(TRENTON) — Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver released the following statements Friday on Gov. Chris Christie’s vetoes of job creation and economic development bills:
Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland):
“Democrats gave the governor 30 chances to make his tough talk about New Jersey being open for business a concrete reality. The governor has fumbled almost all of them.
“After several days of speaking before fawning audiences in Washington, D.C. and Florida about how New Jersey will lead the nation forward, he came home to set our state’s jobs climate back on its heels.
“New Jersey’s unemployed want real hope for a new job and our small businesses need a chance for a much-needed tax break. The governor today just brushed them both aside.”
Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic):
“Today it’s obvious that the renewed pledge of bipartisanship that the Governor made in his State of the State Address was nothing more than lip service.
“The bills we placed on his desk nearly two months ago offered a broad plan to help create jobs, attract businesses, spark long-term economic growth and help our nearly half a million unemployed residents find work again.
“In his 14 months in office, the Governor has put forth little in terms of addressing our economic woes. To toss aside most of these measures and water down others shows a complete disregard for the residents and businesses struggling to stay afloat in Chris Christie’s New Jersey.”