Assemblyman Alex Sauickie said on Mar. 9 that he plans to count how many times Governor Mikie Sherrill blames Washington during the upcoming budget message, arguing that New Jersey’s affordability crisis is caused by state-level spending and policy decisions.
Sauickie said the focus on Washington distracts from what he sees as the real causes of financial strain for residents. He stated, “If blaming Washington is the theme of the speech, I’ll be keeping a tally. The real causes are years of spending and poor policy decisions made in Trenton.”
He acknowledged that the administration has recognized a projected structural deficit of about $3 billion but noted that Republicans believe the shortfall could be closer to $4 billion. Over the past eight years, New Jersey’s budget has increased from $35 billion to $60 billion, which Sauickie described as the largest spending increase under a single governor in more than a century. He pointed out that property taxes now average over $10,500 annually and other costs such as utility bills, tolls, transit fares, and insurance have also risen.
“That unchecked spending has fueled New Jersey’s affordability crisis,” Sauickie said. “Families are paying more in taxes, and fees and bills while too many services continue to decline.” He attributed these challenges to overspending, political patronage, energy policies reducing reliable in-state generation, and sanctuary-state policies straining public services.
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s address, Sauickie called for prioritizing core areas: “It’s about priorities,” he said. “Education, law enforcement, health care, seniors, veterans and infrastructure should come before billions of dollars in pet projects.” He added that controlling spending would allow for meaningful tax relief: “Residents are already taxed more than enough. If we control spending, we can finally deliver meaningful tax relief and let people keep more of what they earn.”
John DiMaio is another legislator who has played significant roles within New Jersey government. DiMaio served on the Warren County Board of Freeholders from 2000 to 2009 according to the official legislative roster. He represents District 23—which includes Hackettstown—and joined the General Assembly in 2009 before becoming Minority Leader in 2022 according to the official legislative roster. DiMaio also held positions such as Appropriations Officer from 2012 to 2017 and Budget Officer from 2018 to 2019 as per the official legislative roster. His experience includes serving as mayor of Hackettstown from 1991 to 1999 according to the official legislative roster.
The debate over state versus federal responsibility for New Jersey’s fiscal challenges is expected to continue as lawmakers prepare for further discussions following Tuesday’s budget address.
