TRENTON– Senator Jean Stanfield, Assemblyman Michael Torrissi and Assemblyman Brandon Umba signaled that tough negotiations led to support for the New Jersey 2024 State Budget that passed Friday. The legislators voted yes on the budget after bringing money back to their towns and taxpayers.
“After a year of advocacy in Trenton, we were able to fight for a state budget that gives school funding back to our districts losing money, provides property tax relief and makes historic commitments to our local towns. While the budget is far from perfect, you have to be in the game to make a difference,” said the 8th Legislative District team of Stanfield, Torrissi and Umba.
“Since becoming an elected official, my number one issue has been affordability, especially when it comes to sky-high New Jersey property taxes. I’m pleased that this year’s budget not only introduces StayNJ, a program to cut senior property taxes in half, increases ANCHOR, a program providing direct relief to renters and property owners, and doubles Energy Tax Receipts for municipalities, it also adopts a budget resolution that our team sponsored. Open Space Pilot funding, which is relied upon by most of the Pineland towns that I represent, will increase by nearly $1.5 million or 20 percent. This money directly helps these towns lower property taxes due to them having such lean budgets,” Umba said.
“Still, there’s work to be done, and we can’t let our foot off the gas. We need to make sure Democrats stick to their promises of property tax relief. I pledge not to vote for any future budget that doesn’t fund the property tax measures put forth in this budget. We need to hold their feet to the fire to make sure this does not become a gimmick,” he continued.
The 8th District Legislative team was also able to negotiate funding to complete a sewer project in Pemberton, park project in Hammonton and a major nursing school expansion for Virtua that will deliver the future generation of nurses to South Jersey.
“We were able to achieve tangible results for our district through our budget negotiations. Not only will every senior, property owner and renter see relief, but the men, women and children of the 8th District will not come up short compared to their North Jersey counterparts. They have advocates who make sure no budget gets passed without them in mind,” Torrissi said.
“For too long, Democrats have made all the rules in Trenton, but this process goes to show that we will not stop fighting to make our voices and your priorities heard,” he continued.
Senator Stanfield wrote two proposals at the beginning of the year that found their way in the budget and on the voting floor on Friday.
“I’m pleased that two of my initiatives to expand the state’s Senior Freeze program were adopted today. These programs will provide thousands of dollars of relief to thousands of previous ineligible seniors. I came into the legislature wanting New Jersey to be a state where people can live, work and retire, and I’m proud that these initiatives will make that last part a little easier,” Stanfield said.
The two programs can be found here:
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