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Governor Phil Murphy

This Week in NJ - March 1st, 2024

03/1/2024

Governor Murphy Presents Fiscal Year 2025 State Budget: "Making New Jersey the Best Place to Raise a Family"

Governor Phil Murphy delivered his seventh annual budget address on Tuesday, outlining spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) that build on the Administration’s commitment to ensuring that New Jersey remains the best place to raise a family. The budget proposes investments targeted at expanding affordability, continuing fiscal responsibility, creating economic opportunities, and ensuring every New Jerseyan has a fair shot at a better future

The Governor’s proposed budget increases direct property tax relief to record levels, provides the highest level of school funding in history – fully funding the school aid formula for the first time – delivers a fourth consecutive full pension payment, and proposes significant investments into the health, safety and economic well-being of New Jersey’s residents.

“Simply put: this budget will ensure that New Jersey retains its proud reputation as the best place, anywhere, to raise a family. It will make life more affordable for more of our neighbors by delivering record-high tax relief, lowering the costs of necessities like health care and housing, and creating new opportunities in the industries of tomorrow,” said Governor Murphy. “Just as importantly, with this budget, we are maintaining fiscal responsibility while also remaining true to our values – from fully funding our public education system to proposing a new, dedicated funding stream to support NJ TRANSIT. Together, we are building a New Jersey that is stronger and fairer than ever before.”

“This budget continues the Governor’s commitment to making New Jersey an affordable place to work, raise a family and retire,” said New Jersey State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. “We look forward to working with the Legislature in the months ahead to finalize a budget that builds on these priorities.

The $55.9 billion spending plan includes a proposed surplus of $6.1 billion, while redirecting nearly 74 percent of the total budget back out into our communities in the form of grants-in-aid for property tax relief, social services, and higher education, as well as State aid to schools, community colleges, municipalities, and counties.

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Governor Murphy Highlights Record School Funding Increase in Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget Plan

Governor Phil Murphy and Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer visited Charles and Anna Booker Elementary School in Plainfield to highlight $11.7 billion in funding to support equal access to education and opportunity for students across New Jersey in the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget plan.

“This year’s budget proposal builds on our work to empower students by ensuring they receive the high-quality education necessary to support life-long success,” said Governor Murphy. “Since day one of my Administration, I have remained committed to bolstering New Jersey’s school communities and working toward fully funding our best-in-the-nation public education system. Over the past seven years, we have made strategic investments – maintaining our momentum to fully fund New Jersey’s school funding formula for the first time in our State’s history — because investments in education don’t just benefit our children’s futures, they benefit us all.”

By adding $908 million in K-12 formula aid, the Governor is proposing to fully fund New Jersey’s school funding formula for the first time since it was established in 2009. This funding represents the single largest investment in the budget proposal.

“I am especially honored to be part of this historic budget,” said Kevin Dehmer, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Education. “For the first time since the School Funding Reform Act began in 2009, our school funding formula will be fully funded. Governor Murphy has never wavered from his promise to support our schools and he has ensured that our students and educators will have the resources they need heading into the next school year.”

District allocations of state aid for all New Jersey school districts may be found on the DOE’s School Finance webpage.

“This marks a milestone for education in New Jersey,” said Senate President Nick Scutari. “For the first time in history we can fully fund the school aid formula. The state financing will give educators the support they need to provide a quality education for students throughout the state. It will help communities strengthen their schools and provide direct assistance to avoid property tax increases.”

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Rutgers-Newark Center for Politics and Race in America Named in Honor of Late-NJ Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver

The Center for Politics and Race in America was named in honor of the late-Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, the first Black woman in New Jersey to hold statewide office, at a ceremony attended by Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, Oliver’s family, members of the Sheila Y. Oliver Civic Association, and leaders from Johnson & Johnson.

A scholarship program, funded through a Johnson & Johnson charitable donation, was also announced. It will support the next generation of New Jersey public service leaders.

"It is my privilege to join Rutgers University officials to honor my dear friend and mentor, the late-Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver," said Lt. Gov. Way. "Sheila was and remains the epitome of what a true public servant should be; dedicated, compassionate, and filled with integrity. As we gather to launch Rutgers University-Newark’s Center for Politics and Race in America in her honor, I know she is sure to touch the many young people who will continue to build on the legacy of her passionate work."

The Center for Politics and Race in America, established last year with state funding, is a “fact tank” 
for research on the nation’s political life and a resource for underrepresented students seeking careers 
in government and public service. 

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Murphy Administration, Offshore Wind Developers Detail Transformative Benefits of New Projects That Will Advance New Jersey's 100% Clean Energy Goal

The Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy joined key State agencies and stakeholders to showcase the enormous environmental and economic benefits that will be produced by New Jersey’s most recent awarding of 3,700 MW of offshore wind capacity to the Attentive Energy 2 project and Leading Light Wind, a partnership between lead developer Invenergy and co-developer energyRe.

Cabinet leaders from New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities and Economic Development Authority joined senior representatives from Attentive Energy and Leading Light Wind – the winners of the latest offshore wind solicitation – to showcase the type of skilled jobs that will be generated by the Board of Public Utilities’ recent milestone award of over 3,700 MW in clean, New Jersey-produced energy.

The event was hosted by the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EAS Carpenters Union) at their state-of-the-art Commercial Dive School facility in Sicklerville, NJ, where they have built an elite program that has become the go-to resource for training members from across the building trades unions for the vast work opportunities being produced by the growing offshore wind industry. 

“These latest awards reaffirm New Jersey’s commitment to a strong and thriving offshore wind industry and the incredible economic and environmental benefits it will bring to our state, for both this generation and the next,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Together with Atlantic Shores 1, these projects will bring us closer to achieving 100% clean energy by 2035, create thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic opportunity in our coastal communities and beyond, and guarantee that New Jerseyans have access to clean, affordable energy produced right here in our state and powered by our labor union workforce. Today, we are proud to partner with Leading Light Wind and Attentive Energy in the march towards New Jersey’s clean energy future.”

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ICYMI: Governor Murphy, AG Platkin: Brady Report Shows Our Gun Laws Are Working

Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin hailed a new national report from Brady showing that, for two years in a row, none of New Jersey’s firearms dealers were cited by the federal government for selling the most crime guns, a typical indicator of gun violence and gun trafficking. New Jersey shares this status with just three other states.

“In recent years, we have witnessed nationwide some of the most horrific gun violence incidents in the history of our country. Students going to schools, folks going to the grocery store to stock up on weekly items, churchgoers, and more have all fallen victim to senseless acts of gun violence,” said Governor Murphy. “Since the start of our Administration, it has been our mission to create a safer state for our residents. Over the past couple of years in particular, I have signed several commonsense gun safety bill packages, which has made our state a national model for gun safety. The Brady report is proof that what we’re doing here in New Jersey is working. Our Administration will continue to take the necessary steps to build on this progress and do the work to keep unnecessary weapons out of the hands of bad actors.”

“The report shows that New Jersey is not a common source for firearms used in the commission of crimes, here or elsewhere. This is clear evidence that our strong, commonsense gun policies are not only stopping violence within our own State, they are curbing gun violence in other states,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Our third-lowest rate of firearm deaths in the United States did not come about by magic or wishful thinking, and I would like to thank Governor Murphy and our dedicated law enforcement partners for the results we see highlighted by Brady today.”

“Our strict approach to firearms regulations is working to reduce gun trafficking, thereby saving lives,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). “Our law enforcement community is proud of the partnership we have here in New Jersey to safeguard our communities and our officers from the scourge of deadly gun violence.”

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