John Reitmeyer

1 week ago | njspotlightnews.org | John Reitmeyer

As federal lawmakers consider extending tax breaks for high earners and cutting back social safety-net programs, an influential think tank in New Jersey is urging state policymakers to begin using the state’s own resources more equitably. To do so, a report issued Tuesday by New Jersey Policy Perspective recommends Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers make several changes to a newly established, state-funded tax-relief program called Stay NJ.

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | John Reitmeyer

The major-party nominees seeking to become New Jersey’s next governor are a former state lawmaker hoping his third try is the charm and a sitting congresswoman seeking her first statewide office. The two standard-bearers for their parties, Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill, prevailed Tuesday after a contentious, crowded primary election.

2 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | John Reitmeyer

From Illinois and South Carolina to Mississippi and Alaska, state lawmakers across the U.S. are sending governors annual spending bills ahead of next month’s start of a new fiscal year. In New Jersey once again, it remains unclear when exactly legislative leaders are planning to formally introduce and pass a spending bill for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That uncertainty was on display at the start of Monday’s Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee meeting.

3 weeks ago | njspotlightnews.org | John Reitmeyer

With housing prices rising steadily and aggravating affordability concerns, Gov. Phil Murphy wants to hike fees levied on New Jersey’s priciest real estate sales, a tax increase that would be paid by buyers. Murphy is calling for that tax hike, as well as about $1 billion in other increases, to help narrow a wide gap between how much state government spends and collects from taxes each year.

1 month ago | njspotlightnews.org | John Reitmeyer

Top fiscal experts from Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration are in virtual agreement with the Legislature’s nonpartisan analysts when it comes to forecasting tax collections for the fiscal year that begins July 1. This near-perfect alignment on revenue forecasting resolves one potential sticking point as lawmakers now face the task of drafting the annual spending bill to be approved by the governor by the end of June.