TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie said today the Democrats are off-base by calling his $29.7 billion spending plan mean-spirited.
He said at a press conference the reason cuts were made in programs – such as drugs provided for AIDS patients and early childhood intervention – were cut as a result of better management than in the past.
He said the AIDS medication program was $8 million overfunded and the early childhood intervention was over budget by $6 million.
Much of the reductions in running those programs were a result of better management, he said.
“I know the old days, the attitude was just leave it,” he said. “We can’t do that.”
“I don’t how you call that a mean-spirited budget,” he said. “All of those things are for middle-class people and seniors.”
He said he knows the motivation by Democrats to portray him.
“I understand it’s an election year,” he said.
