No government shutdown will happen in New Jersey. Governor Murphy says he will sign it by the Sunday deadline.
Murphy said that, “Going into our July Fourth holiday, I cannot and I will not subject our residents to the inconveniences they would suffer under a government shutdown. I want our families to know that come Monday, July 1 our investments in them will be made without delay and that state services will be available to them.“
It seems that Murphy and Sweeney are at loggerheads and we the people that elected them are just pawns in a political game of chess. Sweeney wants a new school funding plan and Murphy wants his Millionaire’s tax.
Per NJ.com, “state Senate President Stephen Sweeney introduced a new school funding plan. And he let all of Trenton know the lengths he would go to in order to get his way.
“If I don’t get school funding fixed — I shut government down last year because of it — I’m willing to do it again,” Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said at a Statehouse news conference in Trenton.”
Governor Murphy has blinked in this budget game of brinkmanship, but I think by blinking Murphy has shown who cares more for how the people of New Jersey are treated by the government. Sweeney just wants his way and nothing else. Not a good thing for us taxpayers.
“Murphy wants to increase the state’s millionaires tax and its sales tax. He would spend these new dollars on schools, government worker pensions, transit, property tax relief, tuition-free community college and some other programs that benefit low-income families.”
Sweeney said that, ““Change has to happen in New Jersey, and it’s not gonna happen by just raising taxes,” Sweeney said during his own March radio interview. “We have to focus on (reducing) the cost of government just as much on the revenues.””
So we the people of New Jersey are caught between the Governor and the legislature. I think that the only two things that have in common is wanting to give property tax relief and help low income families.
Sweeney seems to now be trying to forge his own course separate from the governor and Murphy has now come to the conclusion that he must fulfill his campaign promises. While Murphy is the most powerfully endowed governor, Sweeney has a much bigger political support base plus he has the backing of South Jersey political boss George Norcross.
Will the people of New Jersey be the winners or losers in this battle? Only time will tell.
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
