Trenton, NJ Amidst budget cuts confronting the state and the judiciary alike, the New Jersey General Assembly has called on Governor Chris Christie to restore $10 million to the budget of Legal Services, a division of the New Jersey judiciary. The organization provides services to indigent New Jersey citizens in civil cases and has been confronted with dramatic staff cuts, from 750 in 2008 to 493 current staff members, with an additional 100 cuts expected if more funds don't come to the organization. The funding for the organization has been debated across party lines with Republican Governor Chris Christie wanting to maintain current funding levels at the set $19.9 million while democrats have sought to raise the budget to $24.5 million. Committee chairman Assemblyman Peter Barnes III (D-Middlesex) commented on the governor, stating "We hope he’ll realize the seriousness of the cuts. I think he’s a big enough person intellectually to do that."[1]
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