NJWFP: State budget misses the opportunity to deliver for working people

New Jersey Working Families State Director Antoinette Miles has issued the following statement regarding the New Jersey state budget set to be approved by the Legislature today:

At the beginning of this legislative session, we made it clear that we would be looking to Governor Murphy and the Legislature to take bold action to protect working people in this state amid the threat of cuts by the Trump Administration. 

This budget was an opportunity to show working people in this state that our elected officials in Trenton have their back. Unfortunately, the budget set for approval by Governor Murphy today fails to meet the moment.

In a time of national crisis, when hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans are staring down the barrel of devastating cuts to healthcare, food assistance and other critical federal programs, working families deserve a budget that does more than tinkering around the edges. 

While this budget makes some nods towards some tax fairness with a surcharge on the sale of ultra-wealthy homes, it’s clear the finalized spending plan doesn’t go far enough to shore up our state’s finances. 

It’s shameful that this budget is in part balanced on the backs of public workers by cutting their healthcare, while simultaneously making tax breaks to the film industry more generous than they already are.

Year after year, the public is left in the dark as Trenton scrambles to meet the budget deadline. When the public only hears from state Cabinet members' concerns on budget items through social media instead of in a public hearing, it’s a disservice to the people of this state.    

New Jerseyans deserve better from Trenton. And we will continue to demand that Trenton lawmakers do everything they can to protect our state from the massive Trump cuts that are on the horizon.

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