State of New Jersey Archives: on Budget & Economy


Barbara Buono: My budget work speaks for itself, including $11B deficit

Christie said on April 22nd on NJ101.5 FM's "Ask the Governor" program: "If anyone should know irresponsible it should be Sen. Buono. She's the one, her budget left us with a $2 billion budget deficit in fiscal 10 that I had to fix. Her mistakes. And for 2011 an $11 billion budget deficit. Her mistakes."

Is one legislator--who happens to be running against Christie in November's gubernatorial contest--solely responsible for billions in debt?

Yes, Buono chaired the state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee when the budgets in question were crafted. But governors don't have to keep state spending the same as it ever was. In the case of the $11 billion deficit, [Christie removed over] $3 billion. And it's a little over the top to say that Senator Buono was responsible for the $2 billion shortfall.

But Buono has frequently taken credit for the budgets in question, saying her time as budget chair "speaks for itself."

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2013 N.J. governor debates Apr 28, 2013

Jeff Bell: Market-led recovery instead of stimulus

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Stimulus better than market-led recovery"?

A: Strongly oppose.

Source: Email interview for 2014 N.J. Senate race with OnTheIssues Jul 1, 2014

Joe Kyrillos: Wrong policy: Higher taxes, more spending, more debt

Kyrillos ripped into Menendez with a page from the handbook of his close friend, Gov. Chris Christie. "My opponent Senator Menendez and his colleagues are pursuing what I consider a Jon Corzine economic policy," he said. "Higher taxes, more spending, more debt."

Menendez said as long as Kyrillos is bringing up "ghosts" of past governors, he should acknowledge voting for former Gov. Christie Whitman's borrowing plan to fill gaps in the state's pension system, which he said "exploded the debt."

Source: Newark Star-Ledger on 2012 N.J. Senate debate Oct 10, 2012

Joe Kyrillos: Opposes Jon Corzine economic strategy

Menendez likened Kyrillos' economic positions to those of Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan. Menendez maintained that Kyrillos was in favor of the national budget proposal submitted by Ryan, which calls for eliminating such popular tax breaks as the home-mortgage interest deduction.

Kyrillos, who denied that assertion, meanwhile, tried to tie Menendez to Corzine. After leaving office, Corzine led MF Global, a futures-trading financial firm that collapsed in October 2011, in one of the largest bankruptcies in American history. "He's pursuing a Jon Corzine economic strategy," Kyrillos said of his opponent. "Reelecting him to the Senate would be like sending Jon Corzine to the Senate."

Kyrillos blamed Menendez for New Jersey's economic woes, while the Democrat focused on the money and projects he said he has brought to New Jersey as its senator.

Source: The Bergen Record on 2012 N.J. Senate debate Oct 14, 2012

Murray Sabrin: Supports balanced budget and less spending

The government takes too much of our money and regulates too much of our lives and our businesses. We need to have a balanced budget and less spending in Washington to force the government to tighten its belt and live within its means. We all know if you give a politician an opportunity to spend tax money or send it back to the tax-payers, they will find an excuse to spend the money. A balanced budget and less spending will go a long way towards strengthening the Dollar as will exposing sunshine into the activities of the Federal Reserve. The combination of the Government spending beyond its means and the Federal Reserve printing more money has caused the financial crisis we find ourselves in today. It is against the law for you or I to print funny money, then why isn't against the law for the Federal Reserve to do it? I will be the greatest champion of the tax-payer the United States Senate has ever seen. The Sabrin Solution is to promote freedom.
Source: 2008 N.J. Senate campaign website MurraySabrin.com Nov 1, 2008

Murray Sabrin: Federal Reserve: unelected bureaucrats harming our economy

Dr. "Maverick Murray" Sabrin admonished Ben Bernanke and the rest of the Federal Reserve for increasing taxes on struggling American families by causing rampant inflation throughout the United States. Dr. Murray Sabrin stated, "As American families struggle to pay for rising gas prices, rising food prices, and rising mortgage prices, the unelected Ben Bernanke and the rest of the Federal Reserve continued down its path of increasing these costs with their recent action to lower interest rates."

Sabrin continued, "Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Rob Andrews have ignored the needs of New Jersey seniors by not doing their job. When I am elected to the United States Senate in November, I will hold these unelected bureaucrats accountable for the harm they have inflicted on our economy." Maverick Murray concluded, "The days of 'The Bernanke Bungle' are coming to a close."

Source: Press release, "Federal Reserve", in 2008 N.J. Senate race May 1, 2008

Robert Menendez: Opposes Romney-Ryan budget plan

Menendez likened Kyrillos' economic positions to those of Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan. Menendez maintained that Kyrillos was in favor of the national budget proposal submitted by Ryan, which calls for eliminating such popular tax breaks as the home-mortgage interest deduction.

Kyrillos, who denied that assertion, meanwhile, tried to tie Menendez to Corzine. After leaving office, Corzine led MF Global, a futures-trading financial firm that collapsed in October 2011, in one of the largest bankruptcies in American history. "He's pursuing a Jon Corzine economic strategy," Kyrillos said of his opponent. "Reelecting him to the Senate would be like sending Jon Corzine to the Senate."

Kyrillos blamed Menendez for New Jersey's economic woes, while the Democrat focused on the money and projects he said he has brought to New Jersey as its senator.

Source: The Bergen Record on 2012 N.J. Senate debate Oct 14, 2012

Steve Lonegan: Opposes Hurricane Sandy funding; funding needs more scrutiny

Both [GOP candidates] wanted more scrutiny of Hurricane Sandy funding, and would have resisted voting for the $60 billion funding.

Eck said she would have voted against $60 billion in Sandy funding until further checks and balances were put in place. "So little accountability," she said.

"I did not support it," said Lonegan, a former mayor of Bogota. "I would have voted no."

Source: State Street Wire on 2013 N.J. Senate debate Jul 31, 2013

Tom MacArthur: Fight for a balanced budget amendment

As a Mayor and Councilman, Tom reduced the size of government, cut operating expenditures and balanced the township budget every year he was in office. Under Tom's leadership, his town earned a AAA bond rating for exceptional fiscal management. In Congress, Tom will fight for a balanced budget amendment that will force government to live within its means, better focus our spending priorities and protect future generations from being buried in debt that they didn't incur.
Source: 2014 N.J. House campaign website, TMac4congress.com Nov 4, 2014

Phil Murphy: Netflix production hub shows NJ is ready for our close up

Netflix will create a major production hub at the site of the former Fort Monmouth--a nearly $1 billion dollar investment that will create thousands of permanent, and overwhelmingly union, jobs. The dozen soundstages to be built, along with new housing and hospitality space, will revitalize not just Fort Monmouth but lift the small businesses around it. More than anything, this investment by Netflix makes it clear to all--New Jersey is ready for our close up.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.J. legislature Jan 10, 2023

Phil Murphy: More than $1B to support revitalizing our downtowns

Our downtowns took a beating during the pandemic, and we have committed ourselves to bringing them fully back. We have helped our downtowns and small businesses make it through some very dark times and into the recovery which is still ongoing with more than $1 billion in support. And together, in the budget we passed, we maintained our $50 million investment in the Main Street Recovery Program. And the holiday season saw our downtowns bustling again, as they should be.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.J. legislature Jan 10, 2023

Phil Murphy: Hard to support economy with last century's infrastructure

The fact is: it is hard to support the economy of tomorrow with last century's infrastructure. That is why we are continuing to invest in the future of our transportation system at record levels. This past November, we officially broke ground on the Jersey side of the Hudson Tunnel Rail Project. One of the biggest policy failures in our state's history was when the last administration abandoned this project. We are correcting that mistake.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the N.J. legislature Jan 9, 2024

  • The above quotations are from State of New Jersey Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Budget & Economy.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2024 Presidential contenders on Budget & Economy:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026