Senator Leonard Lance, Budget Officer for the Senate Republicans, said this after hearing that Governor Corzine’s budget calls for creating a “Long Term Obligation and Capital Expenditure Fund” that allows the Governor to spend $334 million without including it in the budget that will be approved by the Legislature:
“The Legislature’s Budget and Finance Officer testified today that Governor Corzine wants unfettered authority to appropriate $334 million that would not be counted as part of the spending total for the Fiscal Year 2009 budget.
“Clearly, the Constitution requires that the Legislature approve all spending and that any spending be delineated with specific line items in the budget. This is vital to ensuring the public knows where its tax dollars are being spent.
“Governor Corzine has called for transparency in the budgeting process. In that spirit, I call upon him to correct the error made in creating a budget that does not include a line item for every planned expenditure. The public rightly demands that we account for every dime of their hard-earned money, particularly in a difficult budget year.”
Link to Post:
http://www.senatenj.com/index.php/lance/lance-all-spending-must-be-budgeted-and-approved/316
Similar Posts:
- Senator Pennacchio Calls on Corzine to End Christmas Tree Spending
January 14, 2008 - Latest Corruption Proves Need for “Transparency in Government Act”
September 10, 2008 - O’Toole: Hundreds of Millions Hidden “Off the Line”
March 26, 2008 - Republican Response to FY2009 Budget Address
February 26, 2008 - Kean & DeCroce: Check the Facts. Democrat Treasurers Testified that Slush Fund Was a Democrat Creation
October 9, 2008
