TOM KEAN URGES CORZINE TO DETAIL HOW HE WOULD PAY FOR NEW SPENDING BILLS

A month after introducing his economic stimulus proposals, Governor Jon Corzine hasn't detailed what savings he plans to find in the current budget to finance the cost of the initiatives, Republican Senate Leader Tom Kean said.

"Many of the reforms the governor has proposed have been part of Republican bills and policy platforms for years. We certainly welcome the governor's belated support for many of them. However, the governor also has to find a way to pay for the costs of the entire program using the current budget. It's been a month since the governor introduced these proposals. He has yet to come forward with how he will find savings or use some other sources of funding to finance his plan.

"This Thursday, the governor's economic package will come before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. I sent a letter to Governor Corzine today asking that he detail where he proposes the Legislature find the money to pay for theses initiatives immediately. Legislators should never be forced to vote on any piece of legislation without knowing the costs in advance, especially in these difficult times."

A copy of the letter is included below:

November 10, 2008

The Honorable Jon Corzine

Governor, State of New Jersey

Office of the Governor

P.O. Box 001

Trenton, NJ 08625-0001

Dear Governor Corzine:

I am writing to express concern that despite the passage of a month since your call for certain economic recovery initiatives, you have yet to come to the table with a single budget savings idea to pay for them. This Thursday, several initiatives you proposed that spend tens of millions of dollars for laudable purposes will finally be considered in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. It is my sincere hope that prior to that vote, you will come to the table with your ideas as to how to pay for them, as you have previously indicated to me that you would.

My colleagues and I in the Senate and Assembly Republican Caucus and certain Democratic legislators have put forth dozens of savings ideas in the past. They include eliminating pensionable pay and health benefits for commission members who meet once per month, reducing the Governor's Contingency Fund, scaling back procurement pressures, reducing nonunion staff in patronage positions, and even scaling back up to 20% spending increases in certain school districts where audits have documented abuses.

We will no doubt have differences about which savings ideas are the best, however, I am confident your administration can recommend savings in a budget that is already 20% higher than just two years ago to pay for the spending increases being considered Thursday. I sincerely hope that you will work with all parties prior to Thursday to responsibly identify the means by which our budget will absorb the costs of the proposals slated for consideration this week.

       Sincerely,

Thomas Kean

Senate Republican Leader

For more information visit www.senatenj.com