New Jersey Governor Christie Vetoes Spending Measures Passed by Democrats

Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, speaks at a news conference at the Statehouse in Trenton, New Jersey. Photographer: Tim Larsen/Office of the Governor via Bloomberg

New Jersey Governor Chris Christievetoed $132.1 million in supplemental spending on health careand homebuyer tax credits that the Democratic-led Legislatureapproved during deliberations on his $29.4 billion budget.

Christie vetoed three bills providing for $100 million inhomebuyer credits, $7.5 million in funding for women’s health-care programs and $24.6 million for the FamilyCare insuranceprogram. The first-term Republican lowered spending by $10billion in his first budget, which took effect July 1.

“State spending has been reset to levels the taxpayers canafford, and supplemental spending that would return to theunchecked spending and out-of-control budget shortfalls of thepast will not make it past the governor’s desk,” Christie saidtoday in his veto message to lawmakers.

Christie, a 47-year-old Republican who took office inJanuary, skipped a $3 billion pension payment and lowered aid toschools and towns by $1.3 billion in his budget. The plan alsosuspended property-tax rebates until next year, when the statewill owe $2.1 billion, according to an estimate by legislativeforecasters.

Democrats in the Senate and Assembly said they plan to pushfor override attempts. They would need two-thirds of the votesin the 80-member Assembly and 40-member Senate to override thegovernor’s veto.

The homebuyer credit passed the Assembly 67-8 and theSenate unanimously. The FamilyCare bill cleared the Senate 23-17and the Assembly by 45-32 in votes that fell along party lines.The women’s health measure passed the two houses 30-10 and 42-22.

“This is a philosophical debate,” said Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, a Democrat from Cherry Hill who sponsored the creditsand FamilyCare bills. “No one person in New Jersey should bedriving the agenda.”