It's deja vu all over again in Trenton, where the impact of President Donald Trump's Hessian-style, Idiocracy-priority savaging of public broadcasting has PBS making a gallant stand on the Delaware.

Senator Andrew Zwicker (D-16), chair of the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee, and other New Jersey lawmakers want to help save public broadcasting in New Jersey following Trump's mega MAGA dumb-down, which includes - for personal and political reasons - pulling the plug on the precious news, information and cultural resource.

Following a hearing Monday, InsiderNJ contacted Zwicker.

"There seems to be bipartisan consensus over the need to figure out a dedicated source of funding," said Zwicker.

At issue is the source of funding and how much.

The State of New Jersey contributed a high of $6 million in one budget to the current PBS configuration but generally forks in about a million to keep public broadcasting alive (sometimes a little higher, sometimes lower). Trump's federal cuts put public broadcasting in line for a final June 30th 2026 bayoneting. The total annual cost of the current operation in New Jersey (including salaries, operating expenses, license and rental fees) is a projected estimated $60 million.

The state won't float the continuing operation, but it will be a part of the solution, as a consortium, which includes higher education institutions (Montclair and Rowan among them) and private funding sources, seeks a way forward. Given its studios and resources, Montclair will likely occupy a significant spoke in the wheel. But the specifics aren't there at present. Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill has made what PBS allies interpret as encouraging statements about her government's role in helping the public broadcasting partnership.

What exists - Zwicker confirmed to InsiderNJ - is the will to get it done by July.

Among those giving testimony at Monday's hearing: