TRENTON — Three Republicans have come out against the proposed legislation that would allow Gov. Chris Christie to profit from a book deal while he is still governor.

State Senator Jennifer Beck
State Senator Jennifer Beck (Diana Blass)
loading...

Monmouth County state Senator Jennifer Beck told Townsquare Media on Thursday that taxpayers, who are already paying more thanks to the recent gas tax increase would be providing a yearly pay raise for the "politically elite" should the legislation pass.

"To me, it's a slap in the face to the residents," Beck said, adding that the raise would increase their pay to three times than the average Mommouth County family.

Beck voted against the gas tax.

Beck said the legislation was "waved on" by the Senate Budget Committee at the last minute in order to come up for a vote on Thursday morning eliminating a chance for legislators to read the bill and then talk to each other or their constituents about the bill.

The plan would hike the salaries of judges, cabinet members and county officials, plus allocate $30,000 more a year to each lawmaker to pay aides. Nearly 575 judges, 86 county officers and 25 high-ranking government executives would get raises, and hundreds of legislative aides could benefit, depending how the extra cash is divided up.

"It's being rammed through really fast, cloak and dagger, dead of night so that the people don't have time to absorb and react," Beck said, and expects the bill to be up before the full legislature for a vote on Monday.

In a tweet on Wednesday,  Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno called proposed the legislation “ridiculous” despite the fact that both she and her husband, Superior Court Judge Michael Guadagno, would receive raises.

Tweet between Bergen Record reporter Sal Rizzo and Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno
Tweet between Bergen Record reporter Sal Rizzo and Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno (Twitter)
loading...

Republican candidate for governor Lt. Steven Rogers is opposed to the deal as well, and cites it as an example as to why he said 18,000 people are leaving the state each month . In a re-tweet of a statement by Rizzo, Rogers said in a statement "Legislators and staff that receive raises though these types of deals underscore the problems establishment politicians give to us from Trenton"and create more burden for taxpayers.

Rogers did not respond to a message for comment.

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM