N.J. Senate Republicans sue Corzine over spending

Senate Republicans sued Gov. Corzine yesterday in an attempt to compel him to reveal a list of spending accounts he has frozen since Aug. 1.

The senators want to know how Corzine is working to close the state budget gap, which totaled $459 million as of November for the fiscal year that began July 1 because revenues have been lower than projected in the slumping economy.

The state constitution mandates a balanced budget and administration officials project a $1.2 billion budget hole for the year, which means Corzine likely will need to make some spending cuts to balance the books.

The Republicans initially filed a written request for documents detailing the frozen spending accounts on Dec. 2 under the state's open public records law, which requires that most government documents be made available to the public within seven business days.

The administration responded by requesting two extensions, the first until Dec. 24 and the second until Jan. 12; the second request for an extension cited the need for a legal review of records.

In response to the lawsuit, filed in Mercer County Superior Court, the governor said, "It is disappointing that Republican legislators have chosen the Bush-Rove path of divisive, partisan politics. Those tactics helped create the current meltdown, and while we are entering a new era in Washington with a new president and renewed hope, the Republicans here in New Jersey are still playing political games."

Corzine also promised yesterday to announce "within hours . . . deep and painful budget cuts."

"The last thing we need is for Republican legislators to use taxpayer resources to gin up a partisan lawsuit," Corzine said. "Partisanship should be off the table as we deal with this crisis."

Senate Minority Leader Thomas H. Kean Jr. of Union County said he was disappointed by the governor's response.

"This is the public's money, this is information that in past economic downturns has been released by governors on a weekly, if not biweekly, basis," Kean said. "All we are asking the governor to do is to be transparent."

Former acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco, a Republican, froze about $650 million in spending accounts in the months before leaving office in January 2002 to address a budget gap.

Sens. Anthony Bucco, Kevin O'Toole, Steve Oroho and Phil Haines, along with with Kean, were listed on the complaint. The senators said in a letter to Corzine that they want assurances the governor is "adequately preparing for revenue losses and the more than $100 million in new spending legislation you signed in the last several weeks."

Republican lawmakers say the governor has approved bills costing about $200 million in recent months, including economic stimulus bills, despite the budget shortfall.

Corzine has said he will delay the introduction of the next budget from Feb. 24 to March 10. Treasury spokesman Tom Vincz said Corzine would request the delay, which requires legislative approval, to see how much federal aid will be given to New Jersey and to figure out how to fill the $1.2 billion budget shortfall for the year.