In yet another sign of the troubled economic times, The Jersey Shore has been denied a $420,000 tax break. Though the New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved the credit for The Jersey Shore's production company two weeks ago, Governor Chris Christie opted yesterday to veto it. He had this to say:
"I have no interest in policing the content of such projects. However, as chief executive I am duty-bound to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a $420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the State and its citizens."
Seaside Heights Mayor P. Kenneth Hershey supported the tax break because of the extra business the cast's presence generates for the town. Plus, as you may recall, the gang spent hours upon hours toiling at Shore Store, a boardwalk T-shirt shop, in 2009. (Just in case you're not up on the current Jersey Shore slang, "toiling" means hiding in the bathroom, hitting on customers, and shotgunning beer.)
But Christie was unmoved by Hershey's case — unsurprising, given his long-standing beef with the show. The next stop on his Jersey Shore hate train is probably a renewed eviction effort, so the cast better start looking into lodging on the Jersey Floor.