Governor Christie has been hailed across the spectrum as a conservative tax cutter and spending cutter. Unfortunately, Governor Christie is proving to be neither and the suffering taxpayers of New Jersey will bear the brunt of this fiscally irresponsible budget should it be passed.

Contrary to the narrative being permeated in the media and the right-wing blogosphere, Governor Christie's budget grows state government by 6% and expands the welfare state while pilfering $2.56B from New Jersey taxpayers in the way of state aid.

State aid is derived primarily from the income tax (as well as a half cent of the sales tax). By constitutional amendment (1976) all funds from the income tax go to the Property Tax Relief fund and are to be sent back to local towns in municipalities in the way of school aid, municipal aid and Homestead rebates.

Governor Christie is taking the $2.56B and using it to prop up the welfare state --e.g.:

• $613M to pre-K's in the Abbott Districts (up $17M from last year)
• Increasing food stamp eligibility from 135% to 185% of the federal poverty level
• Adding $110M in spending for a public option health insurance program called New Jersey FamilyCare
• Expansion of Medicaid and General assistance funding by $185 million to “actively enroll” additional children into NJ FamilyCare
• Increases funding for “Healthcare Subsidy Fund” charity care by $79 million, for those ineligible for government and non-government sponsored healthcare

Now, NewJerseyNewsroom.com reports the governor has apparently reached a compromise with Democrat lawmakers to restore approximately $75 million in funds to "adult medical day care, home-care services...NJ STARS scholarships, the NJ After 3 childcare program” among other Democrat pet programs.

Despite his rhetoric, there is no "shared sacrifice" when it comes to fixing New Jersey’s finances. The onus has been put entirely on suburban and rural property taxpayers and local school districts while the Trenton bureaucracy remains intact.

Funding for the state's 31 Abbott "special needs" districts which account for just 20% of New Jersey students goes from 54% of the pie under Jon Corzine to 60% under Governor Christie. Hoboken, where per capita income is $43,195, will receive $7M in aid for pre-schools while Sussex County, where per capita income is $26,992, won't receive a dime.

State workers, whose ranks escalated greatly under Corzine, McGreevey, and Christie Whitman, remain in place. Not one government worker is laid off. And there are no department mergers or closings.

The governor is punting on the state's pension obligation to the tune of $3B. Last year, Governor Corzine contributed $160M to the pension system -- Governor Christie is contributing zero.

The state is also adding another $500 million in new debt for school construction – primarily in the Abbott districts – without voter approval. Something the governor promised last year he would not do.

At the end of the day, New Jersey remains in dire fiscal condition. Governor Christie was elected to rein in Trenton and cut taxes to put our state back on a course to prosperity. Instead, Governor Christie's budget only exacerbates the state's problems.

The governor's budget is a bad budget for New Jersey and needs to be defeated.

Call Governor Christie's office now at 609-292-6000 and tell him to stand up for taxpayers.

Contact your legislators now and tell them to vote NO on the Christie tax-hiking budget.

READ AFP'S MODEL BUDGET HERE.