(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s budget address:

“I believe the Governor’s proposal is an encouraging first step and I appreciate his efforts to achieve sustainable savings.  However, I remain convinced that we can achieve added substantial savings through reforms and that our fiscal solutions should not include any  broad-based tax increase, including sales and income tax. We will continue to look for more government efficiencies and savings. I look forward to working with our caucus, our budget chair, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, Senate President Steve Sweeney and the Governor to deliver a responsible budget that makes New Jersey a more affordable place to live.”