Gov. Christie signs state budget after series of deep cuts

Gov. Chris Christie rejected the budget passed by Democrats that he characterized "unconstitutional" because in exceeded state revenue projections by the state treasurer that he had certified. In signing the new budget into law he cut $900 million from the version that had been passed in the Democratic controlled legislature. The governor eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars Democrats wanted to restore to the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor, and to FamilyCare. The Governor also vetoed bills that would tax millionaires more to fund schools and provide tax relief for low-wage earners.

The Governor line item vetoed the entire $50,000 appropriation for the Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma and the $9 million increase the Democrats had reinserted into their budget for keeping an unnamed psychiatric hospital open. The Governor also deleted language that would have done away with co-pays for medications for dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare under Medicare Part D.

The Governor’s budget and line item vetoes can be seen at: http://nj.gov/governor/news/news/552011/pdf/S-4000%20LIV.pdf

 

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