"Instead of squandering this money on legislative pet projects this money should be returned to the taxpayers," said Pennacchio, R-Morris and Passaic. "There is enough pork in this budget that if it were cut there would be enough money available to support my legislation freezing property taxes for every senior in the state."

Pennacchio has proposed legislation, A-1379, freezing property taxes for all New Jersey seniors. He said that the cost of that program would be far less than the amount of money spent on pork in the budget signed today by Governor McGreevey.

"Here is a case where the Governor's priorities are made clear," Pennacchio said. "He would rather spend money in Democrat legislative districts than provide seniors statewide with property tax relief."

Pennacchio said the spending in this year's budget was simply "out of control," and that i is shocking the governor chose not to use his line-item veto power. "There is no excuse for a 17 percent increase in spending," Pennacchio said. "It should have been a pretty good clue to the Governor that he was spending too much money when he wa forced to increase taxes by $1.6 billion and unconstitutionally borrow to cover operating expenses."