TRENTON – On the heels of Governor Chris Christie’s State of the State Speech, Governor-elect Phil Murphy sounded a cautionary note when sizing up his predecessor’s self-assessments.

“Today, Governor Christie painted a sunny picture of a state in good standing,” said Murphy in a statement. “Unfortunately, New Jerseyans have long known that we’re in a dire state of fiscal crisis: providing unnecessary tax cuts to millionaires and generous corporate welfare, while costs incurred by everyday residents – from college tuition to transit fares to health care premiums – have skyrocketed.

“Our schools have been underfunded by $9 billion dollars, our pension funds have been underfunded by billions of dollars, and economic growth lags far behind our neighboring states,” added the Governor-elect. “Most tragically, the average New Jersey family earns less today than in 2010. During the strongest national economic recovery in American history, New Jerseyans fell even further behind.

“The road ahead will not be easy, nor will we get there overnight. But I am an optimist. And together, one week from today, New Jersey will turn the page to a bright new day. We will fight for a stronger, fairer economy that works for all New Jersey families. And we will once again prioritize everyday New Jerseyans over the special interest politics that have paralyzed our state for too long.”