Governor Phil Murphy’s seventh State of the State address is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, and while he wouldn’t reveal much about what he wants to talk about, the governor did tell reporters Monday that he has a major agenda to unveil.
“You might think that if you’re in the eighth year of eight, maybe the cupboard dries up, and I think tomorrow we’re going to prove the opposite is true,” Murphy said. “There are some things that are deadly serious, other elements that we hope we can reach a high C and do things that are really cool that maybe no other states have done before.”
Tuesday isn’t Murphy’s last state of the state — he gets to deliver one just days before he leaves office next year — so it could be seen as a chance to lay out his latest set of priorities.
What is expected of Murphy?
Trenton, NJ — February 27, 2024 — Governor Phil Murphy’s New Jersey Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Address.
This is expected to include initiatives in reproductive rights, property tax relief, education and public safety.
Last year, Murphy announced new initiatives to alleviate medical debt, stay competitive in artificial intelligence and expand access to universal pre-K. Affordability has been a common theme of speech during Murphy’s tenure, including attention to ANCHOR and other tax relief programs.
NJ property taxes: How much money did NJ pay out in ANCHOR property tax credits this year?
The efforts to reform the “outdated” liquor licensing law were also first mentioned during Murphy’s State of the State two years ago alongside the Boardwalk Fund.
But not everything makes the cut; NJ Transit rarely makes overall cuts, and the budget cliff expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars by 2026 never does.
Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Phil Murphy and 2025 NJ State of the State preview