THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS SOLD OUT THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY AND THE BUSINESSES THEY PRETEND TO REPRESENT 

            Senator Tony Bucco (R-25) issued the following statement regarding reports that one of several business lobbying groups, the Chamber of Commerce, is attempting to curry favor with Governor Corzine by publicly supporting his massive new road tax and borrowing gimmick.

            “It’s a sad day when folks who claim to represent businesses support a plan that will hike the EZ PASS bills of every business and their customers by 800%.” 

            “We have requested documents from the administration that explain this plan in greater detail and they have yet to produce them.  There isn’t even draft legislation.  Last time I checked, most businessmen like to read the fine print before they sign on to a plan.”

            The Governor’s is pushing the toll and borrow gimmick as a way to shift the state’s current commitment to paying down long term debt to a new group of people and restructure the commitment so it decreases in the short term, only to skyrockets in the out years.  The Governor’s plan is designed to avoid making any real spending cuts that have been proposed over the past two years by Republican legislators, various watchdog groups, certain newspapers, and even Senate Democrat Majority Leader Steve Sweeney.  

            Senator Bucco is calling for business leaders to look to other business lobbying organizations to represent them.  “I would strongly recommend that every member of the Chamber of Commerce reconsider their patronage of this particular business lobbying organization and look elsewhere for real representation.”