1999 Governor Christie Todd Whitman Budget Message

and food talks to the soul of children. So come to order, please take your seats, Senator Bennett.

I move that this joint session of the 200-naked legislature do now come to order. Now recognize from Pasey County Assembly Majority Leader Paul DeGitano. I second a motion. All in favor say aye. Aye. I have it. I'm advised by the Secretary of the Senate and the clerk of the General Assembly that a quorum is present at this joint session of the 200-naked legislature. If all would please rise for the invocation to be delivered by Reverend Edward W. Dorn of the second Baptist Church in Pedricktown, Salem County. Let us pray. Great is thy faithfulness. Great is thy faithfulness, mourning by mourning new mercies I see. All I have needed, thy great hand has provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Most worthy and always God, our Father, the Maker and Supreme Architect of the Universe. We come with grateful appreciation for this day. For this is the day that the Lord has made and let us rejoice and be glad in it. We thank you, Lord, that you have given us a time of peace and prosperity, a land where we could aspire to our tropes and our dreams. And yet dear God, we come with a deep concern for those who are less fortunate than we are. And we pray that all Americans can enjoy the blessedness of our native land. We pray for our governor, that you would bless her endeavors, that you would give her wisdom and understanding. Bless her family, as they have shared their wife and their mother with us over these years. And then God, we pray that you would bless our speaker, our President of the Senate. Give them a heart like vine. Oh, God, we pray for the legislators from across this New Jersey, our beloved state.

Give them wisdom, compassion, and the wherewithal that as they make their decisions, they may be just and equitable for all the people of our state. Help them to know that they are stewards for the people. Give them a respect for the past and a vision for the future. For you have declared in your word that the people perish because of a lack of vision. And so as we conclude this prayer, God bless America. Land that we love, despite the divisiveness that is all around us in this great nation, we are yet one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Buying us together that we might find success as we anticipate the unknown of the new millennium. And we may be truly the people of God that you're looking for and these last days. Here I'll pray dear God, and your name shall receive all the praise, all the honor, and all the glory in your name we pray. Amen.

Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Assemblywoman Connie Myers will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. It is my pleasure to introduce the Mercer County Community College Gospel Ensemble, who will be performing America the Beautiful. Oh, beautiful, oh beautiful, for spacious sky, for spacious sky, for amber weight, for amber weight, for purple mountain, for purple mountain.

Oh, purple mountain, majesty, majesty. Above the fruited plain, America. America. God shed, God shed his grace for thee, and he crown thee good. And crown thee good with brotherhood, brotherhood from sea to shine in sea.

America. America. God shed his grace for thee, and he crown thee good. Crown thee good with brotherhood, brotherhood from sea to shine in sea. America.

The Mercer County Community College Gospel Ensemble. Mr. President, I wish to inform the joint session that the governor has arrived. Will the committee to wait on the governor please escort her to the podium. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, the governor of the state of New Jersey, the Honorable Christine Todd Whitman.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the legislature, we meet today in the people's house to fund the people's priorities.

Our economy is strong, 325,000 jobs stronger than when I took office. What's more, our revenues have grown along with our economy. Our fiscal strength might tempt us to loosen the first strings. As a wise person once said, prosperity is a time when people buy things they can't afford. But I would argue that prosperity is the time to be even more careful with the taxpayers' money. Members of the legislature, as I said in my state of the state address, we must put the people first. We must recognize that fiscal discipline is the only way that we can provide substantial tax relief to the homeowners of New Jersey.

So before I say a single word about the details of my budget proposal, let me state right up front. Property tax relief must be the highest priority of this legislative session. So let's get this done. Let's show the taxpayers. We mean what we say. Mayors and taxpayers' groups support our billion-dollar property tax relief plan. Homeowners struggling with high-property tax bills support it. And I'm glad to say that members from both sides of the aisle have voiced approval.

We are in agreement, not only with each other, but with the writer Dorothy Parker, who once stated that the two most beautiful words in the English language are check enclosed. And while we're on the subject of keeping promises, let me send a word to our auto insurance companies. This governor and this legislature are going to hold you to the promise we made last year. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. You must save good drivers a full 15 percent. Ladies and gentlemen, the 19.2 billion-dollar budget I am proposing today is balanced, responsible, and ambitious. Once again, it lowers our structural deficit. And with this budget, our six-year average growth rate is lower than that of any administration in at least the last three decades.

In government, the budget is the message, and our message is clear. We have our priorities straight. As I will discuss today, this proposed budget invests in our schools and helps keep college affordable. It promotes the health and safety of our young people. It helps our cities achieve their enormous potential, and it moves people off the welfare rolls. It improves our roads and bridges, and it expands our commitment to law and order with new investments in police, prosecution, and parole. But that's not all this spending plan accomplishes. It also fulfills our commitment to provide more support to seniors and caregivers. It also allows community providers to keep up with the cost of living. It increases our capital budget by more than 15 percent to meet such vital goals as clean water and well-maintained parks.

It sets aside three-quarters of a billion-dollar surplus, which includes a record amount in our rainy day fund. And it returns to the taxpayers that, which is rightfully theirs. In fact, with your help, this budget will return $577 million more to the communities of this state, more school aid, more municipal aid, and most important. This increase includes over $220 million in direct relief to our homeowners. We're making an historic commitment to property taxpayers in this budget, but I want to be clear, it is not simply enough to provide property tax relief. We must do all we can to promote property tax reform.

Property tax relief will demand hard choices here in these chambers. Property tax reform will demand hard choices in every municipal building in City Hall, at every school board and fire district meeting. The people of our state must take part in that process. Our citizens should be asking why New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the nation, spends more than any other state to bus a child to school. Citizens should ask, does New Jersey really need 1,600 separate units of local government? Why is it that one New Jersey county has less land and one-knife the population of New York City, but has more fire trucks than all of the big apple? Should we really have more than 600 school districts when we don't even have that many towns in the state? And why on earth do we still have 23 school districts that don't even have a single school? Real reform is going to require real tough choices at the local level.

So having said that, let me give you an idea of what I mean. Why don't we fix our fragmented and inconsistent system of property tax assessment, which forces some homeowners to pay more than their fair share? Why don't we act on a property tax commission recommendation and move property assessment from the municipal level to the county level? And let's have the state pay the freight. I know that some people will want to maintain the status quo because they benefit from it, but this proposed reform would make the system more efficient, more equitable, and save money in every town. New Jersey taxpayers, if that's the kind of reform that makes sense to you, then get involved. Show up for your town council and school board meetings. Make a point to vote in your local elections.

Support your elected officials when they call for consolidating services and demand that they stretch your tax dollars as far as possible. Mayors need all the support they can get. Take, for example, the Hudson County mayors who decided to merge their fire services. Instead of widespread acclaim, they faced organized pickets at their homes, personal attacks, and full-page newspaper ads criticizing their plan. These courageous mayors met that opposition head on, and they created a new fire service that will be even more efficient and save the taxpayers millions of dollars each year. I want to acknowledge them today. Thank you very much.

These mayors are doing their part, and with the legislature's approval, the state will do its part, with up to $35 million in incentives from the REAP and READY programs, championed by Assemblyman Leonard Lance, Paul Kramer, Scott Garrett, and Joe Roberts. It's time to start handing out aid as a reward for doing the right thing to promote government reform. So this budget makes REAP and READY the bulk of new state aid to local governments. As we do that, I also propose that we scale back discretionary aid and transform it into what we're calling extraordinary aid. This $20 million account will be used to help mayors in towns facing catastrophic events and true emergencies.

REAP and READY will reward municipalities for sharing services, or for that matter, even planning for consolidation. Best of all, homeowners will see the aid from REAP as a direct credit on their property tax bill. Mayors of New Jersey, I challenge you to REAP and REAP and READY funds. I promise to replace the money as soon as you do. I also call on every citizen to give reform a chance. The next time your mayor or school board suggests a way that can cut costs and save tax dollars, hear them out. The money you save will be your own. You have already made your voice heard on an issue of tremendous importance. Last November, you said yes to land preservation.

With this budget, we continue our journey toward 1 million acres. Today, I make good on my proposal that as part of the stable source, we make a 10-year $100 million commitment to park development in our cities and all around the garden states. In fiscal year 2000, we will tap the first $10 million of that commitment. We will also spend an additional $3.5 million to hire 100 more park rangers and maintenance staff at our state parks, forests, and recreation areas. What's more, I've included $12.4 million for renovating buildings and constructing new facilities at our state parks. If anyone doubts that the people of our state are dedicated to the million acre preservation goal, just stay tuned.

It's only been two weeks since I announced the garden state open space registry and already two corporations have contacted us about preserving their land. And let me read you this letter that I received early this month from Al Promet of TNEC. He wrote, Dear Governor Whitman, your admirer in his 90s is most interested in your noble project to keep our state green. In closed is my check for $100 toward the implementation of your plan. Mr. Promet couldn't be here today, but I do want to thank him publicly for his donation. As you see, citizens and corporations are already stepping up to the plate on preservation. Now we should do more to encourage land donations from another key player, our communities. With this budget, we will give cities and towns added reason to help preserve open space by including an additional $2.2 million in payment in lieu of taxes.

These checks will offset more of the money town sacrifice and property tax revenues when land is preserved for state parks or wildlife areas. As you know, we fought hard for another New Jersey treasure, Ellis Island. Let's fight just as hard to make it the showcase America deserves. Our capital budget sets aside $2 million for us to work with the National Park Service and private donors to stabilize and restore badly neglected buildings on this gateway to America. Just as we accept the challenge of helping restore Ellis Island to glory, we continue to revitalize our cities as a priority. We and New Jersey invest heavily in our cities. As you know, my administration set up an urban coordinating council four years ago that is now working in partnership with 16 communities around the state to chart a better future.

What's more, last year alone, our development agencies committed over $1 billion in various forms of aid to our cities. We call our approach the urban toolkit, an effort to chisel away at the problems that keep our cities from reaching their potential. We've made it easier to convert polluted industrial sites to productive use. We're moving full speed ahead with our $400 million urban redevelopment program that converts boarded up eyesores and vacant lots into new homes and businesses. We've helped thousands of urban families become homeowners. Our faith-based initiative is giving community groups around New Jersey the technical and financial help they need to improve their neighborhoods. Why does all this matter? Clearly, to the people of our cities, it means a better life. But strong cities are important to all of us. If our cities fail, we all pay for it no matter where we live. It's just good economic sense to make them safe, productive, and prosperous.

We need to take stock of our effort. We need to know where we stand and what we can do better. I want to hear from those who lead our cities, from mayors and police chiefs to superintendents and nonprofit providers. I want to consult community stakeholders and statewide urban leaders as well. So I am pleased to announce that this year I will convene a Governor's Urban Summit. This summit will focus on answering these questions. How can we build on our successes and improve the partnership embodied in our urban agenda? What's more, how can we make even better use of state resources to help our cities? And while we're doing that, I propose we add two more programs to our urban toolkit. They are based on a long-held belief in the strength of a diversified neighborhood.

Attracting all income groups to our cities in turn encourages restaurants, theaters, and stores to locate there. That way, a neighborhood becomes not just a collection of homes, but a community where people have a stake in making the city safe and inviting for everyone. The first new tool is our Downtown Living Initiative. With $7.5 million, we will offer low-interest loans to help developers reintroduce middle-income households to urban neighborhoods. We've already seen what this can do for our cities. In New Brunswick's Hyrum Market area and Maristown's Chanceree Square, we've recently helped more than 200 families by building some of the first market-rate rental housing these communities have seen since the 1970s. These efforts are helping people rediscover the excitement and convenience of city life while boosting the urban economy. We're also going to steal an idea from the University of Pennsylvania, where they offer incentives for faculty and staff to live near the school.

This is helping revitalize West Philadelphia and fill the gap between the school and its neighborhood. New Jersey's urban campuses are already rethinking their relationship to the neighborhoods that surround them. Working together, we can help them. I propose we invest $2.5 million in a special homeowner's fund to help faculty or staff members locate and target areas around our urban public colleges and universities in the Garden State. Let's make our cities not only great places to visit, but also great places to live and learn. Let's also continue to make them and every community safer. We can be proud of our record on crime.

Today we're putting more dangerous criminals behind bars and for longer periods of time. But we must remain vigilant about supporting the dedicated men and women at every step of the criminal justice system, from the cop on the beat to the county prosecutor, from the corrections officer to the parole officer. Together, with this budget, we will do just that. For example, we know that prosecutors have hesitated to conduct the DNA testing that can crack a case wide open because they can't afford it. We need to make it easier for prosecutors to make their case. And with this budget, we will. I am proposing that for the first time we help our county prosecutors by picking up the cost of all necessary DNA testing. This budget will also pay for random testing to enforce a policy that we can all support, zero tolerance for drugs in our prisons. What's more, it will allow us to have parole officers around the state to keep a close watch on the most high-risk cases.

You've heard me say this before, but I believe that no state in the country has the talent and commitment that our state troopers bring to their jobs every single day. To replenish their ranks and keep our citizens safe, we will train another state police contingent of 100 candidates in fiscal year 2000. As I announce last month, we will hold two classes of 50 every year and ratchet up our efforts to make sure our force reflects the population of New Jersey. We also need to address a problem every parent and every teacher fears and too many have to face young people who turn violent. We already have round the clock crisis intervention units in every county as part of the family court system.

They do a great job of stabilizing flare ups between youngsters and their families and help them find long-term counseling. They can talk a troubled teen out of a mistake they will soon regret. Let's make the most of this asset. Let's amend state statutes to extend the jurisdiction of crisis intervention units to include children deemed at risk of violence and let's provide funds in this budget to help these crisis units gear up for the expanded role that they will play. That's not all we need to do. A sad truth about youth violence is that today's victim is more likely to become tomorrow's perpetrator. So today I am proposing funding to train trauma center staffs and emergency medical technicians to get young victims of the counseling they need as quickly as possible. I recommend we also include funds to allow the commission to deter criminal activity to launch a prevention campaign aimed at helping young people steer clear of violent behavior. We're fortunate to have with us today commission member Joe Piscopo who will use his talents to help raise public awareness about this important issue.

Thank you Joe and he's got considerable time. Thank you. We need to respond to the warning signs of youth violence. We also need to heed another kind of warning sign the sign that's on the side of every cigarette pack. We know that every year more than 30,000 young people in New Jersey take up smoking. Why do they start some of its peer pressure some of its risk taking but a lot of it is the powerful media messages they get from the tobacco industry. Last year New Jersey joined with other states in settling a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against the major tobacco companies. We were among the first states to wage that lawsuit.

We got involved to recover taxpayers dollars that have been spent over the years on smoking related illnesses. We must make absolutely certain that we spend those dollars on health related programs. With this budget I propose using more than 46 million dollars in tobacco settlement funds to create new initiatives and to significantly expand upon current ones. We will, for example, increase cancer detection and screening amongst minorities and give seniors and caregivers more choices for long-term care. We owe it to those who died as a result of their addiction to cigarettes to prevent as many of our citizens, especially our kids, from meeting the same horrible fate. So let's dedicate a substantial portion of the settlement funds for education, treatment and research.

I am pleased to propose that we invest $18.6 million this year in tobacco control efforts, including our youth anti-smoking awareness campaign. We may have retired Joe Camel to the desert but the tobacco companies haven't deserted their attack on impressionable young minds. This campaign will combat their attack with messages that encourage youngsters to stay away from cigarettes or if they're already smoking to quit the habit. One young person here today with us has already heard the message. Her name is Lauren MacDee and she's a seventh grader at the North Arlington Middle School.

She won an award in our essay contest last year on why smoking stinks and I've asked her to read from that essay today. Lauren? Thank you, Governor Whitmore. Why smoking stinks by Lauren MacDee? I watched my grandpa suffer and die because of smoking. He had emphysema. He smokes for about 40 years. You're probably thinking that if it takes 40 years, I'll be fine. I'll smoke now and quit later. It's not that easy. After one cigarette, you can be addicted. Cigarettes can cause tongue cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer, emphysema, etc. Are you a smoking athlete? If so, choose one. Because if you smoke while you play a sport, you get out of breath, tired quickly. Your overall ability starts to fail, all because of a couple of cigarettes. If you buy one pack a day costing $3.65 for one year, you would spend $1,332.25.

You can buy a used car, a big screen TV, dogs, or go on vacation. Second-hand smoke is worse for you than others because when a smoke or smokes, what he or she's taken in is filtered. When a person that is in the same room takes in smoke, they are not only getting unfiltered smoke, but are also getting bad things that are in the air. Did you ever wonder why you can't smoke in museums? Well, the answer is because the nicotine lies on things. Would you like to look at a Picasso painting with layers of brown dust that sticks? I don't think so. I intend not to smoke. I think it is a disgusting habit and lawmakers should be more assertive on selling cigarettes to minors. Thank you. Thank you, Lauren, and good job.

Lauren summed up my attitude precisely. We need to be a lot more assertive about attacking the problem. Let's give tobacco the hook before they hook our kids on tobacco. And while we're at it, I want to applaud the folks at Ridge Pharmacy in Glenrock who decided last week to stop selling cigarettes altogether. As the pharmacy owner, Matthew Kapaki, put it, it's just not right to be supporting an addiction that is killing people. As you know, as you know, in future years, our state will be receiving about $300 million annually in tobacco settlement funds. We have an obligation to be accountable and to accomplish something meaningful to improve the health of our citizens. I know that many legislators have good ideas about how we use these funds and I look forward to working with all of you to establish a framework that focuses on the health of our families, especially our children.

Let me tell you how I think we ought to use this money. I propose we put together a long-term plan for using tobacco settlement funds to improve children's health in our cities. Research tells us that the first months of life are critical to a child's long-term development. So we will work with the Association for Children of New Jersey to help cities target improvements in three vital categories. Take care, low birth weight, and infant survival. And let's also use this money to address another critical health need. Last year, I met with mothers in Camden County, who told me that in their part of the state, the only way a teenager can get real help overcoming a drug problem is to commit a crime.

That has to change, and it will. Soon, with federal block grant and county support, we will be able to open South Jersey's first long-term drug treatment center for adolescents. I look forward to working with Senator John Matheson, who has been such an effective advocate in this area. But this is just a start. I propose that we expand service not only at this center, but across the state as a major focus of our tobacco settlement funds. Around the country, states are grappling with how to spend their windfall. Let's work together to set a national standard for using those dollars for the right purpose. Let's give our kids a healthier start.

All our young people deserve that, and more. They ought to be able to grow up in a welcoming neighborhood. They deserve good schools and safe places to play, and we all benefit when their parents have good jobs and the hopes for a bright future. That's why we can be proud that more New Jerseyans are working than ever before, and that we've seen the welfare caseload plummet 45% since I took office. But even with this remarkable record, some people continue to make welfare a way of life. We need to get them off the welfare roles forever. This budget initiates what we call the 21st century community partnership. With state funds, community-based organizations in Newark, New Brunswick, Trenton, Camden, and Jersey City will help hard-to-place welfare recipients tackle the problems that stand between them and a full-time job. With this project, we're giving community groups more control and decision-making power. Why? Because they're the closest to the problem, and because they know what will work best from city to city.

With this budget, we will also provide state matching funds for a $34 million welfare to work initiative that will reach the thousands of people who've been on welfare the longest. It will also make sure that non-custodial parents find a job and pay child support. With programs like these, we're taking aim at recipients who have made the public dull their lifestyle. It's time to replace their welfare check with a paycheck. We want to help improve the lifestyle of another important part of the New Jersey family, people with developmental disabilities. We can take great pride that working together, we have met the needs of every single person with a developmental disability who was on the urgent waiting list for community placement when I took office.

In fact, we have made twice as many placements as any previous administration. While closing institutions was not a popular decision, I believe it was the right one. But I'd like you to hear that from someone closer to the issue. Lee Wider's son Michael is 41 years old when Michael was seven, Lee placed him in an institution. As tough a decision as that was, Mr. Wider had even was even more troubled when he heard that the Princeton Developmental Center was closing. He became one of many opponents of the closure. As Lee put it, I responded with stark, raving fear. I said he would never make it. Today, Michael lives in a group home in brick operated by the Ark, and both he and his father couldn't be happier. Michael is busy in thriving with a social life that includes dances at the Ark every Friday night.

And after putting 5,000 extra miles a year on his car, visiting his son for the last three decades, Lee Wider is now only 10 minutes away. As Lee said, he used to follow me all around and not leave my side. Now I stop in at the dances, and when Michael sees me, he gives me a little peck on the cheek, and then he's off. I underestimated Michael. He does things I never thought he could do. Lee Wider is with us today, and I want to thank him for sharing his story. We need to generate more success stories like this. So this budget proposal includes $15 million to create 500 new residential and 400 new adult care placements.

This is the second installment in our plan to end the waiting list by the year 2008. Moreover, this budget provides new family support funding to help families care for their loved ones at home, rather than in a residential setting. And it allows us to hire more case managers to give people with disabilities the help they need to move into community residences. Let me take a moment to acknowledge Senator Lou Bassano and Tony Bucco and Assemblyman Mel Cotrell, who have been such staunch advocates for people with developmental disabilities. As we have just shown, budgets are about meeting the needs of individuals and families, but they are also about dressing the priorities of our state, and in particular our need to maintain a strong economy. This budget recognizes that in order to continue our momentum in creating jobs, we need a sturdy infrastructure of roads and bridges and ports, as well as a highly skilled and well-educated workforce.

Over the past five years, we have made an unprecedented investment in our transportation system, and now, with this budget, we can do even more. This budget increases the cap on transportation trust fund spending, enabling us to invest $900 million in projects in fiscal year 2000. This money will enable us to move ahead on important goals, including pedestrian safety and the repair of crumbling and unsafe bridges. Let me be clear, this is not a long-term fix. We still need to work together to reauthorize the trust fund before it expires in June of 2000. I look forward to working with transportation chairs Alex Decroach and Andy Cislon, this essential issue. In the meantime, we will not be able to do all the projects I outlined when I made my original proposal last spring, but let's not hesitate to jumpstart a key project for the future of our state, construction of the Port Way.

You and I know that our state's economic health depends on our best efforts to keep our ports competitive. Thanks to our delegation on Capitol Hill, we secured $60 million in federal funds to modernize the port of New York and New Jersey. Let's reap all that we can from that port by making the Port Way a priority. With this special truck service card in place, companies will find distributing their products faster and easier. Our goal should be nothing short than this to make New Jersey the port of call for the world. We should also set a goal of making our schools world class to make our $6 billion investment in public education worth every penny. This budget increases aid to public education by $317 million.

Some of this increase will fix the imbalance that existed for years because the formula did not reflect changes in enrollment. Now the money will go where the children are. Speaker Collins has taken the lead in addressing the desperate need for new and renovated schools. Because of his efforts, we have put a total of $82 million aside for new school construction. This money will help us carry out our plan to create a $2.6 billion construction fund for the Abbott districts and spend as much as $2.7 billion to share the cost of school construction with other districts in the state. And because children should come to class hungry for knowledge, not for food. We are including funds in this budget to give $22,000 more needy students a school breakfast. This budget truly reflects our commitment to children.

No other administration or legislature has ever committed so much of the state's resources to our schools. With this budget, our billion dollar commitment to higher education also grows. I am proposing a $70 million five point plan for keeping college affordable. The proposal makes the second installment on my pledge to our county colleges by again increasing their operating aid by $12 million. And I call on them. And I call on them to continue to hold the line on tuition. Next, this budget increases age to our independent colleges and universities, which play a key role in educating New Jersey students.

Third, my plan helps families pay for college by adding a total of $11 million to our tuition aid grant and outstanding scholars recruitment grant programs. And as we do, I want to applaud the support for TAG shown by this legislature, in particular Senator Joe Carellis and Winona Lippman and Assemblyman Dave Wolfe and Joe Malone. The fourth point of my plan responds to a college president's public and independent told me was their number one priority. It supports our $550 million bond program for deferred maintenance and other capital projects on their campuses. What will that mean to these institutions? Well, at Cain University, they will be adding more classrooms.

UMD and J will use the bond to establish a child health institute and Monmouth University will renovate its library. Finally, I propose we increase operating aid for our senior public and research institutions by 3.5 percent more than double the rate of inflation. This substantial increase, when added to our $5 billion capital program and full funding for fringe benefits, should enable them to meet every family's priority, a tuition they can afford. I've talked a lot today about setting priorities, about recognizing that how we spend our public dollars to find the values that we share as a state. So this budget invests in our families, our schools, and our environment. It provides for healthy bodies, good roads, and a solid economy. This budget also funds another priority we share, making New Jersey a beacon of excellence in the arts.

We know the arts are an integral part of any civilized society and every proud state. We know they play a significant part in our tourism, our second largest industry. What's more, we've seen them breathe new economic life into cities like Newark and New Brunswick. And as proved by the gospel singers you heard earlier, the arts can truly stir the heart. I'm proud to announce my pledge to achieve a level of funding for the arts that honors our commitment to access and excellence. So with this budget, I am calling for a $3 million increase for cultural projects funded by the process we've established through the state council on the arts. And let me declare today that with your help we will answer the arts communities call for 20 by 2000 by increasing state arts funding to an annual total of $20 million by July of next year. Ladies and gentlemen, this is my budget proposal for fiscal year 2000.

I look forward to working with Senate President Francesco and Speaker Collins, appropriations chair Bob Lattel and Rich Bagger with Democrat leaders Dick Cody and Jo Doria and with all the members of this legislature. Together, we can make this budget a reality and give our citizens the state government that they deserve. Citizens of New Jersey, it's been said that budgeting is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went. With this budget, we're sending your money where it belongs. In safe streets and healthy communities, in thriving cities and rolling meadows, in classrooms that inspire and concert halls that enthrall. Most importantly, we're sending your money back into your pockets. That's our number one priority. This budget is centered on the belief that you deserve property tax relief.

The next step is up to you. Through your vigilance, through your insistence on accountability and creativity, you can help government at every level serve you better. As a first step, I invite you to examine our spending plan, which we are posting on the state website and in libraries around our state. I think you will find that it's a document which reflects the values we all share. This budget moves us into the 21st century. It reflects where we've been and where we're headed. It addresses the needs of families from South Jersey to North Jersey, from the Delaware to the Atlantic. It speaks to the children of men and women from all walks of life and from every income level.

This is a spending plan that funds the people's priorities. It's a document that mirrors our hopes and dreams, and it's a vision of a New Jersey that we are all truly proud to call home. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Please rise for the benediction to be delivered by the Reverend Edward W. Dore. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much.