Transitional Aid,” Dressel said. “This program is meant to help municipalities deal with extraordinary difficulties. Throughout the appropriations process, the administration proposed a $149 million appropriation for this purpose. That level of funding was a part of the governor’s original budget proposal. It was, however, reduced, at the last minute, to $10 million.

“The only hope for the restoration of any of this funding now would involve a supplemental appropriation,” Dressel said. “The prospect for that will depend on the willingness of the governor and Legislative leaders to work together. Since the governor’s line item vetoes have resulted in the state anticipating a $640 million surplus – the largest cushion in the past decade – we will again ask the governor and Legislature to work together towards a supplemental appropriation to help some of the most fiscally stressed municipalities through these trying times.”

Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) charged the Democrats are attempting to “hoodwick New Jersey taxpayers ahead of the November elections.”