TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he plans to pay for $200 million in new opioid addiction treatment programs through debt savings, unspent funds and expected revenue growth.
Christie for the first time on Monday detailed how he’ll finance the programs he unveiled last month.
The Republican governor spoke on his radio call-in show on 101.5 FM.
He says the state has about $90 million in savings from lower debt service payments as a result of legislation he enacted this year transferring the state lottery to the pension fund.
He also identified about $70 million in funds that were budgeted but haven’t been spent, including about $13 million in Medicaid savings.
He says the remaining $40 million is expected to come out of surplus funds because revenue growth is higher than expected.
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