Sweeney said he may introduce a bill as early as Tuesday to authorize a November ballot question on whether to build two new casinos in the northern part of the state.
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Christie said the state has seen drastic improvement when it comes to crime, education, and job growth.
“This is the road to ruin”, Mr. Christie said, addressing the full Legislature and hundreds of guests in the Statehouse.
He criticized Christie for suggesting the proposed amendment would turn many residents in second-class citizens. Many believe the bill dooms Atlantic City and lacks clarity.
State Senate President Steve Sweeney introduced a bill giving the state vast power over most major decisions in Atlantic City, including the right to sell off city assets and land.
“My own Bergen County Freeholder Chairman, who I swore in 24 hours later, said that I was selling out to Atlantic City and sending them way too much money”.
Christie also proposed turning a recently closed state prison into a dedicated drug treatment facility for inmates and raising reimbursement rates for drug and mental health facilities.
But the change that the state’s drug treatment providers have been waiting the longest for is the rate increase.
“Instead of going for the quick fixes or the easy solutions, we’ve gone for hard solutions and a long-term revolution in the way we run our state, ” Christie said.
Chris Christie delivers his State of the State address, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, in Trenton, N.J. Christie said. “Or are we going to pander to special interests, and send New Jersey back to the bad old days?”
The measure would go before voters if it’s approved again in the legislative session that began Tuesday.
The Assembly is sending legislation to Gov. Chris Christie that it hopes will lead to increased sales of so-called smart guns, which can only be fired by authorized users. “This bill modernizes our law and is a reasonable approach to improving gun safety in our state, especially for children”.
His approval rating in New Jersey also has dipped to its lowest point since June and its second lowest since he became Governor. At the same time, it’s given the state billions over the years in luxury and gambling taxes while supporting 25,000 jobs.
They blamed him for a litany of problems that range from lead poisoning to home foreclosures to a lack of transportation funding. “We have now achieved six consecutive balanced budgets with no new taxes on the people of New Jersey”, said Christie. Christie also denounced public sector unions for being selfish. Charles Wowkanech, president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, noted some Sandy victims are making do in temporary housing more than three years after the storm destroyed their homes and uprooted their lives.
After the hearing, Whelan doubled down and said that likely competition from New York City would doom the new casinos, and make Atlantic City share in the losses.
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The Assembly, which added seven new members, held its reorganization at the War Memorial across from the statehouse in a ceremony that included state police bagpipers.
