(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) released the following statement Monday after the panel released Democratic budget legislation (A-4200) for next fiscal year. The bill – supported by business groups, among others – was released 8-4:
“If the governor truly cares about working class New Jerseyans, then he will accept our proposals to boost property tax relief, protect senior citizens, restore health care for women and create jobs.
“This is the governor’s chance to show he puts working class priorities above tax cuts for millionaires. We shall all see.
“The legislation advanced Monday by Assembly Democrats represents New Jersey’s working class priorities. That’s welcome relief to the residents suffering under the governor’s conservative policies that have done nothing more than benefit the rich.
“Unlike the governor’s plan, this budget plan invests in education in every community throughout our state.
“It provides much needed property tax relief, especially for senior citizens.
“It reverses the governor’s harshest cuts by supporting valued programs such as after-school care, health insurance coverage for working families, tuition aid, health care for women, nursing homes, education for blind children and legal services for the poor.
“It creates jobs and economic development in our suburbs and cities. It reverses the Christie income tax increase on working poor families. It contains true shared sacrifice from our wealthiest residents for the benefit of school children and middle-class taxpayers throughout our state.
“New Jerseyans cannot put up with another year of painful property tax hikes and Gov. Christie’s anti-working class policies. This Democratic budget plan is a fiscally responsible one that ensures our middle-class and poor residents are not left behind.”
