War Of Words Over New Jersey Open Space Ballot Measure

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) --  The war of words is heating up in New Jersey after state lawmakers earlier this month put a constitutional amendment on November's ballot seeking more money for open space.

As WCBS's Jim Smith reported, Gov. Christie says he will be voting no on whether to divert a portion of the state's corporate business tax to buy open space.

"I got these folks in the legislature complaining all the time they don't have enough money to spend on programs and then they earmark an enormous amount of revenue.

Christie accuses Democrats of misusing constitutional amendments to get their way, referring back to a similar tactic for raising the minimum wage.

"When the governor said no and they didn't have the votes to override, they then decided to go around the governor and go to the constitution," Christie said.

But Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney says it isn't so.

"I think it's silly for him to say that," he said. "You remember he's the one that thought we should go to the ballot for marriage equality because he didn't want to deal with it."

Sweeney says Christie is the one who let the open space money dry up. Sending the issue to voters had bipartisan support, Smith reported.

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