🏛️ Lawmakers finally unveiled New Jersey's $60.74 billion budget just two days before the June 30 deadline after announcing a "deal" nearly a week earlier.
💰 The spending plan adds hundreds of legislative spending items, increases the surplus and is accompanied by a separate $358.8 million supplemental budget.
⏳ The late release leaves lawmakers and the public with little time to review thousands of pages before final votes are expected.

Budget finally unveiled, but New Jersey lawmakers leave little time for public scrutiny

After nearly a week of saying they had reached a budget agreement, New Jersey lawmakers finally released the details of the state's $60.74 billion spending plan on Sunday — just two days before the constitutional deadline to approve it.

New Jersey Globe was the first to publish the budget document. 

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin announced last week that they had reached a budget deal. But the actual legislation wasn't made public until Sunday, leaving lawmakers, advocates and taxpayers with little opportunity to thoroughly review the proposal before final votes are expected.

Hundreds of spending additions reshape Sherrill's proposal

The budget keeps overall spending close to the $60.7 billion level Sherrill proposed in March, but lawmakers added hundreds of targeted spending items during negotiations. The proposal also boosts the state's surplus above the level originally proposed by the governor.

READ MORE: Thousands of seniors will get reduced or no Stay NJ benefit

In addition to the main budget bill, legislative leaders unveiled a separate $358.8 million supplemental spending package that includes additional aid for hospitals, municipalities and costs related to the FIFA World Cup, among other appropriations. The supplemental bill allows lawmakers to fund priorities that were not included in the governor's original budget proposal.

Transparency questions remain

The timing of the budget rollout is already drawing criticism.

While legislative budget negotiations are often conducted behind closed doors, this year's process came after Sherrill pledged to bring greater transparency to state government. Instead, lawmakers and the public were left waiting nearly a week after leaders declared a deal before seeing the actual language of the budget.

https://x.com/declanoscanlon

Senate Republican Budget Officer Declan O'Scanlon called the process "a travesty," arguing legislators were again being asked to vote on one of the state's most important bills with virtually no time for meaningful review.

Final votes expected before July 1

While most legislators have not yet seen the final budget document, the final approval process begins this afternoon.

The Assembly Budget Committee is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. with the Senate Budget Committee scheduled for 7 p.m.

If the measures are approved in Committee, a final vote is expected on Tuesday, June 30.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill will need to sign the budget into law before midnight to avoid a government shutdown.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom