Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) released the following statement Friday after Gov. Chris Christie signed a state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2012:
“We’re going to review each line-item veto carefully to study its impact, especially those that target our most vulnerable. While it’s unfortunate that the Governor, once again, turned his back on women’s health and the working poor, I am comforted that he recognized the fragility of the nursing home industry and maintained most of the funding we had restored.
“Overall, Democrats advanced a fiscally responsible budget that leaves open the possibility of a tax cut if the governor’s revenue estimates hold true. It was incumbent upon him to sign it and he did.
“We all support tax cuts, but tax cuts must be focused on property tax relief and they must be ones we can afford. Irresponsible tax cuts have helped create the economic morass we face in this state and nation, and we are not going to make the same mistake again.
“We need to live within our means and target programs and services to those who need it most.”