Republicans sharply criticized New Jersey Democrats for delivering a new state budget that relies heavily on deficit spending and drawing from the surplus, despite significant tax increases. The $56.6 billion budget signed by Gov. Phil Murphy late Friday night, marks a staggering 62% increase in spending since he took office.

The plan depletes the state surplus by $2.15 billion, introduces approximately $2.5 billion in tax and fee increases, and still results in a structural deficit of $2.1 billion.

Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio argued the budget exacerbates New Jersey’s affordability crisis.

“Because there hasn’t been a responsible budget since Governor Murphy took office and he helped the majority in the legislature tax and spend like drunken sailors, the cost of living in New Jersey has increased by $30,000,” said DiMaio (R-Hunterdon and Warren).  “That’s the most in the nation.”

Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, a member of the Budget Committee, warned that the state revenue falls short of overall spending.

“Built into this particular budget is a $2.1 billion structural deficit and there’s a collision course with spending down the surplus in just a few years and also hitting the vaunted fiscal cliff,” said Scharfenberger (R-Monmouth). “This kind of spending simply cannot be sustained.”

In what has become a tradition of last-minute chaos, the budget bill was voted on in committee just an hour after the 373-page document was finalized during the last week of June. The final document was not made available to the public until the following day.

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, the GOP budget officer, decried the lack of transparency.

“Shame on us, we can do a better job,” said Munoz (R-Union). “This is the public’s money that we are spending. This is not our money, it’s their money.”

“The process was honestly embarrassing to watch,” said Assemblyman Brian Bergen. “This is the brass tacks of why we are here, but the way you run the budget is awful.”

The budget is $758 million larger than Murphy’s original proposal and $2.3 billion more than the previous budget, thanks in large part to spending Democrats added at the last minute for various projects.

“This is my first time at the rodeo, and boy, did I get an education,” said first-term Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex), who took aim at lawmaker add-ons while school districts face deep cuts in state aid. “It’s the hottest of messes.”

Assemblyman John Azzariti (R-Bergen) echoed those concerns.

“If our constituents were here today and they understood and saw the bill here, they would be appalled,” said Azzariti (R-Bergen). “I’m convinced if they knew the budget to the level that everyone in this room does, our constituents would largely be voting no.”

Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, who sits on the Assembly Budget Committee, moved to amend the budget to remove lawmakers’ Christmas tree items to restore school aid cuts to 140 school districts.

“I would like to direct some attention to the really big elephant in the room, and I’m not talking about President Joe Biden’s debate performance,” said Rumpf (R-Ocean). “But the obscene, property tax increases that will be hitting those towns where state aid has unfortunately been reduced.”

His motion was tabled with a party-line vote of 41-25.

Republicans continued to hammer out the shortcomings in school aid after Democrats boasted about $12 billion in funding. Of the 593 school districts in New Jersey, 140 will see aid decline.

One of those districts is represented by Assemblyman Alex Sauickie who pleaded with members to stop cheering about fully funding education.

“This year is a disaster for multiple school districts,” Sauickie (R-Ocean) said. “[They’re] all getting decimated.”

Sauickie said the state appointed monitor overruled the elected Board of Education in Jackson to raise property taxes 9.9%, cut 70 positions and courtesy busing, and close and sell an elementary school that is at capacity. 

Since 2018, Jackson schools have lost $22.4 million in state aid. Last fiscal year, the district had to take a $10 million loan from the state, and pay a state monitor, to close budget gaps. It faces a $25 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year.

“How do I tell the kids of the 10th legislative district that many of their favorite teachers will soon be out on the street as a result of this budget?” asked Assemblyman Paul Kanitra (R-Ocean). “Why are we picking favorites? Why are some children in New Jersey more important than others?”

He said some school districts are receiving millions more while the schoolchildren in Brick and Toms River will experience program cuts, increased class sizes and fewer teachers and staff under the Democrat-sponsored spending plan. He called the budget bill “a political disaster” that does nothing for his constituents.

Budgets are about choices, Assemblyman Michael Inganamort argued. Democrats found $2.7 million for a pavilion in North Brunswick, but cut $1.8 million from the Roxbury School District that he represents. Other school districts received nearly $500,000 for tennis programs, the same amount cut from other school districts on Inganamort’s home turf.

“I can run down the list of projects, but what I can’t do is justify any of them in the face of such deep cuts to New Jersey schools,” he said. 

Assemblyman Al Barlas said the budget sends the wrong message even beyond the school spending cuts.

“We are also cutting $99,000 from domestic violence. We are cutting a million dollars from adoption services,” said Barlas (R-Essex). “We are also sending a message with this document, and cutting those two things on top of school aid sends the wrong message.”