Corzine To Shut New Jersey Government Down

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is expected to order a state government shutdown on Saturday morning after an hour-long meeting Friday night between Corzine and top Democrat legislative officials ended without agreement.

"We've reached the crisis point, and all because the governor is more interested in imposing a shutdown instead of reaching an agreement that would make a sales tax increase unnecessary," Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., D-Camden, said. "We consider this threat of a shutdown to be both unconscionable and indefensible."

Corzine planned to sign an executive order at 9:30 a.m. to begin a phased shutdown of nonessential state operations. It will be the first state government shutdown in New Jersey history.

"Governor, we have no interest in having a gun placed to our head and passing a sales tax for a state budget that doesn't need it. We urge this governor to retreat from the precipice and not push the state over the edge into the uncharted waters of a government shutdown," Roberts said.

Yesterday, state Treasurer Bradley Abelow appeared before the Assembly Budget Committee at the request of Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden).

Greenwald repeatedly asked Abelow to confirm the accuracy of revenue projections associated with a list of proposed taxes and fees. The treasurer responded he could not verify the numbers, and that some of the proposed taxes had proven unreliable in other states.

State Senate President Codey dismissed the Senate in the afternoon, and told them they wouldn't have to come back until at least Sunday.

"It's the worst I've ever seen," said Sen. Joseph Doria, a Hudson County Democrat and 26-year veteran of the Legislature. "Compromise is the mother's milk of politics and there's no compromise."

Corzine stayed in his office until the midnight budget deadline had come and gone. The Governor's spokesman did not indicate if Corzine will spend the night in repose on his new cot or return to wherever he normally spends the night.