Budget impasse causes shutdown

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jerseyans were feeling the impact as a state government shutdown took effect Saturday, closing parks and other public sites and disrupting ferry service to Liberty and Ellis islands.

Among those affected were a group of Cub Scouts forced to leave a state park campsite and people trying to obtain or renew documents from the state motor vehicle commission, among the agencies closed by the shutdown.

Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Chris Christie and the Democrat-led Legislature planned to try to resolve the shutdown, the state’s first since 2006 and the first under Christie. It came about after leaders failed to reach an agreement on a new budget by Friday night’s deadline.

Andrew Spears, a leader with Cub Scout Pack 124 in Tinton Falls, said his group was told to leave Cheesequake State Park on Saturday morning. His group of roughly 45 — including about 25 children — had planned to camp all weekend.

“We knew this was probably coming, but it’s still a shame we have to head out,” Spears said.

Remaining open under the shutdown will be New Jersey Transit, state prisons, the state police, state hospitals and treatment centers as well as casinos, race tracks and the lottery.

Liberty State Park was closed, forcing the suspension of ticket sales and ferry service from the site to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. But the latter two sites remain open.

Christie and the lawmakers are in a stalemate over whether to include legislation affecting the state’s largest health insurer in the state budget.