Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Essex), Assembly Budget Committee Chair, issued the following statement Tuesday regarding Gov. Phil Murphy’s Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Address:
“The Governor’s proposed budget plan provides the Legislature with a clear starting point for what promises to be an unprecedented and difficult process. We all recognize that some very tough choices will need to be made in the coming weeks, but there is room for optimism as well.
“I am particularly pleased to see that the proposal we heard today restores funding for a number of important initiatives like the Homestead Benefit and Senior Freeze property tax programs. It also protects the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Each of these provide critical resources to New Jersey families, especially those struggling now.
“This pandemic has created a set of immense challenges that no legislature has dealt with in our lifetimes. As we evaluate and build upon what was presented to us today, our goal is to produce a fair, responsible financial plan that meets the needs of New Jersey’s hard-working residents while also dealing with the harsh realities we all will face over the approaching nine-month fiscal year. As chair, I look forward to working with my fellow members of the Budget Committee, the Speaker’s leadership team, and the Governor over the coming weeks to craft a budget that meets these goals.”