Republican leaders in New Jersey are calling on Gov. Murphy to focus more on affordability in his upcoming budget proposal
New Jersey: Assemblyman John DiMaio shared his worries about Gov. Phil Murphy’s upcoming budget while chatting with reporters after the state of the state address.
Republican leaders in New Jersey were not too happy with Murphy’s speech, saying he and the Democrats need to do more about affordability.
While Murphy did mention the cost of living, like raising the minimum wage and property tax relief, GOP officials think it’s not enough.
Sen. Tony Bucco, the minority leader, suggested that the state should look at cutting government costs. He wants a budget that really considers what’s necessary and what can be cut.
Right now, New Jersey’s budget is running a deficit, and it’s expected to grow from $2.1 billion to over $3.8 billion next year. That’s a big deal!
Republicans pointed out that spending has shot up during Murphy’s time in office, jumping from $34.7 billion to $56.6 billion, which is a whopping 61% increase.
A lot of that increase comes from school aid and pension funding, which alone added $8.2 billion to the budget. Plus, tax relief programs have also contributed to the spending surge.
As Murphy heads into his final year, Republicans are urging him to tighten the belt. He’s set to leave office in January 2026.
DiMaio warned that in a few weeks, Murphy will present a budget proposal that could mean a massive shortfall or higher taxes.
Murphy did respond to some of the GOP’s concerns, saying that the budget is higher now because they’re finally paying their bills instead of pushing them off.
Despite their worries about affordability, Republicans are open to some of Murphy’s other ideas, like zoning reforms to make it easier to build new housing.
Bucco mentioned that they could support zoning changes if they make sense and are well-planned.
Murphy also backed a policy to ban cellphones in classrooms, and there’s a bill waiting for a vote that would set guidelines for cellphones and social media in schools.
Republican leaders are looking for more bipartisan efforts, similar to a recent bill that increased penalties for certain crimes.
They believe that’s what people want, rather than more progressive policies.
