Anthony M. Bucco
November’s election sent an unmistakable message: Americans are eager for change. Across the nation, voters embraced Republican proposals, handing the GOP control of the presidency, U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. This decisive shift reflects a renewed optimism for pragmatic principles aimed at addressing the real-world challenges that families and businesses face every day.
Here in the Garden State, the winds of change are blowing just as strongly with Republican ideas resonating from Boonton to Brigantine. New Jersey residents are increasingly skeptical of far-left progressive policies and expect cooperation in Trenton to deliver bipartisan solutions that responsibly address affordability, public safety and economic stability.
Is New Jersey really ‘stronger’ or ‘fairer’?
As Gov. Phil Murphy prepares for his final State of the State address, I want to set the record straight and chart a new path forward as stewards of good governance. The governor’s portrayal of a state that is “stronger, fairer, and more prepared to face the future” does not accurately reflect the everyday reality that New Jersey residents face. In fact, more and more people are living paycheck to paycheck and our homeless population has risen 24% across the state just over the past year.
With the right leadership, we can build a better future that restores New Jersey’s fiscal health. However, the cracks in Murphy’s rosy narrative are impossible to ignore — particularly his downplaying of New Jersey’s $4.5 billion fiscal deficit. His recent directive to slash spending — motivated by an approaching fiscal cliff — is a crystal-clear admission that the State of our State is neither stronger, fairer nor better prepared than it was nearly seven years ago when he first took office.
Republicans have warned that unchecked spending would lead to this exact moment. It could have been avoided had Democrats worked with Republicans to rein in wasteful expenditures or retire debt responsibly. These opportunities were squandered, leaving taxpayers to face the consequences of potentially painful cuts in the upcoming budget cycle.
Despite this reality, Murphy continues to recite Democratic platitudes about “affordability.” Conveniently withheld from these assertions are any mention of the real-life struggles of working families and businesses that have to bear the burden of the Democrats’ excessive tax, toll and fee increases — including another gas tax hike that took effect on Jan. 1 even though Republicans proposed a way to fully fund transportation without forcing New Jerseyans to pay more at the pump.
Even Murphy’s claims of fairness ring hollow. Democrats reinstated a costly business surtax, callously slashed funding for 150 New Jersey schools, and are ramming through a state-mandated housing plan that will require massive tax increases to support the expansion of infrastructure, our schools, and first responders. Moreover, Democrats have done nothing to help New Jerseyans with our absurd property taxes besides create false hope with a doomed StayNJ program.
While other states have reversed extreme energy policies to ease costs for families, Murphy has bullishly doubled down on his Energy Master Plan. Heavy-handed mandates on everything from electric vehicles to fighting natural gas production have only burdened New Jersey families with higher electric and gas bills and fewer opportunities.
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New Jersey families and businesses are struggling
Just in the past few months, I have witnessed several businesses close near my hometown. Prices for everything are skyrocketing. It is a viscous cycle. So while the governor and the Democrats that control both houses of our legislature claim New Jersey is “stronger, fairer, and more prepared to face the future,” I ask “for who?”
It is evident that New Jersey residents are exhausted by the impacts of Murphy’s progressive polices and they have made it clear they do not want to become the California of the East Coast.
With Democrats trying to hold onto the governor’s office and their Assembly majority this November, they will go to great lengths to propose more election-year gimmicks, which will undoubtedly leave New Jersey worse off.
Make no mistake about it, we are Jersey Strong but living in New Jersey today is far from the picture that Murphy will paint during his address.
Our Republican Caucus will continue to pursue common sense solutions to address everything from sanctuary state policies and parental rights, to protecting the character of our communities from overdevelopment and halting the mass exodus of residents to other, more affordable states.
There is reason to be optimistic about New Jersey’s future, but we cannot ignore the need to lower costs to create a desirable environment for New Jersey residents to live, work, and raise a family. I suggest that this year’s State of the State address should come with a warning label: Buyer Beware.
State Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco represents New Jersey’s 25th Legislative District.
