State Treasurer’s Revelation Today Demonstrates Why Legislature Must Strip Murphy Administration of Power to Spend Federal Funds Immediately

Murphy Administration Already Received $6.3 Billion in Federal Relief Funds, Didn’t Tell Anyone & Has No Plan to Use it Effectively

The Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee responded to the shocking revelation by Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio at today’s budget hearing that the Murphy Administration has already received $6.3 billion in federal relief funds, but failed to tell anyone.

Both Republicans and Democrats on the Budget Committee expressed surprise that committee members were not notified of the receipt of federal relief funds through the ARP Act prior to today’s budget hearing.

Senate Republican Budget Officer Steven Oroho (R-24), Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), Senator Michael Testa (R-1), and Senator Sam Thompson (R-12) issued the following joint statement:

“It’s absolutely shocking that Budget Committee members had to learn from Treasurer Muoio through a casual answer to a question at today’s hearing that the Murphy administration is sitting on $6.3 billion of federal aid.

“Once again, the Murphy administration has failed to be transparent about New Jersey’s finances and kept important information from the public and legislators.

“Further, it’s clear that neither Governor Murphy nor Treasurer Muoio are willing to articulate a plan to spend this money effectively. We can’t afford to let this money be wasted as happened with the billions in CARES Act money that the Murphy administration wasted and misspent.

“This outrage should be all the proof our Democratic colleagues need to join us in advancing legislation to strip Governor Murphy of the power to spend these funds without any legislative oversight or public input whatsoever.

“Right now, with the money in the bank and a blank check, the governor could do just about anything. When there are so many important needs that should be met, we simply can’t afford to let him make another expensive mistake.”

The Republican members of the budget committee sponsor legislation (S-3712) which would eliminate language in the State budget that grants the executive branch the unilateral authority to appropriate any “emergency disaster aid” and “economic stimulus” funds the State receives from the federal government during the fiscal year.