Katie Brennan Criticizes State Budget for Raiding Funds Meant for Affordable Housing, Clean Energy, and Harm Reduction

Democratic nominee for Assembly calls for better budget process after last-minute deal diverts hundreds of millions from important priorities 

Jersey City — Katie Brennan, housing expert and Democratic nominee for Assembly, today criticized the new state budget passed by lawmakers for raiding hundreds of millions of dollars from dedicated funds meant to address New Jersey's most pressing crises, calling the behind-the-scenes negotiations a sign of Trenton's broken priorities.

The budget agreement diverts more than $300 million from three critical programs: $100 million from the affordable housing trust fund, $190 million from the Clean Energy Fund, and $45 million from the Opioid Settlement Fund. The deal also calls for $100 million in healthcare "savings" that will raise costs for middle-class public sector workers and retirees at a time when healthcare costs are already rising.

“This budget deal really highlights everything that's wrong with Trenton,” said Katie Brennan, candidate for State Assembly in Legislative District 32. “We're in the middle of a housing crisis, yet the budget takes $100 million from the affordable housing trust fund. We're in an energy crisis with rising utility bills, yet the budget takes $190 million from the clean energy fund. We're in the middle of an overdose crisis, yet the budget raids $45 million from the opioid settlement fund. And with healthcare costs rising, it calls for $100 million in 'savings' that will really just raise costs for middle-class workers and retirees. It's no surprise this was negotiated behind closed doors and advanced out of committee late on a Friday night when no one was watching."

Brennan, who has spent her career fighting for government accountability and transparency, called for fundamental changes to how budget negotiations are conducted in Trenton.

“We need to fix both the process and the priorities,” said Brennan. “Budget negotiations should happen out in the open so people can see whose interests are really being served. That means having budget language available to the public, with plenty of time to actually read it, before any votes happen. And we need to protect dedicated funds instead of treating them like slush funds, whether it’s for housing, clean energy, or harm reduction. It really doesn’t have to be this way, and I’m prepared to work with anyone who wants to fix the budget process so it actually works for working people.”

Brennan is running for State Assembly on the Democratic ticket with Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla to represent Legislative District 32, which includes parts of Jersey City and all of Hoboken.

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About Katie Brennan

Katie Brennan is a long-time Jersey City resident, community advocate, and nationally recognized affordable housing expert. She has worked in leadership roles at state and local housing agencies in New Jersey and New York, helped secure historic funding for affordable housing in New Jersey, and has successfully advocated for stronger protections for tenants and survivors of sexual assault.