The budget committee in the New Jersey Senate has approved a $31.7 billion dollar budget proposed by Democrats who control the Legislature.

Senate Budget Committee chairman Paul Sarlo says the spending plan is $62 million below Governor Christie’s revised budget proposal. Democrats added money for nursing homes and some programs for the poor but offset that with some additional spending cuts.

“We’ve made some minor changes but overall the budget is quite similar to what was originally introduced. We would like to do a lot more to help some of our vulnerable citizens and the middle class but unfortunately we’re quite limited.”

Sarlo says the budget authorizes $183 million dollars for a tax cut.

The revenue to support a property tax cut for the middle class is in this budget. The enabling legislation needs to come, and it will come in due process. First the governor needs to demonstrate to us that the economy in New Jersey is improving and that there’s revenues to support it.”

Senate Republican Budget Officer Tony Bucco says all of the Republicans on the budget committee voted against the plan because they wanted the tax cut to take effect immediately.

 “The people of the state of New Jersey deserve it. They need it. We’ve seen the continual increase in property taxes and this was a way of giving something back to them to try and help them.”

The budget is expected to go to a vote in the full Legislature on Monday.