TRENTON, N.J. – Assembly Republicans are highlighting a few of the excessive budget add-ons championed by Democrats in a new song fittingly released on Christmas in July. The legislative last-minute spending, known in Trenton as Christmas tree items, is set to the tune of the holiday classic “My Favorite...
TRENTON, N.J. – An outspoken advocate for upgrading Salem County’s antiquated emergency call center, Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer is celebrating the $2.5 million in the state budget to modernize the 911 system. “I have been fighting for this funding since I took office in January 2022,” Sawyer (R-Gloucester) said, “I promised...
TRENTON, N.J. – Democrats in the Assembly and Senate passed a $54.3 billion state budget Friday afternoon that differed from the one they passed late Wednesday night in their respective budget committees. Amendments were not offered to avoid a government shutdown. “The budget we are voting on today is...
TRENTON, N.J. – A new program that is advertised as a property tax cut for people aged 65 or older was announced this week by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. It would purportedly cut property taxes in half for eligible seniors at a cost of $1.2 billion by 2025. “This...
TRENTON, N.J. – During Monday’s Assembly Budget hearing with the Department of Higher Education and representatives from the state’s public, private and community colleges, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn asked why Middlesex County College is getting special treatment. The college is getting a $20 million boost in the budget over last...
TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblymen Rob Clifton and Alex Sauickie are slamming Gov. Phil Murphy, his administration and Trenton’s Democrat majority for cutting funding from suburban school districts, which is failing to provide students with transportation and a thorough and efficient education. “Parents and stakeholders must know who is responsible for...
TRENTON, N.J. – Record-high rates of suicide, depression and poor mental health indicators among teens should be met with increased funding for in-school services, not an outsourced experiment, say Assemblywomen Kim Eulner and Marilyn Piperno. The Monmouth County lawmakers are specifically criticizing Gov. Phil Murphy’s $43 million proposal to...
TRENTON, N.J. – Long-time critic of Gov. Phil Murphy’s school funding formula, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin is calling on Murphy to reverse plans to cut nearly $240 million from districts to pay for the $10.75 billion for schools in his proposed budget. “Increased funding for schools shouldn’t come at the...
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey lawmakers representing Monmouth and Ocean counties weighed in on the budget unveiled by Gov. Phil Murphy calling for reinvestment to directly benefit all residents as a recession looms. Murphy highlighted a budget surplus of more than $10 billion during his annual state budget message...
TRENTON, N.J. – Republicans introduced legislation Monday (A5253) that would increase the state’s school funding obligations and lower property taxes by using state income tax revenue, which can more than pay for the plan without taking money from the surplus. The plan was dropped the day before Gov. Phil...