Jay Webber, representative to the NJ General Assembly from District 26 spoke to 32 Chatham Kiwanis members during yesterday’s breakfast meeting at Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse on Southern Blvd. in Chatham Twp. Attending with Mr. Webber was Thomas Weiser, Chief of Staff & Chief Counsel. Kiwanis member Jerry Cunningham introduced Representative Webber, noting that he is also Chairman of the NJ State Republican Committee.
Webber summarized Governor Christie’s accomplishments in his first 70 days in office. First, the Administration cut spending to eliminate the 2.2 billion dollar fiscal year 2010 budget shortfall.
Second, the Unemployment Insurance Fund shortfall was confronted. Last year the fund ran out of money and had to borrow 1.2 billion dollars from the Federal government to keep paying benefits.
Third, public employee pensions and other benefits are not affordable in today’s economy. State benefits are funded at only 64 percent with a shortfall of 46 billion dollars. Past promises must be kept - but reduced benefits must be negotiated going forward. Public employees will be asked to pay about 1.5 percent of their salary for their own health benefits costs. Bills submitted by the Governor have been passed by the Legislature addressing benefits funding shortfall.
Fourth, the administration is closing the 10.7 billion dollar gap on the fiscal year 2011 budget. If nothing were done, the budget for next year would rise by this amount. New Jersey taxes are among the highest in the nation and the Governor has vowed no increase in taxes. He is proposing spending cuts of 9 percent. While these cuts are hard to make, he is working with municipalities, school districts, unions and the Democrat-controlled legislature to reduce spending.
Christie is also proposing a Constitutional Amendment to limit property tax increases to 2.5 percent per year. New Jersey now has the highest property taxes in the nation.
Webber ended his remarks by saying that “the best is yet to come.” When the recession ends, NJ will have trimmed expenses so that we will be able to attract and keep new businesses. To do this we need regulatory reform, rapid approval of permits and partnerships with business. New Jersey will be “lean and mean” and ready to compete in the next decade.