State Budget: Record Spending and Record Embarrassment
The fiscal 2024 state budget signed by Gov. Phil Murphy established two records: First, at $54.3 billion it is the largest in state history, and second for the level of embarrassment the Legislature brought on itself and the environment of governmental disfunction it created in the process.
Despite having the governor’s budget recommendation in hand for four months, it came down to a chaotic last-minute stampede to secure committee approval, even though the proposed budget wasn’t available, and to meet the deadline for approving it and sending it to Murphy’s desk.
He signed it little more than three hours before the constitutionally mandated July 1 deadline for a budget to be in place and head off a government shutdown.
History bears out the validity of the theory that a budget is 10 percent a fiscal document and 90 percent a political one. It is, at its most fundamental, a statement of principles, a recitation of governing philosophy, and an agenda-driven set of priorities.
This year, however, the legislative leadership co-opted the 10 percent and produced a spending plan seven percent greater than the fiscal year just concluded, driven according to critics by the imperative to preserve and enhance the Democratic majorities —46-34 in the Assembly and 25-15 in the Senate — in the legislative election four months off.
Forcing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars through committee at the eleventh hour without debate or public disclosure how the funds were allocated or at whose request reinforced the notion that political expediency, partisan advantage and private interest pressures were the motivators.
The budget process has always been open to the inclusion of funds for targeted projects at the behest of legislators and local officials seeking state aid rather than place the burden on property taxpayers.
Generally, such requests are dealt with during the committee debate and deliberations open to the public and the media, a process seemingly ignored this year until the time crunch was upon it.
Despite the lack of printed copies of the proposals, the committee votes were taken in a mad scramble to act before the time deadline to bring the budget to a floor vote.
Republicans as well as outside observers quickly and not surprisingly accused Democrats of deliberately concealing the additional spending and, more to the political point, who requested it and where was it directed.
Were, for instance, projects singled out for funding in legislative districts where Democratic incumbents were at risk and facing well-funded challengers?
Were the projects worth the cost or simply an opportunity for the incumbent Democrat to tout his or her success in securing state aid?
Was keeping Republican legislators and the public in the dark part of an overall campaign strategy to build a fiscal firewall to prevent losing six Senate seats and seven Assembly seats and falling into the minority?
Traditionally elections in which legislative contests lead the ballot — the case this year — voter turnout is well below average, difficult to predict and thus worrisome to incumbents. In this context, seeking an edge in the form of state funding for local programs or projects is understandable.
The Democratic leadership acknowledged that flaws and errors occurred and promised corrective legislation would be considered at subsequent sessions. With the summer recess at hand and campaigns on the horizon, the prospect of returning to Trenton for cleanup activity is exceedingly dim.
With the governor’s signature, the pressure for publicly justifying the last-minute budget deal-making has been eased.
Murphy and the Democratic leadership established the narrative, praising one another for a budget which increases state aid to school districts, continues full payments into the public pension fund, increases the child tax credit and expands property tax relief program eligibility.
It was left to budget committee chairman Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) to refer to the budget’s final hours, acknowledging the chaos and suggesting the Legislature should consider a “modernization” of the process to instill greater order and procedural transparency to it moving forward.
His suggestion notwithstanding, “modernization” of the system is not the issue in need of addressing. It is the abuse of the system that is.
Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.
Thinking of passing a budget for the good and WellCare of newjersey is fine and money goes where it is most needed and valued- there is something I feel that is not in the budget and thou pension payments are made – what about payments and reinstating cola that was taken away some time ago!!!!!- as retireees are getting clobbered with everyday expenses if the governor truly is concerned about goid and well fare of retirees in New Jersey as well then why is not cola reinstated enough people claim to reinstate it and. Ever do.
They areALL crooks
Yes, they are all crooks. This budget is not only embarrassing, it is disgusting.
Spending for all sorts of pork, special projects, and frankly all BS.
Democrats and Republicans are equally to blame.
There is essentially only one party in NJ.
That is why the STAYNJ bill will not see the light of day. Any wonder why they want to wait 3 years to implement senior property tax of $6500 per year??? Because the current administration will be out of office, and the Democrats are trying to look good for the upcoming November 2023 election. The red flag on this bill is when they blocked the $10,000 per year relief and reduced it to $6500 per year. The Governor’s office said they wouldn’t have the money ($2 BILLION/YR. @ $10,000/yr. senior property tax relief per property) instead of the $1.3 BILLION/YR. ($6500/yr.).
The simple solution is to take the $4 BILLION/YR. the State gives away to illegal aliens for free education, free healthcare, free housing, free legal services, free food stamps, free cash, etc., and use half of this money to give the $10,000 annual senior property tax rebates. And, then there’s the $4 BILLION in COVID relief, as well as the “rainy day” $10 BILLION set aside for PROPERTY TAX RELIEF that is never used for property tax relief.
Time for accountants to run the Treasury Department and disseminate the money for property tax relief first and foremost before any special interests like illegal aliens or pet projects are paid for.
Not sure where you get $4bil to illegal immigrants or undocumented migrants or whatever you want to call them from.
I’m Googling trying to find any source for that and all I can find are articles talking about a $40 million program.
While the cost of these people isn’t insubstantial, it does no good when you exaggerate the truth so much. Sounds like maybe you’re using some Marxist techniques yourself.
In addition to benefits afforded to Illegal Aliens cited above, let’s understand we are providing Illegals with “Rights”. Driving licenses and Voting Privileges in some states. All to capture votes.
Reports by the Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR), NumbersUSA and others breaks down the cost of illegal immigration to U.S. taxpayers: $115.9 billion annually.
Based on the most recent data reported in 2017, highlights which U.S. citizens pay the most: Californians, Texans and Floridians.
The estimated coast to California taxpayers for more than six million illegal immigrants and their children is more than $23 billion.
The estimated cost to Texans for the more than four million illegal immigrants and their children is nearly $11 billion.
The more than two million illegal immigrants and their children cost Florida taxpayers more than $6 billion.
The rest of the top 10 states reporting the highest cost to taxpayers are New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Virginia.
As the NJ budget was passed on the Friday before the long July 4th weekend there was no debating, no review, no changes no public scrutiny. It’s everything that the Dumb-o-crats wanted.
No telling how much is allocated to Illegal Aliens. Our budget surplus is there for the taking of they so choose.
Frankly, illegals should be deported, not one dime of taxpayer money should be used to support programs for Illegals.
But then the Dumb-o-crats would not get their votes.
Bill Spadea makes spurious claims that I’m exaggerating the truth about the $4 BILLION DOLLARS that New Jersey taxpayers pay for Illegal Aliens. He claims he did a Google search and came up with a $40 MILLION dollar program.
If I didn’t know better, Spadea sounds like one of New Jersey’s woke politicians or a Deep State operative. All he has to do is go out and look at websites like Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Heritage Foundation, and NumbersUSA.
FAIR has put out a new report for 2023 showing, at PAGE 40 of the Report, that New Jersey taxpayers are footing the bill for illegal aliens at $3.9 BILLION. In the next column, when Illegal Aliens & their kids are factored in, the number for NJ taxpayers rises to $5.3 BILLION DOLLARS/YR. https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/Fiscal%20Burden%20of%20Illegal%20Immigration%20on%20American%20Taxpayers%202023%20WEB_0.pdf
The NY Post on 3/20/2023 reported that a new 2023 FAIR Report indicates that NYC (population almost the same as New Jersey; 8.8 Million) will pay out $10 BILLION dollars in 2023 for illegal aliens.
So, Bill Spadea needs to do his research before he defames me with false and fraudulent statements that maybe I’m using some Marxist techniques of propaganda myself.