32nd Legislative District Democratic Assembly nominee Katie Brennan is teeing off on the state budget approved late Monday, exclaiming that the spending plan “really highlights everything that’s wrong with Trenton.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“This budget deal really highlights everything that’s wrong with Trenton. We’re in the middle of a housing crisis, yet the budget takes $100 million from the affordable housing trust fund. We’re in an energy crisis with rising utility bills, yet the budget takes $190 million from the clean energy fund,” she said in a statement.
“We’re in the middle of an overdose crisis, yet the budget raids $45 million from the opioid settlement fund. And with healthcare costs rising, it calls for $100 million in ‘savings’ that will really just raise costs for middle-class workers and retirees. It’s no surprise this was negotiated behind closed doors and advanced out of committee late on a Friday night when no one was watching.”
The state Senate approved the $58.8 billion budget bill in a 26-13 vote, while the Assembly approved it in a 52-27 vote with one abstention.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced that he had signed the bill just after midnight this morning and expressed satisfaction with the proposal.
“This budget exemplifies our dedication to fiscal responsibility, affordability, and opportunity for all New Jerseyans. Over nearly eight years in office, we have maintained a steadfast commitment to building a stronger and fairer New Jersey and righting our fiscal ship,” he said in a statement.
“I’m proud that this budget caps off an eight-year journey to turn our state around and delivers greater economic security and opportunity to every family. With the help of our legislative partners, we are moving New Jersey toward a brighter future for every child, student, worker, parent, and senior citizen who calls our great state home.”
Murphy specifically touted the full payment to the pension systems, $788 million from the Corporate Transit Fee going towards NJ Transit, and a $6.7 billion surplus as evidence that this was a quality budget that funds critical programs.
Nevertheless, Brennan says the negotiating process needs to change and the Garden State’s spending plan should no longer be fast tracked.
“We need to fix both the process and the priorities. Budget negotiations should happen out in the open so people can see whose interests are really being served. That means having budget language available to the public, with plenty of time to actually read it, before any votes happen,” she asserted.
“And we need to protect dedicated funds instead of treating them like slush funds, whether it’s for housing, clean energy, or harm reduction. It really doesn’t have to be this way, and I’m prepared to work with anyone who wants to fix the budget process so it actually works for working people.”
Then switch parties. This is how Trenton democrats have operated for decades. What happens down there is truly disgusting and an insult to taxpayers in this state.
She’s doing that noise thing as the Democrats increased spending in the state to a new all-time record and increased taxes BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
She acts like government spendings will end the “affordability crisis” when the only thing government does under these people is make it all worse.
Nice little publicity tour for Katie Brennan. This is the “solution” Mamdani comrades see to keep them in office on the public dole.
Let’s see how much real change Brennan brings to Trenton once she gets there. Hudson County already has a revolving door of Assembly reps — the last thing we need is more political grandstanding. Criticizing the very colleagues she’ll need to work with isn’t just short-sighted, it’s self-defeating.
It is good to remember that all the budget shortfalls, tax increases, etc were the product of the Democratic Party rule.
Record spending and tax rates, yet we are always in some sort of crises according to the Democrats.