TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey is poised to receive $6.4 billion as part of the federal government’s recently enacted $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act. Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick is pushing the Murphy administration to make good on the promise to pay down some of the state’s debt, which now totals more than $44 billion, and dedicate funds to support New Jersey’s unemployed.
“New Jersey will soon be swimming in cash from the federal government and I want to make sure those funds are dedicated to helping our taxpayers and the unemployed,” said Bramnick (R-Union). “New Jersey’s debt is among the highest in America and the Democrats and Gov. Phil Murphy saddled generations of residents with billions more in borrowing. I want to remind the governor that he pledged to pay off some of the state’s debt and I want to see that happen with the federal aid. It’s also time we invest in the unemployment insurance system, so that people can get paid, and workforce development programs, so that people can get jobs.”
Amid dire fiscal predictions and despite Republican opposition, the Democrat-controlled Legislature approved borrowing $4.5 billion to balance the budget last fall.
More than two million residents have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic, more than 100,000 have been out of work for an entire year and there are still people waiting to receive payments.