N.J. Government Shutdown Continues As Christie Faces Backlash (Video)

New Jersey state government remained shutdown on Monday, except for emergency services. Gov. Chris Christie called lawmakers back into session at 10 a.m. to try to come to some kind of a deal.

Some refused to come, saying Christie isn't sincere when he says he wants to make a deal as the public now deals with the closure of the courts as well as the numerous MVC locations throughout the state, in addition to state parks.

So forget about renewing that driver's license, and forget about taking the Cub Scouts out on a hike at a state park. Read more: Tinton Falls Cub Scouts Kicked Out Of State Park Due to NJ Govt. Shutdown.

One of those refusing to meet with Christie is Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer/Hunterdon, who says the governor "has taken a page out of the Trump playbook - speak to a room of adoring fans, and thereby drown out the chorus of valid criticisms coming from just outside the door."

"He has become so insulated in an echo-chamber of conservative politics that a vengeance-driven raid on Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, which will undoubtedly hurt the insurer’s 3.8 million policyholders, seems like a good idea," Gusciora said. "He is so disconnected from what it means to be a resident of this state that he is unwilling to listen to the thousands of men and women from all walks of life, and from both sides of the aisle, that condemn this move as foolish and destabilizing.

Christie's family, meanwhile, was enjoying July 4 weekend at Island Beach State Park even though New Jersey's biggest beach was closed to the public. The beach is 10 miles long.

"That's just the way it goes," he told reporters this weekend. "Run for governor and you can have a residence."

Read more: Island Beach State Park Shut Down After Budget Impasse, Closure Does Not Apply To Christie

NJ.com noted another potential wrinkle: If the shutdown lasts more than 7 days, the Atlantic City casinos could close. It's because of a little-known provision in a 2008 law signed by then-Gov. Jon Corzine designed to prevent Atlantic City's casinos from closing if there were ever another state government shutdown sparked by a state budget disagreement. The casinos are under heavy state regulation.

Christie said he'll sign whatever budget is given to him - but without any deal on his plans to collect additional revenues from the state's largest health insurer, he will "exercise my Constitutional authority to reduce the size of the budget to be much more like the budget that I proposed and sent to them in February of 2017."

"So we’re continued to be here, we’ll continue to work. If they do not come to me with a resolution today, they’ll be back tomorrow," Christie said during a press conference. "And I will call them in tomorrow as well. And tomorrow we will not come in at the leisurely 2 p.m. time. We’ll come in earlier.

In the meantime, Christie seemed to be suffering most of the political damage as park-goers and others who utilize shut-down state services seemed to blame the governor for the impasse.

Lawmakers, meanwhile, seemed to be far apart in their discussions - or lack thereof - with a Christie administration effort to collect additional revenue from the state's largest health insurer being the main sticking point.

And that issue reportedly may have some connection to Christie's relationship with the Kushner family and the Trump administration (read more below).

Christie seemed unfazed by the potential political fallout, but called on lawmakers to "work with me, end this shutdown."

Christie said he was declaring a state of emergency to keep essential services available, but he used the moment as an opportunity to also rip the state Legislature for its "inaction."

Christie has blamed the closure on the state Assembly speaker, saying that Senate Democrats have been willing to strike a deal with him to end the impasse.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said he was working to prevent what he considered a "Christie tax" on the state's largest insurer that he said could lead to higher premiums for people in the state.

Indeed, at least one report made a connection between the Christie administration's tax and the governor's alleged efforts to make nice with a chief advisor to President Trump.

The shutdown began at midnight Saturday after Christie issued an executive order, declaring the shut down of services not considered essential.

Some protestors were standing outside of the Statehouse on Saturday, targeting Christie in their blame for the shutdown.

The Christie administration remains locked in a stalemate over school funding and the governor's desire to use state lottery revenue for the pension system, as well as extract $300 million from the reserve fund from the state's largest health insurance company, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, to pay for drug addiction treatment.

Prieto opposes the measure, saying it will take money away from a health insurance company that will, in turn, end up charging higher for premiums to make up for the lost revenue.

Horizon has said that it needs the surplus to protect policyholders against market fluctuations, according to the International Business Times. The company paid out more than $10 billion last year, up from $9.64 billion in 2015.

“Our profit margin is 1 percent. We can’t make it any lower and still survive for very long,” Horizon chief financial officer David Huber testified to a state Senate committee on Monday, according to Politico. “If we need more money to fulfill our mission — covering 9 million people and not just 4 million — we are going to have to raise the rates.

Christie also recently announced that the New Jersey Department of Human Services was levying a $15.5 million fine against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The International Business Times noted that the fine could benefit Oscar Health, a potential competitor which announced it is aiming to expand its business in New Jersey and five other states in 2018. Oscar was co-founded by Joshua Kushner, younger brother of Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to Donald Trump.

Reporters and eyewitnesses, meanwhile, said Prieto and lawmakers were at the Statehouse in Trenton late Friday, and Prieto kept attempting to get a budget that would get the 41 votes it needs for it to pass. But he continually fell at least 15 votes short.

Prieto took to YouTube to criticize the Horizon deal.

Prieto released a statement on Saturday afternoon:

“As we stand here today on Gov. Christie’s Hostage Crisis Day One, I continue to wait for my fellow Democrats who have expressed support for the proposed state budget to cast ‘yes’ votes. The Assembly remains in session and voting on the bill remains open.

“I have compromised on school funding, twice. I have compromised on the state lottery pension legislation. These are budget-related items.

“The attempt to extort Horizon’s 3.8 million ratepayers is not part of the state budget, and as I’ve said previously, I will not consider it as part of the budget process. I will consider it once a budget is signed. In fact, the Assembly Judiciary Committee stands ready to hold hearings starting this month.

“I am also ready to consider reasonable alternatives that protect ratepayers, but others must come to the table ready to be equally reasonable.

“Gov. Christie and the legislators who won’t vote ‘yes’ on the budget are responsible for this unacceptable shutdown. I compromised. I put up a budget bill for a vote. Others now must now do their part and fulfill their responsibilities. The voting board remains open.”

Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, want to allocate $100 million more than the school funding Gov. Chris Christie proposed for the 2017-18 fiscal year. But others, like Toms River and Brick, could lose millions in so-called "adjustment aid," which was created in 2008 to make sure districts would not see big drops in their state aid when a new formula went into effect.

The last shut down was in 2006, the first one ever. Now, like then, both sides have to find some way to make a deal on a potential $35.5 billion.

Here's what will happen:

Included among the essential functions that will remain in operation: State Police, state correctional facilities, key child welfare services, state hospitals and treatment facilities, NJ TRANSIT, and operations linked to the health, safety, and welfare of the public, including certain environmental and health monitoring. The state closure also will NOT impact the State Lottery, casinos and racetracks. For details on non-essential services that will be closed as well as operations that will remain open, check the website of that department or agency.

Links to many major state agencies and a brief description of services impacted are provided below.

• Department of Environmental Protection: All state parks, recreation areas, forests, and historic sites, including Island Beach State Park and Liberty State Park, will be closed; all public events within state parks and historic sites will be cancelled. The following will also be closed: permitting offices for Air, Historic Preservation, Land Use, Site Remediation, Solid Waste, and Water Supply; Green Acres and Blue Acres offices; Office of Dispute Resolution; Office of Permit Coordination; most of the Division of Fish & Wildlife (Wildlife Management Areas and on-line services will not be impacted); NJ Geologic Survey; and Rebuild by Design projects.
• Department of Transportation: Construction will continue, as will emergency repairs and some roadside safety services. The rest areas on I-295 in Deepwater, Salem County and on I-80 in Knowlton, Warren County, will be closed.
• New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission: All MVC agencies and inspection stations will be closed. Online services will still be available.
• Department of Law & Public Safety: Juvenile Justice Commission operations, State Medical Examiner Offices, and other public safety operations will continue, but some administrative offices will be closed.
• Department of Health: The public will not be able to obtain copies of birth and marriage certificates, or copies of adoptees’ original birth certificates. No new certifications or renewals will be issued for EMTs, paramedics or Certified Nursing Assistants.
• New Jersey Department of Labor: Unemployment Insurance and disability determination services will remain operational. Temporary Disability Insurance claims, Wage and Hour claims, and Family Leave Insurance claims may be filed, but they will not be processed. One Stop Career Centers (state not county services) will be closed; Workers Compensation Courts will be closed. Division of Vocational and Rehabilitation Services will be closed.
• Department of Children and Families: Child abuse hotlines, protection services and response teams will continue to operate. Schools for children with special needs will remain open.
• Department of Military and Veterans Affairs: Veteran’s Haven North and South will remain in operation and National Guard will remain on call.
• Department of Banking and Insurance: All offices will be closed except the IURO (health insurance internal appeals program).
• Department of Community Affairs: Inspections related to construction codes, fire safety, fairs and fireworks displays will continue, however some public services will not be available.
• Department of Corrections: Prisons and halfway houses will remain operational, although some inmate services will be impacted.
• Department of Education: Katzenbach School will remain open. Phone help desks, customer service, and all other related staff-based assistance functions will be unavailable and all core public functions will be closed.
• Economic Development Authority: EDA will not process any payments to businesses from any program (such as the Business Employment Incentive Program) which funding source needs to be authorized by the FY 2018 Appropriations Act.
• Department of State: The travel and tourism welcome centers will be closed.
• Department of the Treasury: July 1 pension checks have been processed and mailed. Taxation call centers and walk-in facilities will be closed. The Division of Risk Management will be closed, however the scheduling of medical appointments, treatments and services for injured workers will remain ongoing. The Division of Pensions and Benefits will be closed, although it will continue payment of health provider claims and life claims, and continue to process changes to family status for health benefits.

Patch file photo