Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce : CORZINE STILL HAS OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES

ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER CALLS ON GOVERNOR TO USE LINE-ITEM VETO TO SPARE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES FROM $1,200 INCOME LOSS

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today called on Governor Corzine to use to his veto powers on the budget approved by the Legislature Thursday in order to restore property tax relief for all middle income families.

“In the waning hours before Governor Corzine signs another budget, which was not unanimously supported by his own party and is filled with tax increases for the state’s middle class that can least afford them, New Jerseyans can only hope that their governor reconsiders continuing the same reckless policies that have placed this state in a disastrous direction,” DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic, said. “Instead of remaining intractably partisan, the state’s middle class needs the governor to embrace and enact the cuts we have recommended before it’s too late.”

Republican lawmakers have proposed $783 million in cuts to the budget proposal that Corzine has said was scoured clean and cut to the bone. The cuts include removing political appointees, reducing special aid given to select cities without oversight or criteria and eliminating government’s unnecessary cars and wireless devices.

“When the governor got his latest bailout – a one-shot infusion by rewarding tax scofflaws – he said he was restoring property tax rebates, but there will still be 1.2 million families losing much needed relief this fall,” DeCroce said. “The governor thinks that a family earning more than $75,000 doesn’t need relief from the nation’s highest property tax bill. We hear from New Jersey families every day who say they struggle and can’t afford the $1,200 that Corzine’s rebate elimination will cost them.

“There is clear disagreement between the governor and hard-working families of New Jersey. I tend to believe the people instead of a desperate governor,” DeCroce added.