Calls on Murphy to Stop Making Irresponsible Spending Decisions

SOMERVILLE, NJ – MBA/CPA, successful small businessman, and Republican frontrunner for governor, Jack Ciattarelli, released the following plan calling on Governor Murphy to be fiscally responsible in spending the $6.4 billion in federal relief funding New Jersey is receiving.

“While the exact amount of relief funding invested in any of the following can be debated, we need to establish clear priorities to ensure these funds directly address the most urgent needs of all New Jerseyans,” said Ciattarelli.

Specifically, Ciattarelli’s plan identifies the following priorities:

·    To help compensate for all the learning loss over the past year, especially among special needs students, funding summer enrichment and education programs in school districts throughout the state

·    To guarantee schools will be open this September, funding necessary school building improvements (e.g., air ventilation systems) in districts statewide

·    To eliminate the need for increases in any employee and employer payroll taxes, replenishing the state’s unemployment, disability, and paid family leave trust funds

·    To improve operations, save taxpayer dollars, and create a much easier and user-friendly experience for citizens, modernizing state government technology systems

·    To ensure a reliable and safe mass transit system, investing in NJ Transit’s capital plan

·    To reduce our crippling debt and save taxes in the future, retiring any outstanding state bonds that have a callable feature

“For almost four years, Governor Murphy has failed to deliver real change or address the issues New Jerseyans struggle with every day,” said Ciattarelli. “During this pandemic – where Governor Murphy has ruled by fiat with almost 250 executive orders – seniors and veterans died in our nursing homes, Main Street businesses closed, kids fell behind in school, and New Jerseyans were challenged in every which way. As our next governor, I will rebuild Main Street, get our kids back in school, and ensure our residents have the quality of life they’ve always envisioned.”

“New Jersey, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Ciattarelli continued. “We can do better. When I’m governor, we will.”

The $6.4 billion in federal relief funding is on top of all the surplus produced by the $4.5 billion Governor Murphy irresponsibly borrowed last year, which Ciattarelli took action and sued to stop.