(TRENTON) — Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) released the following statement Wednesday on Gov. Chris Christie’s effort to claim he’s cutting spending to impress national conservatives:
“Gov. Christie was very pleased with himself yesterday when he talked about making a payment into the pension fund, but the fact is that he has to make that payment. He doesn’t really have a choice.
“What’s revolutionary is what’s going on in Egypt. There’s nothing revolutionary about making an obligated pension payment.
“But let’s be clear what the governor is doing with his offer to make a pension payment this fiscal year — playing games with New Jerseyans to score points with fawning national conservatives.
“Shifting this obligated pension payment to the spring lets the governor claim he’s cutting spending next fiscal year by $778 million. But that’s not the whole story.
“Had he put it the next budget, state spending would go up next year by $234 million.
“Increased state spending may not fit into Christie myth-making, but it’s time for Gov. Christie to be held accountable to the facts.”