0 commentsPublished Saturday, July 01, 2006 by baccarat_guy.
7/1/2006, 9:40 a.m. ET
By TOM HESTER Jr.
The Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — In a dramatic and extraordinary pen stroke, Gov. Jon S. Corzine Saturday morning closed state government amid a bitter dispute with fellow Democrats in the Assembly over his plan to increase the sales tax.
That conflict has left New Jersey without money to operate. The state lottery and road construction are among the first state services expected to be closed.
Parks, beaches, historic sites and possibly casinos may shutter in coming days.
After Saturday's constitutional deadline to adopt a new balanced budget passed without agreement, Corzine inked an executive order just after 9:30 a.m. in his Statehouse office, a grim climax to weeks of budget squabbling among Democrats who control state government but haven't been able to agree on a budget bill.
This is the first time state government has had to close amid a budget dispute.