‘Everything on table’ for next year’s budget, Murphy says

Gov. Phil Murphy, at a press conference Wednesday at the Saint James A.M.E. Church in Newark, said “everything is on the table” in response to questions about whether he would consider tax increases for the 2020 budget, which goes into effect July 1.

The Legislature’s two top Democrats, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-3rd District, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-19th District, have repeatedly opposed additional tax increases in next year’s budget.

The current budget includes a $1.5 billion revenue increase through a combination of tax hikes and one-time cash infusions.

“I think we have to ask ourselves, is the middle class getting the shake that they deserve? Are the folks who are working-poor or in poverty, are they getting the pathway into the middle class that they deserve?” Murphy told reporters. “Is everybody paying their fair share?”

The “fair share” argument had been a talking point of Murphy’s during the 2019 budget talks as he pushed for a millionaire’s tax.

But he met opposition from Sweeney and ultimately got a 10.75 percent levy on earners above $5 million. Murphy also unsuccessfully pushed for an increase of the sales tax from 6.625 percent back up to 7 percent, arguing the initial decrease was a “one-shot gimmick” by his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie.

Sweeney backed and ultimately got an increase on the corporate business tax, which will increase by 2.5 percent for two years and then 1.5 percent for another two.