Annetta, Piperno, and Eulner Call for A Transparent Budget

MONMOUTH COUNTY N.J. –  The Democratic lawmakers in Trenton yet again show just how little they care about the constituents they represent.  With just under two weeks left until the July 1st deadline, Democrats are prepared to decide the fate of over $11 billion in tax money with zero input from the public.  Lori Annetta, who is running for State Senate in Legislative District 11, along with Marilyn Piperno and Kim Eulner, both currently running for Assembly in the Legislative District, are standing up for the people of New Jersey and calling out those in Trenton who think this is the right way to govern.

“The decision by these so-called lawmakers to abruptly cancel public meetings on the State’s tax windfall is disheartening,” stated Annetta. “We haven’t had an open and transparent forum in over four months, and yet Democrats like Vin Gopal want to push this through with little to no public comment. What don’t they want us to see? ”

Last year, Democrat lawmakers took less than just 20 minutes to approve over $4 billion to supplement our budget with no input from the public. Now taxpayers are on the hook for millions of dollars in interest payments for money we did not ask for. Yet, the same lawmakers want the public to trust them with this $11 billion dollar surplus and still won’t give them the time of day.

“Taxpayers in LD11 deserve to have a say in how their money is going to be spent,” said Eulner. “Governor Murphy, Speaker Sweeney, and Speaker Coughlin have promised time and again to make the government transparent and accountable, yet these three men have shut the people out of the process consistently.”

Normally, the state treasurer would appear before lawmakers to answer questions and explain the budget forecast. But not this year. Instead, all Murphy gave lawmakers was a written report. No opportunity for questions. No opportunity for accountability.

“So many families have struggled under NJ’s abusive economic climate, now lawmakers finally have a chance to meet these challenges and yet want no input from the public or other officials,” said Piperno. “It seems people like Eric Houghtaling (D) and JoAnn Downey (D) are more concerned with toeing their own party line than doing what’s right. They are two examples of why we need real change in Trenton.”