(TRENTON) – Assemblyman Paul D. Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) released the following statement Thursday after Assembly Republicans reversed support for legislation he sponsored (A-1678) to create jobs and economic growth via a homebuyer tax credit program.
The bill passed the Assembly 67-8 on May 20, only to be vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie. During Thursday’s veto override vote, Assembly Republicans switched their votes and declined to support Moriarty’s economic development bill:
“I thought I’d seen a lot of flip-flops down the shore each summer, but I’d never seen anything like the flip-flopping we just witnessed by the Republicans.
“The failure to support this override is yet another slap to working class New Jerseyans from Republicans who joyfully support tax breaks for millionaires while doing nothing to make New Jersey more affordable for working class residents.
“Republicans no longer have the ability to think for themselves. They shirked their responsibilities as independent legislators, even if that meant keeping New Jerseyans on the unemployment line. It’s shameful.
“This program would have paid for itself and put out-of-work New Jerseyans back on the job building homes and off the state’s unemployment rolls. We have now missed that opportunity thanks to the Republican failure to stand strong for economic growth.”