PhillyInc

The stereotype of business and Republicans being joined at the hip is getting shaken in New Jersey.

An Associated Press story today has this comment by a Republican legislator on the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce's support for Gov. Corzine's plan to raise tolls on the state's highways:

It's a sad day when folks who claim to represent businesses support a plan that will hike the E-ZPass bills of every business and their customers by 800 percent.

That quote came from Sen. Anthony Bucco (R., Morris), who also urged members - those would be businesses - to leave the chamber.

Here's what chamber president Joan Verplanck gave as her group's rationale for supporting the efforts of Corzine - a Democrat - to get the Garden State back on solid financial footing:

The Governor's proposal represents a new way of thinking in Trenton and his out-of-the-box approach must be commended and seriously considered as an important first step. Let me make it clear that much thought - and spirited debate - went into the formulation of our position. This was not simply an easy yes or no decision - or a rubber stamp of all that has been proposed to date. Countless hours went into analyzing the minute details of an extremely complex plan.

Read the chamber's official statement on its Web site.

Corzine may be a few years from his days heading Goldman Sachs, but obviously the state chamber's leaders are voicing confidence that New Jersey's chief executive can financially engineer a turnaround.

- Mike Armstrong