Republicans are waiting to hear what Gov. Mikie Sherrill lays out in her first proposed spending plan, which she is set to deliver to a joint session of the Legislature at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. They’re looking to see how it might be different than the spending under former Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat like Sherrill. For now, they’re saying “we told you so” when it comes to the $3 billion dollar structural spending gap that Sherrill recently laid out.
State Sen. Anthony Bucci (R-Morris) shared what he’s listening for in Tuesday’s address. This interview has been lightly edited.
Joanna Gagis, anchor: What are you hoping to hear or not hear from the governor?
Sen. Anthony Bucco: I think first and foremost, we’re hoping to hear that she does not intend to raise taxes or any additional fees, and that she’s going to address this budget deficit by reducing spending.
I think that that’s critical here. Our residents are living paycheck to paycheck. The cost of living here in New Jersey is going through the roof, and people just can’t take any more at this point. So it’s time to buckle up, live within our means and close this budget deficit by reducing the size of government.
JG: I’ve heard many of your colleagues in the GOP cite a $4 billion deficit; the governor says three. Whose number is right and where do you come up with your number?
AB: A billion here, a billion there, you know, now you’re talking about real money. Look, I think it’s anywhere between $3 billion – $ 4 billion. It’s hard to say.
When you look at the revenue projections and you look at the spending that has taken place over the years, you realize quite quickly that there is a budget deficit of anywhere between $3 billion – $ 4 billion. That’s a lot of money to make up.
I give [Sherrill] credit for coming forward ahead of the budget address and recognizing the position that the state is in. You know, Republicans have been ringing this alarm for the last three years, we said that we were going to reach the fiscal cliff and we finally have. In fact, people are now beginning to say, ‘Well, maybe the Republicans had a point these last few years when we said spending was out of control.’
JG: You would like to see less spending, you said, and you say you want to shrink the size of government. I’ve got to ask you, should the state end its property-tax rebate programs?
AB: I think we have to give our residents some type of property-tax relief. Whether it’s through one of these programs or through returning the energy tax receipts to the municipalities, where they rightfully belong, we need to do something.
Now, I’m concerned that the governor’s not going to have a choice but to cut back on the Stay NJ program. That’s going to be a battle in the Legislature. And that’s going to be part of the difficulty she’s going to have in getting this budget across the finish line.
JG: So where would you make the cuts? Because, and I assume that you’d like to see the state fully-fund its pension obligation, yes?
AB: Yes.
JG: School funding formula?
AB: the school funding formula needs to be changed. Right now, we’re seeing school districts across the state that are facing huge budget deficits. Schools are closing. Kids aren’t getting the education they deserve. So those are part of the reforms that we’ve given to the governor already. Republicans have put these reforms up over the years, and if we had implemented them now, we wouldn’t be in a position we’re in.
JG: How would you reform the school funding formula? What changes specifically would you like to see there?
AB: Well, the school funding formula can’t be built based on politics. And that’s what’s happened in the past. You know, money is going to places that no longer it. Jersey city, Hoboken. You know, those places have to do with less because their tax revenues are more, their income levels are higher.
JG: Jersey City has been on the losing end of that formula for a long time.
AB: We we’ve been on the losing end of the formula in suburban districts forever. And that’s part of the problem.
JG: But how would you reform it? How would you change it?
AB: I think we have to look at each school district and we have to figure out a fair funding formula that gives those school districts the revenue that they need to provide a thorough and efficient education. For far too long, we’ve picked winners and losers. We have a school funding formula that is implemented and then when a school here or there comes up short, we give them supplemental aid. That’s got to stop. The the funding formula should be fair across the board.
There’s a number of municipalities now in the Highlands area that are having a double whammy. Not only are they seeing reduced funding because of the formula, but their tax revenues are decreasing because they can no longer build in those areas and create additional revenues.
JG: And that’s because those are preserved lands, correct?
AB: Correct. And those municipalities have been a good steward of our water supply, for the rest of the state, and they’ve sacrificed in order to do that. Now it’s time for the state to reward them for that sacrifice and follow through on the Highlands Act and reimburse them for the revenue that they’ve lost over the years.
JG: With just a little bit of time that we have left, I want to ask, I know you’re in opposition to a package of immigration bills … But do you think that any limitations should exist here in New Jersey in terms of the way that local officials interact with federal immigration officials and do you have any concerns with how ICE is carrying out operations here in New Jersey?
AB: Well, first and foremost, my opposition to these bills is the fact that it silos our local law enforcement agencies. It doesn’t allow them to communicate with our federal partners, and that’s a mistake. And it’s not just me that’s saying that, it’s our own law enforcement folks that are saying that. The state Chiefs of Police Association opposes the legislation. The PBA opposes the legislation. The FOP opposes the legislation, for those reasons.
We have spent millions of dollars in training and programs for our local law enforcement on community policing. They should be able to communicate with the ICE agents when they are coming into a municipality. If that occurred, it is their opinion that the chaos would be reduced.
