Despite a budget deficit now projected by Gov. Chris Christie at $1.33 billion, and weeks after detailing $839 million in spending cuts, former Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s administration transferred $1 million to the Legislature in its final week in power to help it make its payroll. Most of the money, $800,000, was directed to the Assembly, which had overspent its salary accounts in 2009, which includes the first six months of the 2010 fiscal year. Twelve Assembly staffers in Trenton are being laid off to help balance the books. The $800,000 transferred Jan. 13 amounts to an 18 percent increase in the Assembly’s salary account. The Senate received $200,000 that day, as well, though its salaries are running under budget and it maintains about $2 million in surplus.

“After enacting almost $1 billion in spending cuts to leave the new governor with a $496 million budget surplus, the Corzine administration allotted funds to the Legislature — at the request of the Assembly and Senate leadership,” said Corzine spokesman Joshua Zeitz.

“The administration took this measure to ensure that the majority and minority staffs, which are both executing personnel layoffs, would be fully operational in time to work with the new administration,” Zeitz said.

Assembly Democrats’ spokesman Tom Hester Jr. said the caucus is eliminating 11 positions to reduce its payroll by $735,000 — six through layoffs and five by not replacing employees who are leaving, cutting the staff to 24 people.

“The salary account had been relying on surplus money,” Hester said. “Speaker (Sheila) Oliver and Majority Leader (Joseph) Cryan stopped that and put the budget onto a responsible footing.

“The $800,000 will be appropriately and solely devoted to unforeseen General Assembly expenses over the coming years,” Hester said. “This is the proper and responsible approach.”

Assembly Republicans’ spokesman Greg Volpe said the GOP caucus is cutting roughly $450,000 worth of salary from its payroll, reducing the professional and secretarial staff from 26 people to 19. The caucus hadn’t been told of the $800,000 transfer. Read full article in APP.