Senator Steve Oroho responded to Governor Phil Murphy’s first budget address:

“Increasing taxes to avoid fiscal discipline will set us on a path backwards,” said Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, and Morris). “New Jersey has many challenges that need to be met, but a return to tax and spend governance will hurt taxpayers and our economy, and will make us less competitive among our peer states.”

Senator Steve Oroho responded to Governor Phil Murphy’s first budget address. (Wikimedia)

The new governor has endorsed raising budget costs to $37.4 billion, an increase of 8%. Currently, New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation.

“Governor Murphy’s first budget plan represents a nearly $3 billion spending increase over last year’s budget act,” Oroho continued. “With growing demands due to pension and health benefit obligations, in addition to Governor Murphy’s expanding wish list of large spending items such as free community college and more money for a flawed school funding formula, the price tag will only continue to go up for New Jersey taxpayers.”

Oroho, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, has worked extensively on fiscally responsible and bipartisan economic legislation. A Certified Financial Planner, he has aided in shaping all major New Jersey tax reforms through the past decade. Oroho was recently awarded the Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform by the Tax Foundation.

“As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I plan a full review of Governor Murphy’s budget proposal,” Oroho said. “I believe Governor Murphy is sincere in his effort to create a stronger New Jersey, however, from what I’ve heard today, I am very concerned that we are only adding to our reputation as a state where it is a real challenge to run a business and to live and raise a family affordably.”