On Monday, Governor Corzine signed a $29 billion budget into law, the leanest since he took office, saying it was a responsible budget that protects working-class families and the most vulnerable despite harsh economic realities.

The budget is $3.9 billion less than the previous budget and $1 billion less than the first budget the Governor proposed four years ago.

Yet despite these cuts, the Governor, working with the Legislature, was able to provide much-needed property tax relief by preserving rebates for seniors, the disabled and most New Jersey families. Those rebate checks will be as much as $900 per household.

“For over six decades, New Jersey Governors and Legislators have talked about the need to make state government leaner,” Governor Corzine said. “But for over six decades, the size and cost have government have continued to grow – until now. The budget I signed is $1.5 billion smaller than the first budget I signed in 2006 and is $4 billion smaller than last year’s budget, yet we have expanded my administration’s unequaled investment in direct property tax relief for working families – $7 billion in four years. We have proven that government can do more with less.”

This budget shrinks the size of state government even further. Every department and authority was ordered to make cuts. There are now 7,000 fewer state workers on the payroll than when Governor Corzine took office.