Faced with a looming state budget shortfall,
acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco yesterday imposed a partial
state hiring freeze, cut another $32 million in spending
and ordered all departments to find another 5 percent to
chop. This announcement comes on the heals of $500 million
in spending freezes announced by the acting governors on
November 21. These moves could prove to have a far-ranging
impact on state government if they are adopted by Governor
elect McGreevey's incoming administration.
McGreevey's team projects a two-year budget gap of $5.6
million that must be closed by June 30. This includes a
$1.9 billion shortfall in the current budget year and a
$3.7 billion shortfall in the year that begins July 1.
Last week, DiFrancesco called on all state agencies to
submit plans to cut their existing budgets by 5 percent,
and asked them to identify what programs and projects could
be permanently cut.
Representatives of several state agencies said they had
not yet prepared their recommendations and would not release
them without the administration's approval. Fran Rapa, a
spokesman for the state budget office, said the cuts could
affect programs across the board if enacted. Personnel Department
spokesman Bill O'Brien said exceptions would be allowed
to hire new prison guards, workers in state institutions,
family services workers and State Police.
The following cuts that are of concern to NAMI NEW JERSEY
Advocates were announced:
Corrections
|
Civilly Committed Sexual Offender - Projected under
spending |
$657,500 |
| DHS |
Children's System of Care Initiative - Delay implementation |
$15,000,000 |
| DHS |
Greystone Park Psychiatric Bridge Fund - Delayed implementation |
$10,000,000 |
| DHS |
Capital Project for Electrical System - Ancora will
not be spent |
$500,000
|
| Interdepartmental |
Civilly Committed Sex Offender Debt Service - Building
in planning stages, debt service unnecessary
|
$6,000,000 |
| DHS |
Developmental Disabilities Waiting List Initiatives
Projected phase-in that meets program needs
|
$18,000,000 |
ACTION NEEDED
The possibility of a significant shortfall in State
revenues has placed the expansion of mental health services
promised by Redirection II and the Children’s Initiative
in severe jeopardy. NAMI NEW JERSEY Advocates are urged
to contact Governor Elect McGreevey and implore him to keep
the promise he made to the mental health community during
the October 1st Mental Health Candidates Forum to “ensure
that a full continuum of care is available and accessible
to all individuals with mental illness”. Governor Elect
McGreevey pledged to serve as an advocate for people with
a mental illness and their families to ensure that their
voices are heard. We must let Governor Elect McGreevey
hear that we will not accept the continued neglect of people
with a serious mental illness. NAMI NEW JERSEY Advocates
have fought long and hard to fully fund state of the art
treatment to those in need of mental health services in
the community and to stop the overcrowding that plagues
our state hospitals. It is essential that Redirection II
be fully funded and that our existing services be funded
at a level that permits them to function at an optimal level
for the thousands of people who are in need. This is New
Jersey’s obligation to its most vulnerable citizens
and Governor Elect McGreevey’s promise to people with
a serious mental illness and their families.
Governor Elect McGreevey can be contacted at:
Governor Elect James McGreevey PO Box 022
240 West State Street Trenton,
NJ 08625
Phone (609) 777- 3501,
Fax (609) 943-4824
NAMI NEW JERSEY is a statewide coalition
of self-help support and advocacy groups composed of families
and friends of persons with a serious mental illness. With
chapters in all 21 counties we are New Jerseys largest grassroots
organization dedicated to improving the quality of life
of individuals who have a serious mental illness and their
families.
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