newjerseynewsroom.com

Democrats need Republican support on every measure and that's unlikely

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The Democratic-controlled state Senate convene at 10 a.m. on Monday to vote 38 bills designed to override the over $1 billion in line-item vetoes Gov. Chris Christie made to Democratic-sponsored allocations before signing the $29.7 billion 2011-12 state budget.

There are 24 Democrats in the upper house so they would need the support on every bill of at least three of the 16 Republicans, something that is unlikely to happen.

Among other things, the Democrats want to restore cuts to social welfare and public safety programs, and school, municipal and college aid.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union) said Friday there is no additional money available to increase the budget and that Democrats should not provide false hope.

“Democrats, who control the Legislature, have gone too far and they must stop misleading needy members of our society in an obvious election year ploy,” Kean said.

"When in doubt, Democrats in the Legislature resort to cynical and overused political rhetoric, no matter the year, issue or fiscal circumstances,” the senator said. “Sadly, political theater is an unfortunate part of today's Democratic-controlled Legislature but the recent actions and rhetoric of Trenton Democrats has become reprehensible.

“Governor Christie showed leadership by balancing the budget while increasing education spending by $850 million, hospital funding by $20 million and securing funding for programs that help our most vulnerable – like providing AIDS medication and providing grants for emergency assistance,” Kean said. “By sending a budget to Governor Christie that was filled with election year spending and no means to pay for it, Democrats have shown they're more concerned about election year political pandering than fiscal responsibility."

Here is the Senate agenda:

SCR-200 -- Overrides governor’s line-item veto eliminating appropriation for the Wynona M. Lipman Child Advocacy Center, Essex County, in the Department of Children and Families.

SCR-201 -- Overrides veto reducing Fiscal year 2012 appropriation for Payments for Cost of General Assistance.

SCR-202 -- Overrides veto of language provision in Fiscal Year 2012 appropriation act imposing restrictions on comprehensive Medicaid Waiver sought by state.

SCR-203 -- Overrides veto of budget language concerning the reporting of the adequacy of general educational development programs in the Department of Corrections.

SCR-204 -- Overrides veto of budget language concerning the reporting of the adequacy of drug treatment programs in the Department of Corrections.

SCR-205 -- Overrides veto reducing an appropriation for Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Department of Human Services.

SCR-206 -- Overrides veto of a budget language provision for reimbursing federally qualified health centers in the Department of Health and Senior Services.

SCR-207 -- Overrides veto eliminating a budget language provision concerning the reporting of charity care claim payment distribution methods in the Department of Health and Senior Services.

SCR-208 -- Overrides veto eliminating appropriation for Additional Formula Aid – Above Adequacy Districts from the Property Tax Relief Fund in the Department of Education.

SCR-209 -- Overrides veto reducing an appropriation for Additional Formula Aid- Below Adequacy Districts from the Property Tax Relief Fund in the Department of Education.

SCR-210 -- Overrides veto eliminating an appropriation for Family Planning Services grants and a related language provision in the Department of Health and Senior Services.