Facing a tough re-election fight in November, Gov. Jon Corzine (D) departed from the blunt assessments he has delivered in past state of the state speeches to focus instead on his administration’s accomplishments.
In an address delivered to the Democratic-controlled Legislature Jan. 14, Corzine touted achievements including paid family leave for workers, a strengthening of the worker compensation system, reform of the public pension system and the appointment of a record number of women and minorities to the bench.
New proposals were relatively scarce. To encourage development, Corzine proposed a one-year moratorium on the state’s 2.5-percent development fee and an exemption to the fee for projects that were in the works before it was approved. He proposed a November ballot question seeking to fund open space. He said he supported posting state expenditures online to make them more transparent.
But he warned that the national recession was certain to force “painful cuts.”
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