(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) released the following statement Tuesday following Gov. Chris Christie’s State of the State address:
“Speeches can make for a nice show, but what we heard today doesn’t match with reality.
“Our budget problem remains unsolved, with nonpartisan analysts predicting another $10.5 billion budget deficit and the governor planning to borrow without voter approval.
“Property taxes are going up all over the state, with the governor presenting no plan to reduce our painful overreliance on this tax without a conscience.
“Women’s health care and senior citizen property tax relief has been slashed while millionaires get a Christie tax cut.
“Everyone know the problems facing our state. What New Jersey needs is leadership that will makes the tough decisions, not make short-sighted ones – such as skipping pension payments – that only worsen our problems over time.
“Let’s hope 2011 becomes the year in which we all decide to work together to do what’s right for working class New Jerseyans.
“The governor can make a great start toward that shared goal by signing our Back to Work NJ job creation and economic development package to put New Jersey back on track.”