10 WAYS IN 10 DAYS:
Governor Corzine Has Failed New Jersey
TRENTON - In the final stretch of this critical election, the New Jersey Republican State Committee is reminding voters about Jon Corzine's record of complete failure as Governor. In this campaign, Governor Corzine has promised to double down on the failed policies of his first term and spend the next four years running New Jersey further into the ground. New Jersey can't afford another four years of Governor Corzine's failure, lost jobs, and high taxes.
#6 Mismanagement 101: Governor Corzine's Fiscal Recklessness
"My administration will bring ‘Management 101' to Trenton."
(Corzine for Governor 2005, "Corzine Statement on School Construction Corporation," Campaign Press Release, July 28, 2005)In 2005, Governor Jon Corzine campaigned as a financial expert that would bring order to the state's troubled finances and "Management 101" to state government. But only half a year into his term, New Jerseyans quickly found that Corzine was more interested in raising their taxes and grandstanding than fiscal responsibility. In the middle of a budget fight with Assembly Democrats, Corzine shut down of government to pressure legislators to pass a budget plan that included a sales tax increase demanded by Corzine.
In short, Jon Corzine was willing to shut down government and deny services to New Jerseyans in order to raise the sales tax.
How is that for responsible government and "management 101"?
Now, nearly 4 years later, the state's finances are still a mess. We face at least an $8 billion budget deficit next year and the problem continues to grow - all on the Governor's watch. Governor Corzine hasn't cleaned up Trenton, he's only added to the mess.
"The voters are rightfully fed up with the failure of government to put the state's fiscal house in order." ("Governor Corzine's Remarks to the League of Municipalities", 11/15/07)
"Corzine halted non-essential state services on July 1 because without a budget for the new fiscal year, he has no authority to spend money. The shutdown affected courts, parks, motor-vehicle offices, beaches, campgrounds, racetracks and the state lottery as well as casinos." (Stacie Servetah and Chris Dolmetsch, "Corzine, Lawmakers Agree To End New Jersey Impasse," Bloomberg, 7/6/2006)
"The shutdown could cost the 12 casinos more than $16 million that they would normally collect from gamblers each day, not to mention the $1.3 million in taxes taken in by the state." ("N.J. Gov. Calls Shutdown ‘Deplorable'", Associated Press, 7/5/2006)
"Assembly Democrats had resisted the sales-tax increase Corzine had said was needed to close a $4.5 billion deficit. Assembly Democrats had also rejected a compromise plan by Senate President Richard Codey that would raise the sales tax by 1 percent, putting half the proceeds toward balancing the budget and half toward property tax relief." (Stacie Servetah and Chris Dolmetsch, "Corzine, Lawmakers Agree To End New Jersey Impasse," Bloomberg, 7/6/2006)