Bishop
07/01/06, 12:26 PM
http://www.1010wins.com/pages/52318.php
Trenton, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- On Saturday morning, just after 9:30am, Governor Corzine signed an order shutting down New Jersey's state government. Minutes later road construction projects around the state were ordered to cease. Parks, beaches, historic sites and possibly casinos may also be closed in the coming days.
This is the first shut down of the state government in New Jersey's history.
State lottery tickets will not be sold after 8 p.m, Saturday. All horse racing in the state will be postponed after a 1 p.m. race at Monmouth Park. Tonight's Meadowlands schedule will be canceled.
Motor vehicle offices will shut at noon. About 45,000 state employees were immediately furloughed. State courts throughout the state were closed for anything but emergencies.
Casinos may close too, although the governor's chief counsel said that matter is now up to the courts. A bid by Atlantic City's 12 casinos Friday to get state monitors declared ``essential employees'' who would stay on the job despite a government shutdown is now before an emergency appellate court panel, casino association lawyer John Kearney said Saturday.
The governor was given authority to call the state National Guard into action should an emergency arise.
"It gives me no joy, no satisfaction, no sense of empowerment to do what I'm forced to do here,'' Corzine said.
The closure became inevitable after an hour long meeting Friday night between Corzine and top legislative officials ended without agreement and significant differences remaining.
Senate President Richard J. Codey headed home after the meeting with Corzine, which Codey described as "a frank discussion.''
"We're working hard on a solution,'' said Codey, who supports Corzine's budget plan. "There's a lot of ideas, more ideas than Heinz has got pickles, and we're trying like the Dickens to find the ultimate solution.''
Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., D-Camden, who is leading opposition to Corzine's sales tax increase, said he planned to work through the weekend.
"I think anytime we're working together, trying to find common ground, trying to resolve the issues, that's a real good thing,'' Roberts said.
Trenton, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- On Saturday morning, just after 9:30am, Governor Corzine signed an order shutting down New Jersey's state government. Minutes later road construction projects around the state were ordered to cease. Parks, beaches, historic sites and possibly casinos may also be closed in the coming days.
This is the first shut down of the state government in New Jersey's history.
State lottery tickets will not be sold after 8 p.m, Saturday. All horse racing in the state will be postponed after a 1 p.m. race at Monmouth Park. Tonight's Meadowlands schedule will be canceled.
Motor vehicle offices will shut at noon. About 45,000 state employees were immediately furloughed. State courts throughout the state were closed for anything but emergencies.
Casinos may close too, although the governor's chief counsel said that matter is now up to the courts. A bid by Atlantic City's 12 casinos Friday to get state monitors declared ``essential employees'' who would stay on the job despite a government shutdown is now before an emergency appellate court panel, casino association lawyer John Kearney said Saturday.
The governor was given authority to call the state National Guard into action should an emergency arise.
"It gives me no joy, no satisfaction, no sense of empowerment to do what I'm forced to do here,'' Corzine said.
The closure became inevitable after an hour long meeting Friday night between Corzine and top legislative officials ended without agreement and significant differences remaining.
Senate President Richard J. Codey headed home after the meeting with Corzine, which Codey described as "a frank discussion.''
"We're working hard on a solution,'' said Codey, who supports Corzine's budget plan. "There's a lot of ideas, more ideas than Heinz has got pickles, and we're trying like the Dickens to find the ultimate solution.''
Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., D-Camden, who is leading opposition to Corzine's sales tax increase, said he planned to work through the weekend.
"I think anytime we're working together, trying to find common ground, trying to resolve the issues, that's a real good thing,'' Roberts said.