the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) responded to the Murphy Administration’s release of a long-overdue proposal for the allocation of billions in federal pandemic relief funds that were delivered to New Jersey in May through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“I look forward to finally having the opportunity to review the Murphy administration’s proposal for using billions in federal relief funds that were sent to New Jersey six months ago,” said Oroho, the Senate Republican Budget Officer and incoming Republican Leader. “At first blush, however, it appears the administration’s plan is grossly incomplete and fails to address key needs for New Jersey. Many months ago, Republicans offered a detailed proposal that would help workers and small businesses, support tenants and landlords, invest in infrastructure improvements, fix broken computer systems at unemployment and the MVC, and prevent unnecessary tax increases on employers. Unfortunately, most of those important priorities still haven’t been addressed.”
Oroho serves as a member of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC), which must review and approve the governor’s plan for the use of the federal funds. A PDF of the Governor’s proposal can be viewed here.
After the state’s $6.2 billion allocation under ARPA was reported in April, the Republican members of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee outlined a framework for the State of New Jersey to responsibly utilize the federal relief funds with legislative approval.
In June, the Republican proposal was formalized through a budget resolution submitted to legislative leaders, which Democrats failed to act upon.
Throughout the summer, Republicans pushed the Murphy administration to put the billions in idle funds to use. In August, Republican Budget Committee members sent a letter to Governor Murphy and the Democrat co-chairs of the JBOC expressing concern that just 0.005% of the $6.2 billion had been deployed.
In early September, Senate and Assembly Republicans urged their Democrat colleagues to sign a petition that would force Governor Murphy to call a special session of the Legislature to put the federal funds to work to prevent a payroll tax increase on employers and restore stability to the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund.
Not a single Democrat responded to any of the Republican proposals offered since April while billions in federal relief funds sat unused in a State bank account.
Oroho noted that the administration’s new proposal only addresses a few hundred million dollars of the billions available, providing the opportunity for the governor and his team to come back with a better plan.
“Unfortunately, months have been wasted, taxes have been raised on small businesses, and New Jersey now has the 3rd highest unemployment rate in the nation,” Oroho added. “All of that could have and should have been prevented. The Murphy administration can’t undo the harm that’s already been done, but it can work to enact a comprehensive plan as we’ve proposed using the billions in relief funds that are still available.”
Moron Murphy allocates $265 million for some kooky wind power project in some creek in south Jersey while he allocates ZERO to replenish the NJ Unemployment Insurance Fund (instead he forces NJ small businesses to pay more in taxes).
The stupidity of Murphy never stops.
It just sickening to see people running the State as if it was there money. If businesses ran their companies the way our elected officials run our government they would be unemployed.
it’s a disgrace that we still had a mail ballot option for voters for this past governors election. Why ? we were wide open !! this is a complete and utter collusion and corruption at its best no one has questioned it . No one . i wanna know who voted for this guy ?
You idiots voted for Murphy. He said “if taxes are your issue, NJ isn’t your state” . NJ deserves what they get- I’ll be moving out of state this year. You’re like a bunch of frogs in boiling water. Our state is broken. Keep putting Goldman Sachs wealth managers in office – so many stupid people in one state. IQ must average 25. Clearly we must rank as the most uneducated- who else would make this choice for Governor? Keep giving stimulus money. Why should lower income folks work?
Where are our local representatives.? How can this be real seeing our tax dollar used for BS wind farm while we small business people get nothing. At the least use some of this money for this unemployment increase.
These politicians are all mostly criminals pretending to be a caring politician.
Wasn’t this all covered in the great statewide conversation after which the electorate made a careful and thoughtful decision that the California model and NJ would be…….PERFECT TOGETHER?
“Keep putting Goldman Sachs wealth managers in office ”
NJ Governor: Welfare for ex-Goldman Sachs rejects
yes ….ex-Goldman Sachs rejects
Oh!!!!! Murphy’s spending and giving money to the illegals here in NJ, now living in the military bases!!! I hope nobody forgot about this! We are paying our taxes for this. These people are dimwits, no education! What good are they? I guess Murphy will take them to work on his billionaire home!
I am so tired of Libtards destroying this country !!!
“You idiots voted for Murphy. ”
Well, a small portion, anyway.
A large portion of his support is from the people who like politicians who rob Peter………….
I can’t even get my unemployment and it’s a year, I keep getting told someone will contact me and no one has of of yet , but they want to give illegals free housing , healthcare and 450 thousand dollars .
WTH!
They need to get the people they owe money to for unemployment before they worry about any one else’, Americans first.