The $32,000 Misunderstanding?*

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As Friday's deadline for the state budget approaches, the pushing and shoving is reaching dramatic levels.

Rumors were flying yesterday that Union County Dem chair Charlotte DeFilippo was going to weigh in -- on the side of Gov. Corzine.

Could that be bad news for Assemblyman Jerry Green?

The media have concentrated on the maneuvering and posturing by the governor and various Assembly and Senate members over the past few weeks, but there has as yet been no mention of the powerful Democratic county chairs, the sources of power and cash who stay mainly out of the limelight.

You will recall PT has wondered what led Assemblyman Green to join with Assemblyman Moriarty and Senator Sweeney, both from Gloucester County in South Jersey, in the campaign against both the state unions and a sales tax increase. It is so uncharacteristic of the Assemblyman to be involved at the head of such a public fight. And especially to attack the state workers' unions.

Some have suggested that the Assemblyman was pressured to join in this fray as the first installment of the payback for the decisive financial support -- $32,000 -- he received from the Norcross team for his candidate -- now Mayor -- Sharon Robinson-Briggs. What!? You thought these things were done for principle? Of course they are, but what's the principle?

And why did the Green/Moriarty/Sweeney trio pick on the unions? That was the question hanging over the debate until the Bergen Record broke the story last week that the Governor had apparently filched the Assembly's ace-in-the-hole in this summer's expected legislative session on property tax reduction: a sales tax increase.

The Assembly's worry, as the Record reports it, is that the public would be REALLY teed off if there were to be TWO sales tax increases in one year. So Speaker Joe Roberts, another South Jersey pol and pal of Assemblyman Green is ready to go to the mat against Corzine's sales tax increase.

Corzine, they say, is hopping mad. And, so the rumors go, has put the word out that Green must be brought to heel.

When?

The whispers are that today's Politifax -- a weekly, subscription-only political insider newsletter that is still faxed [how quaint!] to its recipients -- will contain the bombshell from DeFilippo.

If true, you'll hear more today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the rumors continue, DeFilippo is so impressed with Council President Ray Blanco's delivery on the UCIA agreement [you do recall that she is also head of the UCIA] that he is being considered as Green's replacement in the Assembly, the race for which is only a year away.

Stay tuned...

-- Dan Damon

*Title of today's post refers to Robert Gover's 1961 novel. Read more on Glover's website and a British review here.

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