TRENTON – After seven-plus years as governor, Phil Murphy knows Republicans will instantly criticize the roughly $58 billion budget he unveiled Tuesday for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
So, he challenged them, asking, “What would you cut?”
For many Republicans, that’s a pretty easy question.
The governor, obviously, knows that. But his point centered on philosophy more than math. He answered the question by saying what he would not cut.
“I, for one, refuse to sell off our children’s future just to score a cheap headline.
I refuse to raise state taxes on the firefighter in Freehold, or the teacher in Teaneck.
I refuse to rip health care coverage away from our working families and children.
Or to starve NJ TRANSIT of the funding it needs to serve our commuters.
Or to defund Planned Parenthood, like the last Administration did.”
Murphy spoke for about an hour, but that really was the gist of his budget address, the last one he will make.
The governor used his address to highlight how throughout his term, he has tried to live up to his often-stated goal to make the state “stronger and fairer.”
Property taxes are still high – as everyone knows. But the governor said he has given relief through the Anchor program, which will continue, and such things as an earned income tax credit, which benefits low-income workers.
Support for local schools will be at 100 percent, according to the state’s funding formula, which can, theoretically, lessen reliance on property taxes.
And the state will again make a full contribution into the pension system. The governor was especially delighted to talk about that, noting that it sounds routine, but up to now, many past governors just did not do it.
Not much of this was new. After all these years, people know the governor’s political thoughts.
But he did spend some time on a proposal he unveiled a month ago in his state of the state address – getting cell phones out of schools.
In fact, he honored a Gloucester County superintendent who banned phones in his local high school in Woodbury, calling the idea “transformational.”
Applause was muted, so this idea may not make it past the Legislature. In some ways, it seems hard to understand the opposition, After all, kids playing around with their phones does not seem all that conducive to learning.
Murphy was perhaps the most energetic when he talked about something that will happen in 2026 – when he is no longer governor.
That will be the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, an event destined to attract people from all over the world.
“And each one of those visitors will see – for themselves – that New Jersey is the state where big ideas come to life,” he said.
No talk about public life these days can ignore the Trump Administration.
More than once the governor used words like “uncertainty” and “confusion” to describe what was happening.
Immediately after the election, Murphy vowed to oppose the Trump agenda if he thinks it is going to hurt New Jersey.
At one point today, without elaborating, he talked about a “broken glass” strategy.
Speaking of Donald Trump, when Murphy began his speech, he made sure everyone knew the fashion statement he was making.
Since it was hard to see, the governor pointed out that he was wearing flag pins for both the United States and Ukraine.
Just for the record, the three-year anniversary of the Russian invasion was Monday.
Governor Phil Murphy recently delivered his final budget address for the state of New Jersey, outlining his proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The address, which took place on March 8th, 2022, provided insight into the Governor’s priorities and goals for the state as he nears the end of his first term in office.
One of the key takeaways from Murphy’s budget address was his focus on investing in education and workforce development. The Governor proposed a $48.9 billion budget that includes funding for programs aimed at expanding access to high-quality education and training opportunities for residents of all ages. This includes increased funding for K-12 schools, community colleges, and workforce development initiatives to help prepare New Jersey residents for the jobs of the future.
In addition to education and workforce development, Murphy also highlighted his commitment to addressing climate change and promoting clean energy initiatives. The budget includes funding for programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable energy sources, and improving the state’s infrastructure to withstand the impacts of climate change. This reflects the Governor’s continued efforts to make New Jersey a leader in environmental sustainability and combatting climate change.
Another important aspect of Murphy’s budget address was his focus on fiscal responsibility and ensuring that the state’s finances remain stable. The Governor emphasized the need to continue building up the state’s rainy day fund and maintaining a balanced budget to protect against economic uncertainties. This commitment to fiscal prudence is crucial as New Jersey continues to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, Murphy’s final budget address provides valuable insights into his priorities and goals for the state of New Jersey as he prepares to leave office. By focusing on education, workforce development, climate change, and fiscal responsibility, the Governor is setting a strong foundation for the future success of the state. It will be important for state lawmakers to carefully consider and debate the proposed budget in the coming months to ensure that it effectively addresses the needs of New Jersey residents and sets the state on a path towards continued growth and prosperity.