Gov Murphy to allocate $1 Billion on Universal Pre-K. The fiscal year 2024 will begin on July 1, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced his spending objectives to start the budget season.
Governor Phil Murphy and Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan visited Montgomery Upper Middle School in Skillman today to highlight the $20.5 billion in the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal to support New Jersey schools. This funding will help grow New Jersey’s education workforce, support academic recovery, increase the availability of college-level courses in high schools, and advance the Governor’s goal of reaching Universal Pre-K. (Photo via https://www.nj.gov/)
His top aims include raising the state’s budget surplus to $10 billion in order to prepare for a potential recession and increasing affordability by maintaining tax reduction programs put in place last year.
According to Murphy, this budget was made specifically with the intention of continuing to build the future New Jersey. A New Jersey that “leads the nation in responsible, common sense, far-reaching solutions to the economic, social, and environmental challenges we currently face and is ready to take on those not yet identified” is one where “every family can afford to realize their American dream, every child can see their opportunity in our shared future, our seniors can afford to retire and live with dignity, and a New Jersey that can afford to retire and live with dignity.”
The Murphy Administration intends to spend a significant amount of money implementing Universal Pre-K, doubling the state’s child tax credit benefits up to $1,000 per child, and allocating an additional $830 million to support K-12 education.
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In addition, the Democrats’ historic $53 billion plan asks for the extension of the Senior Freeze property tax relief program and the continuation of the ANCHOR property tax relief program, which offers tax rebates to more than 2 million residents who qualify.
Murphy’s budget proposal is a “feel good” budget, according to Micah Rasmussen, a political analyst and the director of the Rebovich Institute For New Jersey Politics.
Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree on certain aspects of this budget, according to Rasmussen. Because of the rising expense of paying teachers’ salaries and benefits, as well as the rising cost of education, people should agree to reduce property taxes and increase educational aid.
Investing in early childhood education is a research-backed, cost-effective strategy for boosting long-term U.S. economic growth. For instance, economics Nobel Laureate James Heckman’s analyses of two comprehensive early childhood programs suggest a 7 percent to 13 percent annual return on investment in improved school and labor-market outcomes, as well as reduced public costs in remedial education, health, and criminal justice spending. (Pre-K teacher Epernay Kyles, center, talks about class activities with her students. Photo Credits: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
How does Universal Pre-K work?
A legislative framework known as “Universal Pre-K,” also referred to as “preschool access for all,” guarantees that any family who wishes to enrol their preschool-aged child in a publicly financed, pre-kindergarten care and education program has the option to do so.
While some also cater to three-year-olds, many programs offer early care and education the year before kids start kindergarten. Federal, state, and local financing sources are available to make universal pre-k a reality. Contrary to the conventional public education system, many states let Universal Pre-K programs run by organizations outside of the public school system (such as child care facilities) to obtain money.
Such programs provide early care and education the year before children enter kindergarten, although some also serve three-year-olds. There are a variety of funding mechanisms — federal, state, and local — that can make universal pre-k a reality. Unlike the traditional public education system, many states allow programs outside the public school system (e.g., child care centers) to receive funding to operate pre-k. (Photo via https://earlysuccess.org/)
Rasmussen predicted that lawmakers will make minor modifications as they run for re-election this year, but that the Murphy Administration will mostly get its way.
Both Republicans and progressives expressed some dissatisfaction with Murphy’s idea. Similar in prior elections, the GOP demanded an increase in tax rates, an indexing of tax brackets, and a cap on government expenditure.
Senate Minority Leader Steven Oroho stated, “Murphy’s budget proposal for next year is 5% greater than this year’s budget and it’s 50% bigger than the former administration’s final budget” (R-Sussex). “That is a significant and unsustainable growth in spending in just six years. We already know that a significant portion of the money will likely go toward pork spending, which ought to be used for tax relief.
The 2.5% corporate company tax surcharge for the wealthiest corporations in the state will be eliminated by the end of 2023, according to organizations like New Jersey Citizen Action and the New Jersey Policy Perspective. The last five years have seen it in place.
According to the New Jersey Policy Perspective, eliminating the corporate business tax surcharge would result in the state losing at least $664 million in annual revenue.
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“The majority of New Jerseyans will be hurt by this tax decrease, as it would mainly benefit a small number of the state’s wealthiest firms. Our leaders must invest in New Jersey’s working class over the long term, sustaining those efforts rather than making one-time, flimsy moves. The executive director of New Jersey Citizen Action, Dena Mottola Jaborska, stated that vulnerable neighborhoods cannot quickly achieve upward economic mobility.
Organizations for business, such as the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ), praised the decision. On this year’s increase in expenditure, the chamber, however, had the same reservations as Republican members.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks to reporters during a briefing in Trenton, N.J., Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. Murphy announced plans Monday to lift the statewide COVID-19 mask requirement in schools a month from now because of the rapid easing of the omicron surge, calling the move “a huge step back to normalcy for our kids.” (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
According to Christina M. Renna, president and CEO of the Chamber of Business Southern New Jersey, the $53.1 billion projected budget is the biggest in state history. “The CCSNJ is concerned that in order to maintain this level of year-over-year spending growth, New Jersey will surely need to increase taxes on its already burdened inhabitants and companies.”
Kadja Manuel, a resident of Trenton and a past contender for city council, believes that state legislators would give the state’s capital city, which has been struggling financially for years, first priority when allocating funding.
Trenton, according to Manuel, is a “food desert,” and the city requires more funding to improve access to wholesome foods and medical care.
Every young child in New Jersey will have access to free preschool in the next “several years,” Gov. Phil Murphy and his office said Thursday, a pledge that would fulfill a policy ambition stretching back three decades. (Photo via https://www.northjersey.com/)
“Gov. Christie was only providing us with a few million bucks, Manuel claimed. “Gov. Murphy has made improvements to the funding the state provides Trenton, but it is still insufficient. Supporting [such projects] is the only way to ensure that people in Trenton have access to fresh vegetables, mammograms and other health tests, and COVID immunizations.
For the third year running, Murphy’s budget pays the full amount due to the state pension plans as well as finances a program for first-time homebuyers.
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Also, the second-term Democrat committed to lowering New Jersey’s debt by depositing $2.35 billion into the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund.
