(EWING, OCTOBER 25) - Schundler for Governor campaign manager Bill Pascoe issued the following statement after the final ELEC sponsored debate Thursday evening at The College of New Jersey:

“Tonight’s debate very clearly highlighted why after five years of campaigning for Governor, Jim McGreevey has been unable to break the 50 percent barrier. Voters who tuned into tonight’s debate saw two very different candidates seeking to lead our state through the difficult times ahead.

“One candidate, Bret Schundler, has cut taxes and created tens of thousands of new jobs, improved public safety as he cut violent crime, and developed innovative educational approaches. The other candidate, Jim McGreevey, has raised taxes, failed to protect the citizens of his city, and remains dedicated to the status quo in public education.

“At a time when citizens are looking for a Governor who can cut taxes, protect our citizens, and improve our schools, they need look no further than the records of each of these candidates. Bret Schundler can do the job for the citizens of New Jersey, and he has proven his ability to do so during more than 8 years as mayor of Jersey City, where he cut taxes and slashed violent crime.

“As a legislator, Jim McGreevey failed to stand up to the Party bosses and instead cast the deciding vote for Jim Florio’s $2.8 billion tax increase, costing 170,000 New Jerseyans their jobs. Under Jim McGreevey’s ‘leadership’ in Woodbridge, property taxes increased 59 percent and violent crime rose by 21 percent. McGreevey has not only failed to deal with these issues as Mayor of Woodbridge, but he has offered no proposals for how he would do this as Governor.

“With less than two weeks to go in the gubernatorial campaign voters now know that they have a clear choice between a candidate who is committed to cutting taxes to keep our economy strong and reforming government on the one hand, and a candidate who has habitually increased taxes at every opportunity and who is committed to business as usual in Trenton on the other.

“At a time when our state is confronting the threat of terrorism and is facing an economic downturn, our citizens want leadership. Bret Schundler is the only candidate in this race who has the proven record and the clear commitment to providing this leadership.”