Record spending, higher taxes, and the real Murphy legacy

Gov. Phil Murphy used his final State of the State address as a victory lap — a farewell tour built on talking points, applause lines, and a carefully curated version of his record. Listening to it, you’d think New Jersey had entered a golden age of affordability and opportunity.

Some residents listening from their kitchen tables heard something very different.

A legacy of higher taxes and record spending

Murphy bragged about “historic investments” and “record-breaking budgets.” That part is true — but not in the way he intended. New Jersey now carries some of the highest property taxes in the nation, layered with new fees, surcharges, and stealth taxes that hit working families hardest.

Under Murphy, state spending exploded, growing by tens of billions of dollars in just eight years. He framed that growth as compassion. To the average homeowner or renter, it translated into higher costs and fewer options. Every new “investment” eventually showed up on a tax bill, an electric bill, or a rent increase.

Energy policy that made New Jersey less affordable

Murphy repeatedly claimed leadership on clean energy, but his policies made electricity and heating more expensive long before alternatives were ready. Mandates came first. Infrastructure came later — or not at all.

Ratepayers were told to trust the plan while watching utility bills climb. Businesses were warned about competitiveness, only to be brushed aside. Families trying to budget were left paying more for power while politicians celebrated theoretical long-term gains that don’t help when the bill is due this month.

The affordability crisis Murphy won’t own

In his final speech, Murphy pointed to job growth, surplus revenues, and social progress. What he didn’t address was why middle-class families continue leaving the state, or why young adults struggle to stay after college.

Housing costs soared. Insurance rates climbed. Everyday expenses piled up. New Jersey didn’t become unaffordable by accident — it became unaffordable through policy choices that prioritized socialist ideology and expansion of government over restraint.

Reality vs. rhetoric in Murphy’s farewell speech

Murphy says he leaves New Jersey stronger. Many residents feel squeezed, taxed, and priced out. He celebrates “progress,” while families quietly ask whether they can afford another year here.

History won’t judge Phil Murphy by the applause in the Assembly chamber. It will judge him by whether New Jerseyans felt better off at the end of his tenure than at the beginning.

For too many people, the answer is no.

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