By Matt Rooney
_
There’s going to be plenty of objectionable material in Tuesday’s Murphy budget address, Save Jerseyans, but if we’re being honest, the entire affair will be more than mathematically off-base thsi time around. It’ll also violate the applicable state statute governing gubernatorial budget messages.
New Jersey statute 52:27B-20 is pretty clear:
–
“The Governor shall examine and consider all requests for appropriations, together with the findings and recommendations of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, and shall formulate the Governor’s budget recommendations, which shall be presented as a budget message by the Governor during an appearance before a joint session of the Legislature which shall be convened at 12 noon on a date on or before the fourth Tuesday in February in each year.”
[Emphasis added.]
Murphy won’t be appearing in person anywhere where the legislature is meeting on Tuesday; last August, he appeared before a joint session of the legislature spread out at the Rutgers football stadium.
His speech is pre-recorded. It will air on King Phil’s various social media platforms at 1:00 p.m. EST.
–
