When it comes to pork spending in New Jersey, State Sen. Michael Testa (R-1) has had enough as Gov. Phil Murphy gets set to deliver his State of the State address this week.
Pointing to a recent report from Truth in Accounting that found New Jersey had the worst fiscal health of any state in the nation, Testa is offering up a legislative solution which could help stop reckless spending within the state.
“As the cost of Governor Murphy’s budgets have skyrocketed in recent years, so too has the list of pork projects receiving payments,” said Testa.
Irresponsible Spending
“What we’re doing now is only digging a deeper hole. Under Murphy, New Jersey has implemented one irresponsible spending plan after another. All this does is make an already unaffordable state even more unaffordable. We must chart a new fiscal course because New Jersey residents deserve better.”
Testa cited the Truth in Accounting report, which rated New Jersey’s financial condition with an “F” grade due to excessive spending, and pension and healthcare debt which will need to be paid in the future.
Highest Debt in Nation
The report said the state had an individual taxpayer burden of nearly $59,000, representing the highest of any state in the nation.
The amount of money needed by New Jersey to pay outstanding bills has increased by more than $12.5 billion, according to the report.
“What we’re doing now is only digging a deeper hole. Under Murphy, New Jersey has implemented one irresponsible spending plan after another. All this does is make an already unaffordable state even more unaffordable. We must chart a new fiscal course because New Jersey residents deserve better,” said Testa.
Payments to Rutgers, NJPAC
Testa took umbrage with several payments under the Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget, including a $300 million payment to Rutgers University in the form of an “additional appropriation.” The payment included $100 million to renovate the basketball facility and to work on an indoor football practice facility.
Additionally, he pointed to a $7 million payment to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC); $5 million to be sent to the Cherry Blossom Center in Branch Brook; $4.6 million earmarked for a park in North Bergen; and $4 million for Union County’s Clark Reservoir as well as payments to the Lambert Castle Visitors Center in Patterson and $3 million for the Brick City Peace Collective in Newark.
Testa wasn’t necessarily against these payments, and argued many of them were for worthy causes. However, her argued they weren’t transparent or merit-based.
“What we’ve seen out of Trenton is secretive, arbitrary and unfair,” he noted.
Finding a Legislative Fix
Testa introduced three bills last month which could impact the pork spending within the state:
- S-3388 – Redirects a $300 million special line item for undisclosed capital projects at Rutgers (believed to include $100 million Rutgers sports facilities) awarded without an open or fair application process to a grant program run by the Commission on Higher Education that would be open to all public and private higher education institutions as well as vocational schools. Funding allocations would be based on merit with a regional Statewide balance.
- S-3386 – Would redirect approximately $356 million in special local government line items to named recipients awarded without an open or fair application process to a grant program run by the Commissioner of DCA that would be open to all local governments. Funding allocations would be based on merit with a regional Statewide balance.
- S-3387 – Would redirect approximately $22 million of eight line-items awarded to arts and cultural organizations without an open or fair application process to a grant program run by the Secretary of State that would be open to all arts and cultural organizations. Funding allocation would be based on merit with a regional Statewide balance.
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