Top Democrat Backs Cristi's Cuts 95 Percent
• "We Are In A Financial Crisis - Spending Has To Be Cut"
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Enlarge This Photo | Photo by NJHometown |
Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo (center) with Nutley Chamber of Commerce president Vince LoCurcio (right) and vice president Neil Henning at May business luncheon.
May 27, 2010 – Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, one of the state's most powerful Democrats, told the May Nutley Chamber of Commerce luncheon that he agrees with 95 percent of fiscal steps being initiated by Republican Governor Chris Cristi.
Without mentioning specific contentious issues like teacher layoffs or cuts in municipal spending, DiVincenzo admitted "it may be the laughing joke that Joe D., one of the top Democrats in New Jersey, agrees with 95 percent of the things our new Governor is doing."
Addressing an audience of store owners, local business leaders and professionals, DiVincenzo there's no option to reducing overall governmental spending.
"We are in a financial crisis. We have the highest property taxes, the highest foreclosure rates and the highest unemployment," he said.
"Everyone seems to think we are over the financial crisis when they see an improvement in the stock market. But what's going on there is not helping the people of Essex County," DiVincenzo said.
"The unions seem to think that things are going back to where they were in the old days. It's not happening. Those days are gone."
Although DiVincenso said he has known Cristi as a friend for eight years, "I did not support him in the election. But I support him now as Governor. His style is tough love. But all of us have to live within our means. Things have got to change."
A resident of Nutley, DiVincenzo's remarks at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon also coincides with his own reelection campaign as county executive this November. He devoted most of his luncheon comments to reviewing his accomplishments over the past eight years in Essex County,
"Eight years ago, everything you heard about Essex County was negative: Corruption and talk about who would be next to ending up in jail.
"When I took over eight years ago, we had a $64 million budget deficit. Today, after eight years, we have a $16 million surplus," DiVincenzo said.
"The county's bond rating then was "B-double-A, junk bonds. Today our bond rating is six times higher --a n A-1 rating and if I'm reelected, I going to improve our bond rating to Triple-A."
He said he treats Essex County as if it were a business. "Everything we do has to be able to pay for itself or break even. Otherwise, we don't do it."
He closed the old Newark jail and opened a new one. The new jail makes money for the county because it also houses federal prisoners and immigration detainees.
The Essex County Parks System is also self-sustaining because of a new fee schedule including those paid at the Turtle Back Zoo. Many park improvements, including the recent upgrade of Yantacaw Park in Nutley with the new Carmen Orechio baseball complex with Astroturf fields, were all financed with state and federal grants.
DiVincenzo said he is committed to upgrading the area adjacent to the Prudential Center in Newark as a attraction with other related activities "that are good for business and will help in attracting patrons away from the Meadowlands."
