The 3-2 ruling calls for the extra money to be spent only in the state's neediest districts, known as former Abbott districts, and is far less than the $1.6 billion originally sought by advocates for poor students in a lawsuit claiming that Christie's cuts to education last year were unconstitutional.
The Abbott districts include Camden, Gloucester City, Pemberton Township and Burlington City in South Jersey.
Christie had previously suggested that he may not comply with the court's eventual decision, but today he told reporters at a Statehouse news conference that it was his constitutional obligation to abide by the ruling.
The Republican governor said it is now up to the Democratic-controlled Legislature to decide how to come up with the extra money but reiterated he does not believe in raising taxes on already overburdened residents.
"All of my work is done on this," Christie said, adding that his next step would be to react to the budget legislators deliver to him by the July 1 constitutional deadline.
Assembly Budget Chairman Louis Greenwald countered in an interview with reporters that it is Christie's responsibility to share his thoughts on how to revise the budget to comply with the court order.
"I played sports my whole life and real leaders want the ball when the game is on the line," said Greenwald (D., Camden). "They don't punt it to the other side."
The ruling may not be as hard on the governor's $29.4 billion budget as previously thought because of revised estimates showing that the state can expect hundreds of millions of dollars in unanticipated tax revenue through fiscal 2012.
The administration laid out a plan last week to use the windfall for increasing the pension contribution, bolstering the state surplus, and increasing property tax relief.
Assembly Budget Officer Declan O'Scanlon (R., Monmouth) said, "I don't think it's a tough punt." He supports using the extra cash to meet the court's mandate.
