"State shutdown simply 'puzzles' many in North Jersey"
Bergen Record ^ | July 3, 2006 | DUNSTAN PRIAL
"State shutdown simply 'puzzles' many in North Jersey" (but no doubt causes death by last Friday in a Republican Administration)
Listen to the tone of this puff piece from this shameless simpleton on the NJ Gov't shutdown. The poor would have been dying in the streets last friday if the Republicans controlled the Gov't.
It took all weekend but they close with a 'blame republicans' soundbite for the sheeple to parrot.
From the Meadowlands to the malls, New Jerseyans were perplexed and conflicted Sunday by Governor Corzine's decision to shut down many state services in a bid to end a budget stalemate with legislators.
Most confusing to many was the decision to halt sales of lottery tickets, which generate $2 billion a year in revenue.
"I think this is a very wrong decision, bad for the people selling lottery tickets," said Bob Kanjlia, the owner of Fort Lee Stationery. "They're losing money by shutting off the lottery."
Kanjlia said many customers didn't understand what the budget had to do with the lottery, which is run by state Lottery Commission employees in Trenton.
The budget impasse between Corzine and his fellow Democrats in the Assembly forced the state to miss its July 1 deadline to adopt a new budget, leaving the state with no authori-zation to spend money. Assembly leaders bitterly oppose Corzine's plan to increase the sales tax by one cent for every dollar spent -- from 6 percent to 7 percent.
When Corzine ordered the shutdown Saturday, only essential operations such as the state police, child protection and transportation services and hospitals were left running.
Gambling operations were ordered closed because they are overseen by state inspectors. Pending court disputes kept casino gambling and horse racing active on Sunday, though harness racing at the Meadowlands was canceled Saturday night before an appeals court judge stepped in.
Betting on simulcast broadcasts of races around the country was allowed at the Meadowlands, however, and regular customers were relieved.
"Every day I come here hoping I'll win back some of the hard-earned money I've left here," said Prince Arthur, of Orange, gesturing toward The Meadowlands Racetrack.
Closing down some areas of the government to save money until an agreement is reached makes sense, according to Arthur. But gambling generates many millions of dollars for the state, he pointed out.
"That doesn't make any sense. You don't shut down places like this. Let the money-making activities go on," he said.
The reprieve at the racetrack, however, has a limited time span. An appeals court on Sunday ordered tracks to close at the end of the day Tuesday unless the budget battle is resolved by then.
Industry officials were relieved that the tracks could still remain open during the lucrative holiday weekend.
"We are thrilled," said Dennis Drazin, lawyer for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. If the impasse continues, Drazin said, the horsemen will be back in court.
"If somebody were to try to shut us down, we would most likely seek relief in the [state] Supreme Court. I don't anticipate that right now," he said.
Casinos, which also rely on state monitors, have gone to court to prevent a shutdown. On Sunday, an appeals court was weighing the matter, but it remained uncertain when it would hand down a decision, said Winifred Comfort, a spokeswoman for the Judiciary. In a related action, the head of the agency that oversees gaming ordered Atlantic City's 12 casinos to shut at 8 a.m. Wednesday if New Jersey fails to enact a budget by then.
There seemed to be little consensus across the state on Corzine's effort to raise the sales tax, the issue that led to the shutdown.
James Kim, 25, of Palisades Park said he didn't think increasing the sales tax to 7 percent would be "such a big deal."
"It's better than going to New York," he said.
Joanne Bonanini, 50, of Englewood Cliffs, disagreed.
Bonanini moved from New York to New Jersey two years ago and likes the lower sales tax here. "I like 6 percent," she said.
Nicholas Corbiscello, a former Fort Lee mayor, said he's dead set against an increase in the sales tax. "Most of them are Democrats down there, so I don't know why [Corzine] can't get them under control," Corbiscello said. "The Republicans are going to make hay out of it."
Mohammed A. Rouf, 46, of Lodi was shopping Sunday at the malls along Route 46 in Wayne. Rouf said he agreed with the decision to shut down the government. If there's no money to pay the workers, then they shouldn't be working, he said.
Ethel Marger of Fort Lee said she wasn't happy about Corzine's decision to shut down government, but added: "I don't know what choice he has."
Marger blamed state Sen. Richard Codey, who preceded Corzine as New Jersey's head of state.
"My first question is why didn't the former governor do something about the problem while he was in office?" she said. "We all liked him, but now I'm realizing he didn't do his job." |
