The New Jersey chapter of the free market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-NJ) today condemned Governor Christie’s proposal to use $65 million in energy taxes from cap-and-trade auctions in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to balance the state budget. The RGGI funds have been used to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

“I’m not surprised to hear that once again government is raiding one bank account to try to prop up a different one,” said AFP President Tim Phillips. “Governor Christie’s proposal is just another example of why AFP is so concerned about cap-and-trade taxes. Once the government uses environmental rhetoric to extract money from the private sector to fund so-called ‘green programs’ citizens lose the ability to make sure that is what the money is spent on.”

Americans for Prosperity’s NoClimateTax.com pledge urges lawmakers to avoid the public policy trap Governor Christie is falling into. The pledge states lawmakers will “will oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.” AFP fears that using higher taxes on energy and business to fund state budgets will cause lawmakers to become addicted to the revenue from energy taxes.

“Governor Christie refused to sign the NoClimateTax.com pledge during the campaign, and it is now clear why,” said AFP-NJ State Director Steve Lonegan. “Christie plans to use cap-and-trade revenues to prop up a faltering state budget. New Jersey needs serious spending cuts and a pro-growth regulatory environment to put the state’s budget on a long-term sustainable path, not higher taxes”