Senate Republican Budget Members: Murphy’s New Spending Plan Shows No Fiscal Restraint, Ignores Opportunities to Help Taxpayers & Get People Back to Work
The four Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee said Governor Phil Murphy’s revised budget plan for FY 2021 is little changed from the pre-COVID budget he proposed in February, except for the addition of billions in borrowing.
The four Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee said Governor Phil Murphy’s revised budget plan for 2021 is little changed from the pre-COVID budget he proposed in February, except for the addition of billions in borrowing. (Pixabay)
They said he continues to oversell the fiscal impact of the coronavirus on the State’s finances, while ignoring opportunities to help taxpayers and get people back to work.
Senate Republican Budget Members Support Calls for Public Hearings on Murphy’s Spending Plan
The four Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee expressed their support for calls by nearly two dozen interest groups for public hearings to be held on the revised budget plan for FY 2021 that Governor Phil Murphy is set to release next week.
The Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee expressed their support for calls by nearly two dozen interest groups for public hearings to be held on the revised budget plan for FY 2021 that Gov. Phil Murphy is set to release next week. (SenateNJ.com)
The members, Senate Republican Budget Officer Steven Oroho (R-24), Senator Sam Thompson (R-12), Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), and Senator Michael Testa (R-1), issued the following joint statement:
“The shortened time frame afforded to us by this year’s adjusted budget calendar shouldn’t be an excuse for the Legislature to forego a public hearing process on tens of billions of spending that Governor Murphy will propose for the upcoming fiscal year.
Oroho, Space & Wirths Say Regional Openings Can Save Businesses Without Risking Safety
‘It’s A Fallacy To Paint It As A Choice Between Jobs and Health’
Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths (R-24) today reiterated their call for a regional reopening to the state’s economy and the lifting of restrictions on business in areas with lower COVID-19 transmission numbers.
Senator Oroho and Assemblymen Space and Wirths are calling for a regional reopening of the state’s economy that would help business and employees without endangering residents. (Pixabay)
“We can reopen safely and smartly,” said Oroho. “Respecting appropriate safety protocols should mean you don’t have to sacrifice economic health at the expense of physical health. We should never have been treating them as if they are mutually exclusive. So when restaurants, gyms, stores and service companies tell us they may not be able to survive much longer, these are not idle threats. Every day, more employers are pulling the plug on their lifelong dreams, laying off workers, and closing their doors forever. It shouldn’t be this way.”
Editorial: Working from Home and Still Paying a Bundle in Taxes to NY? Let’s End That
The following editorial by Sen. Steven Oroho (R-24) on the need for New Jersey to pursue tax fairness with New York was published by NJ.com on August 21, 2020:
With the rapid and likely permanent shift to telecommuting for many workers since the emergence of COVID-19, hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans may be paying significantly more in taxes than they should. That’s because New York continues to levy income taxes on remote workers just as if they were still crossing the Hudson every day. As we will demonstrate, the cost of New York’s unjust taxation to both our state and impacted residents is substantial.
With many former commuters now working from home due to COVID-19, a shift that’s likely to become permanent for many workers, Sen. Steven Oroho said New Jersey should pursue tax fairness with New York to lower their tax bills. (SenateNJ.com)
Let’s start by examining the impact of this policy on an unmarried, single worker who earns $50,000 annually. If they were no longer taxed by New York while working from home in the Garden State, they would pay less than $1,300 in taxes to New Jersey. Under the existing policy, however, they pay more than $2,800 in taxes to New York when subject to the Empire State’s higher rates. New Jersey collects nothing from the worker under this arrangement since we give a full tax credit for every dollar paid to New York to prevent double taxation. In this example, the worker pays an extra $1,500 in income taxes to New York due to our neighbor’s unfair tax policies.
Oroho Bill to Allow Remote Bingo Approved by Senate Panel
Measure Helps Charities and Organizations Unable to Effectively Raise Money During the Pandemic
Senator Steve Oroho’s legislation that would allow bingo games and raffles to be conducted remotely cleared the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee today.
Senator Oroho’s legislation that would help non-profits and organizations by allowing bingo games and raffles to be conducted remotely advanced today. (Pixabay)
Under Oroho’s bill (S-2631), organizations eligible to host the fund-raising games in person under current law would be permitted to utilize technology approved by the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission to conduct remote activities.
“Many non-profits and charities have seen their primary revenue sources severely diminished due to rules and guidelines restricting indoor gatherings during the pandemic,” said Oroho (R-24). “By re-opening the revenue flow with remote contests, this measure could be a life preserver to vital organizations that may not otherwise survive the fiscal challenges created by the coronavirus.
Oroho/Space/Wirths Chastise Governor’s Abuse of Power
Residents Must Be Allowed to Vote In Person
Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths (R-24) issued the following statement in response to Governor Murphy’s announcement that the November election will be limited to vote-by-mail:
Oroho, Space & Wirths issued the following statement in response to Gov. Murphy’s announcement that the November election will be limited to vote-by-mail. (SenateNJ.com)
“This shouldn’t be mandated. It should be up to individual voters to decide. If they want a mail-in ballot they can ask for one, and if they want to vote in person, they shouldn’t be prohibited from doing that.
“Even top health experts stated there’s no need not to have in-person voting. And other regional states, including Connecticut, have shown in-person voting can be done safely.
Oroho: State Revenue Update Undercuts Murphy’s Borrowing Demands
Treasury Report Shows State’s Cash Receipts for 2020 Declined Just 0.6% from 2019
Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) said a State revenue update provided by the Treasury Department yesterday doesn’t support Governor Murphy’s claims that New Jersey is facing a massive budget shortfall that would require $10 billion of borrowing as the governor has repeatedly suggested.
Sen. Steven Oroho said a State revenue update doesn’t support Gov. Murphy’s claims that New Jersey is facing a massive budget shortfall that would require $10 billion of borrowing. (Pixabay)
“Treasury’s revenue update clearly demonstrates that the massive $10 billion budget hole predicted by the administration has failed to materialize,” said Oroho, the Senate Republican Budget Officer. “When compared to the original $38 billion budget for 2020, the $200 million decline in revenues from 2019 is little more than a rounding error. The realized revenue data provided by Treasury doesn’t support the governor’s continued insistence that New Jersey needs to borrow billions.”
Oroho: Supreme Court Ruling Sets Limits on Murphy’s Borrowing Authority
Says Pressure on Special Legislative Committee to Carefully Vet Each Borrowing Request
Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) said he’s glad a ruling today by the New Jersey Supreme Court set limits on the Murphy administration’s ability to borrow funds to address budget shortfalls related to COVID-19.
Sen. Steven Oroho said he’s glad a ruling by the N.J. Supreme Court set limits on the Murphy administration’s ability to borrow funds to address budget shortfalls related to COVID-19. (Pixabay)
“While I’m disappointed the Supreme Court didn’t shut down the administration’s irresponsible borrowing scheme completely, I’m glad some guardrails have been set that will limit the damage,” said Oroho, the Senate Republican Budget Officer. “Based on the limitations imposed by the ruling, it’s unlikely the governor will be able to borrow the full $9.9 billion he initially sought. A reduction of a few billion dollars in bonding would save New Jersey taxpayers many billions more in repayments in future years.”
Greenstein/Oroho Bill to Boost New Jersey Manufacturing Clears Committee
In an effort to improve the competitiveness of New Jersey manufacturers, legislation to establish a permanent new source of funding for the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP), cleared the Senate Labor Committee today. The funding would be up to $1.5 million. The bill is sponsored by Senator Linda Greenstein and Senator Steve Oroho.
Senator Oroho’s legislation to help increase the competitiveness of manufacturers in the state and establish permanent funding for the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. was advanced by the Senate Labor Committee today. (SenateNJ.com)
“As a member of the Manufacturing Caucus, I am proud to sponsor this legislation to ensure the State’s support of the manufacturing sector that New Jersey residents depend on,” said Senator Oroho (R-Morris/Sussex/Warren). “The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program will help grow jobs and strengthen the State’s manufacturers in the competitive global market. Without costing taxpayers anything, this bill will help increase our share of high-paying jobs and encourage manufacturers to expand here.”
Oroho Bill to Improve Broadband Speeds and Quality in Rural Areas Clears Senate
The Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho that would bring faster, more reliable internet service to rural areas of New Jersey.
The Senate cleared Senator Oroho’s measure that would bring faster, more reliable internet service to rural areas of New Jersey. (©iStock)
Parts of the state with inferior broadband service, including portions of Sussex and Warren counties in Oroho’s legislative district, would benefit from the bill (S-1458) to bring state-of-the-art technology to communities currently underserved by cable providers.
“Too many neighborhoods in my district are hindered by slow internet speeds and it has taken a toll,” said Oroho (R-24). “Most communities across New Jersey enjoy lightning-fast downloads, but in less populated rural towns, internet users remain stuck in the slow lane.”
