“The budget we’ll pass today enshrines the Murphy administration’s record as one of tragically missed opportunities,” state Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13) complained on Friday shortly before Trenton adopted Governor Phil Murphy’s second-to-last budget.
It’s $56.6 billion in total, representing a 4.2% spending jump over Fiscal Year 2025.
The state corporation business tax rate (for businesses earning in excess of $10 million) is rising from 9% rate to 11.5%. To offset property taxes, address school funding shortfalls, or fix pothole-riddled highways? Nah. The money is headed to New Jersey Transit which never seems to improve no matter how much cash is thrown at it.
Amazingly, the Senate Budget Chairman admit he didn’t even read it.
“I could not take a test and be quizzed on every line item because it would take hours and hours and days and months,” Paul Sarlo told NJ.com. “I try to look at it in totality and that’s where I think we’re at.”
Here’s a decidedly more sane take from Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-26):
The budget passed today in NJ was awful. Watch the video! pic.twitter.com/C2xHxiEKEN
— Assemblyman Bergen (@votebergen) June 29, 2024
