(GLASSBORO, OCTOBER 18) - Schundler for Governor Campaign Manager Bill Pascoe issued the following statement after the third face-to-face encounter between Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Bret Schundler and Woodbridge Mayor Jim McGreevey:

“Once again Bret Schundler showed that he is the only candidate committed to cutting taxes to keep our economy strong. He offered detailed, substantive ideas about how to provide significant tax relief, enhance public safety and reform public education. Meanwhile, Jim McGreevey YET AGAIN refused to rule out a tax increase and proved what many newspapers have recently begun reporting - that he has nothing to offer to the voters but shallow, pre-prepackaged sound-bites.

“Not only did Bret offer more substantive responses to audience questions, but in the only debate of the campaign to take place in the southern part of our state, Bret showed a greater grasp of those issues that are specifically of concern to South Jersey residents than did Mayor McGreevey.

“New Jersey is facing difficult economic times and it needs a leader who is committed to controlling state spending so that we can provide property tax relief to all of our residents. When economic times are tough, that is when there is the greatest need for tax cuts that will spur the economy.

“While Bret Schundler has always been committed to cutting taxes, Jim McGreevey has never met a tax he didn’t hike. New Jersey can’t afford another Florio-style tax hike like the one for which McGreevey cast the deciding vote in 1990.

“We now have less than three weeks to go until the election. The polls show that Jim McGreevey’s 20-point summertime lead is evaporating as voters begin to pay more attention to who can lower taxes, keep our citizens safe, and fix our public schools without just throwing more money at them.

“The choice before New Jersey voters is clearer than ever before - they can cast a vote for Bret Schundler and lower taxes, or they can cast a vote for Jim McGreevey and higher taxes.”