Over protestations voiced by the GOP minority, the Assembly this afternoon passed a whopping, record-setting $58.8 billion FY 2026 Budget this afternoon.

The vote was 52-27-1.

The Senate passed the budget earlier today, meaning the document will now head to the desk of Governor Phil Murphy.

One by one, Republicans in the Assembly panned the budget, which bulged by $717 million since Murphy stood in the chamber earlier this year.

"It's four percent higher than last year's budget," said Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-21). "That is not responsible budgeting. The truth about the budget is it continues us on an unsustainable path with increased expenditures."

The budget, she noted, contains a $1.5 billion structural deficit.

"We are spending more than we are bringing in," Munoz decried.

It contains 12 new taxes, and increases existing taxes, including taxes on healthcare, which will impact working people.

Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (R-9) likewise called it a bad budget, which will force local school districts to hike property taxes. Little Egg Harbor, for example, will have to impose a 33% tax increase. "That is, respectfully, beyond outrageous," said Rumpf. "More than 50% of the children [in LEH] get free or reduced lunch. It's not a town with a lot of wealth. Hard working people will be driven to their knees."

The criticisms continued.

"An awful lot of wants dressed up as needs," said Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-24).