CHRISTIE SAYS HE'S BOUND BY AGREEMENT CORZINE MADE WITH STATE WORKERS
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Haddon Heights - (WBGO News 3/9/2010)

Governor Christie says the budget plan he’ll unveil next week will call for shared sacrifice. But he says he won’t be able to alter a deal his predecessor made with state workers.

Christie told local officials in Haddon Heights every program in state government will probably have cuts.

However, he says he will not be able to layoff state workers this year. Christie now says he was wrong to say during the campaign that he could change the state employee contract negotiated by former Governor Jon Corzine.

 “I was wrong. My lawyers have now told me that I am bound by that deal. So that was during the campaign when it was what I thought should be true. Now I know what’s true. I was wrong. So now I’ve got to figure out a way to try to work with it.”

Corzine’s agreement with the unions delayed a three and a half percent pay raise for

18 months in exchange for employees taking furlough days and being promised no layoffs through the end of this year.

Christie says the budget he’ll propose will anger some people, but he says the cuts will be fair.

© 3/9/2010 WBGO News