Assemblymen Neil M. Cohen & John S. Wisniewski

COHEN/WISNIEWSKI SEEK TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS
Veteran Legislators Pen Measure to Permit Continuing Budget Resolutions

(TRENTON) - Amid talks of a possible government shutdown and with the budget deadline eight days away, Assemblymen Neil M. Cohen and John S. Wisniewski today introduced legislation that would allow the New Jersey Legislature to issue continuing budget resolutions.ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS
NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE:
June 22, 2006

CONTACT:
Assemblyman Cohen
(908) 624-0880
Assemblyman Wisniewski
(732) 316-1885
James Sverapa IV
(609) 292-7065

COHEN/WISNIEWSKI SEEK TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS
Veteran Legislators Pen Measure to Permit Continuing Budget Resolutions

(TRENTON) - Amid talks of a possible government shutdown and with the budget deadline eight days away, Assemblymen Neil M. Cohen and John S. Wisniewski today introduced legislation that would allow the New Jersey Legislature to issue continuing budget resolutions.

"Sometimes more time may be needed to work out differences and competing positions on the state budget," said Cohen (D-Union). "Nobody wants a government shutdown and this will ensure that services continue to be delivered without interruption in future cases of a budget impasse."

The Cohen/Wisniewski measure would allow the General Assembly to introduce a budget bill as a continuing resolution.

Under the bill, if the constitutionally mandated deadline for a balanced budget was missed, the continuing nature of the budget resolution would allow state government to continue operating at the previous fiscal year's funding level until such time as a final budget bill is signed into law. The legislation would need to be approved by both houses of the Legislature and then put before residents as a public referendum on the November ballots.

The federal government currently employs continuing resolutions when debating federal budget bills, as Congress often cannot meet their budgetary deadlines. While continuing resolutions only buy governments time to continue budgetary discussions, the sponsors contend that removing the constant threat of a government shutdown can only help the budget process.

"Continuing budget resolutions will give us the option of continuing to fund vital state services if and when our budget negotiations continue past the June 30 deadlines," said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). "Spirited discussions and disagreements about how best to fund state services should not be hindered by the shadow of a potential government shutdown looming on the horizon."

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