N.J. Dems plan to force GOP to endorse Christie's budget cuts on poor, disabled
Published: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 5:55 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 5:56 PM
TRENTON — If Democrats in New Jersey can't fund programs for the poor, disabled and elderly at levels they would like, they're hoping at least to force Republicans to own the bad news state budget.
Democrats in the Legislature said they were prepared to supply the votes needed to pass Gov. Chris Christie's $29.3 billion budget before the end of the month. But they're planning to insist that Republicans initiate the bills that cut programs for the poor and disabled.
That would be a departure, since members of the majority party typically sponsor budget legislation.
"Show us some sponsors," Senate Budget Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo, a Democrat, said today. "Show us some people willing to stand up for these tax increases."
Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. and three Republicans on the Senate and Assembly budget committees did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The governor's office also did not respond immediately to an e-mail message for comment.
Forcing every Republican in the Legislature to endorse Christie's budget has been Democrats' Plan B since the governor revealed the spending plan in March. Christie's proposed budget imposes deep cuts in aid to schools and towns, suspends property tax rebates and reduces or eliminates aid to hundreds of programs and services.
"We heard rumblings from the very beginning that if this budget passed, it was going to be the Republicans' budget, they are going to own it," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
If all Republican lawmakers voted for the budget, it would need the support of eight Democrats in the Assembly and four in the Senate to pass. Sarlo said there's a lot of work left to do before the June 30 deadline for passing a budget. But, leaders of both houses of the Legislature and lawmakers of both parties seem committed to avoiding a government shutdown, which would occur if no accord was in place by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
Democrats will also push for modest restorations to family planning and Tuition Aid Grants and less drastic tax increases to cancer treatment centers and ambulatory care facilities.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver said Christie is open to restorations, but insists that corresponding cuts be made elsewhere.
She said the Legislature could send Christie a budget on June 24 or 28.
NJ.com
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N.J. advocates for poor, disabled question Gov. Chris Christie's budget cuts
Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 8:11 PM Updated: Friday, April 16, 2010, 5:28 AM
Susan K. Livio/Statehouse Bureau Susan K. Livio/Statehouse Bureau
TRENTON -- With millions of dollars in proposed cuts to health care, housing and public assistance programs, Democratic lawmakers and advocates for poor and disabled people today questioned Gov. Chris Christie’s contention that his budget represents "shared sacrifice" for all state residents.
Democratic members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee pressed Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez to defend reductions in what they called key safety net programs.
Those cuts include saving $15.3 million by taking the entire monthly disability check provided to developmentally disabled people; eliminating the $200 monthly check to spouses of permanently disabled partners to save $6.7 million; and saving another $1.8 million by halving the $1,000 grant that allows grandparents raising grandchildren one-time expenses like furniture and moving costs.
Complete coverage of the 2010 New Jersey State Budget
Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), questioned the social and financial implications of taking money away from relatives who are willing to raise children.
"Aren’t we helping the child? The family? And fiscally, isn’t this cheaper rather than running children through the (foster care) system?," he asked.
Velez emphasized the budget cut only affects the stipends for one-time big expenses and said monthly support checks for children will still continue.
"Do we have a spending problem when it comes to our most vulnerable citizens?’’ Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) pointedly asked the commissioner.
The department "tried very hard to blunt the human impact,’’ by stretching cuts across its eight divisions, Velez said.
Although the state is taking the entire supplemental security income check for people with developmental disabilities — up from the current 75 percent — it also is raising their monthly personal needs allowance from $40 to $100. Nearly all of their daily living needs are paid for if they are in government-supported housing, Velez said.
"Any one of the more painful decisions in this year’s budget can beg the question: Why this particular choice?’’ Velez said. "Without question, the budget choices made this year were the most difficult. Some will reshape and reform the way government operates; others will simply impose what I hope is temporary pain until we can turn our state’s economy around."
That point was debated at a press conference on the other side of the Statehouse later this morning by members of the Anti-Poverty Network. Composed of religious and nonprofit community agencies and the people they serve, the network identified $407 million in budget cuts affecting those "who absolutely need the safety net to survive,’’ the Rev. Bruce Davidson said.
Jennifer Rosado of Lawrenceville, a single mother of two, said she would lose $300 if the governor’s plan to scale back the state Earned Income Tax Credit and save $45 million passes in June. "That’s helped me catch up on my PSE&G bill,’’ Rosado said.
Eliminating the $140 a month welfare check for 35,000 childless adults to save the state $39. 6 million, "would be devastating,’’ said Richard Leigh, a Trenton man who once relied on welfare. "It’s not even $5 a day, but it was better than nothing. It gave me some self-worth.’’
Christie has dedicated $15 million to help wean "general assistance" clients off the program.
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