FLEMINGTON — Gov. Chris Christie may be known for cutting government spending, but this week he’s been talking about where he’s spending more.
The governor was in Flemington, Hunterdon County, on Tuesday to tour a cancer center and talk about a $3.5 million increase in money for New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection, a cancer-screening program for people who cannot afford insurance but who make too much to qualify for Medicaid assistance.
That stop followed Monday’s in Dover, which showcased a $10 million increase this year in state money for community health centers. Both spending increases were included in the state budget that took effect July 1.
The increased spending did not get much attention in June amid the tense back-and-forth over tax cut plans. But Christie said he wanted the public to know about the programs.
“We spend so much time talking about the programs I have to cut in the difficult budgetary times that we’re in, we have some programs we want to emphasize we’ve increased,” the Republican Christie said.
Democrats have often criticized Christie for not including $7.5 million for women’s health clinics in his budgets — and vetoing when they try to put the funds in.
Democrats also point out that they were the ones who proposed the increased cancer-screening money.
