budget

You are currently browsing articles tagged budget.

NJ Legislature Holds Special Budget Session at Land of Make Believe

May 7, 2009 in Government, News | 1 comment

Assemblywoman Nellie Pou helps Alex DeCroce on the Jump Around Frog

Assemblywoman Nellie Pou helps Alex DeCroce on the Jump Around Frog

New Jersey lawmakers convened a special session at the Land of Make Believe in Warren County to work on the state’s mounting budget problems and ride the Frog Hopper.

“Ooooh! The Jump Around Frog!!” squealed Assemblyman Alex DeCroce as he ran toward the ride before being turned away because he didn’t meet the height requirements. He was later seen being consoled by Colonel Corn, the talking scarecrow.

Leaders of the 120-member senate and general assembly said they called the special session to try to deal with the upcoming year’s budget, which has a gap that stands at hundreds of millions of dollars. The legislative branch’s normal sessions in Trenton have led to rancor, name calling and a meltdown by Sen. Paul Sarlo after someone stole his juice box.

“When we’re doing the people’s work in our state capital, things can get pretty intense,” Senate President Richard Codey said. “So we needed to get away from there, clear our heads and really focus on the important things like spending $2 million on a fire engine and equipment museum. I thought going to the Land of Make Believe was the best option.”

The legislators started their session by taking a tractor-drawn old fashioned hay ride, then broke into committees to discuss specific areas where they could cut the budget. Members of the appropriations committee all gathered at the Red Baron Airplane Ride, with legislators climbing onto the two-seater bi-planes that gently rose and fell while moving slowly in a circle.

“The Democratic tax and spend leadership has got to stop…oh God, oh God, I think I’m gonna be sick!” Assemblyman Rick Merkt screamed before vomiting on the back of committee chair Nellie Pou, a Democrat. “This state is being held hostage by state worker unio…..BLAGHFFF!!!!”

Public records indicate the legislators spent nearly $10,000 on season passes, another $15,000 on food and snacks and $279,000 trying to win a giant red elephant in the Dog Pound arcade area. The expenditures were tacked onto the 2009 budget.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,

NJ Facing Serious Economic Issues

April 1, 2009 in Government, News | 2 comments

njseal1The furloughs are flying, unemployment in the state is increasing and services are decreasing.

The Garden State, like the rest of the country, is fighting a multi-headed monster that threatens hundreds of thousands of its residents. Consumers are struggling. Businesses are struggling. The state government is struggling.

“Make no mistake: because of where the world is right now, we must move in directions we might not otherwise choose,” Gov. Jon Corzine said last month in an address presenting his $29.8 billion budget. “Tough times require that we make the right choices, and that we do the right thing for the common good. By making the right decisions now, New Jersey can and will emerge from this national economic crisis stronger, sooner, and more prosperous.”

Former Gov. Tom Kean is threatening legal action against Corzine for cutting arts funding and state workers’ unions have sued him for trying to force a 2-day furlough on them. Private companies also are instituting furloughs, saying those are preferable to layoffs.

Still, New Jersey’s unemployment rate jumped to 8.2 percent in February - higher than the national rate of 8.1 percent - and up from 7.3 percent in January.

“The state’s economy is continuing to weaken,” Joel Naroff, chief economist for TD Bank, told NJBIZ. “This (February) job loss points to further deterioration in an economy that was already pretty weak.”

Naroff also told the publication he suspects New Jersey has not yet seen the full impact of Wall Street’s meltdown. Particularly hard hit will likely be areas in the state that fall within the 40109 zip code, where one day things may seem totally opposite of what they usually are.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,

State Worker Earning $1 Billion Salary Fearful Amid Budget-Cutting Frenzy

January 14, 2009 in Government | 1 comment

Twombly, moments before a shard of metal flew into his eye

Twombly, moments before a shard of metal flew into his eye

Derek Twombly, a mechanic in New Jersey’s fleet maintenance division, has told friends he’s worried his $1 billion-a-year job could be at risk as officials look to trim $2.1 billion from the state budget.

In an effort to ensure his job is safe, Twombly apparently has gone so far as to show up for work all five days of the week recently.

“Derek wants to make sure his boss sees what a dedicated employee he is,” friend Tommy Fitzpatrick said. “He still takes a two-hour lunch, though. And 45-minute breaks in the morning and afternoon. Oh, and smoke breaks. You know, a man can only work so hard.”

The 47-year-old Toms River resident started with the state right out of high school and has received raises every year since then. He’s paid $1,9230,769.23 a week, making him the third highest paid employee in his department, not counting overtime.

Co-workers described Twombly as a joker who likes to play pranks, like hooking a car battery to the vending machine’s selection buttons. But they said he’s not so proficient in actually repairing vehicles. He has been trying to fix a “gasket thingy” on the same DOT Crown Victoria since 2003.

Twombly had been unaware of Gov. Jon Corzine’s efforts to shave billions from the current budget until fellow worker Matt Parker mentioned he was confident his $300 million salary was “about average” and likely wouldn’t be touched.

“At first Derek was all like, ‘I’m fine. I’m fine,’ but then he started looking real worried,” Parker said. “He told me he just started a restoration project on his 14th century castle in Scotland and had been hoping to pick up some extra hours.”

A spokesman for the Communication Workers of America defended Twombly’s salary and chided Corzine for trying to burden middle class residents like Twombly to pay for perks such as after-school programs or pothole repairs. The spokesman did however concede that the personal assistants assigned to every state worker may be open for discussion.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,