PRESS RELEASE: New Jersey Republicans Are Standing Up For Firefighters

Press release from NJGOP:

Trenton, NJ - Earlier this week, it was discovered that Governor Murphy plans to raid $33 million from a state fund that pays for the burials of fallen firefighters, provides financial assistance for first responders hit with medical bills, and provides in-home health care for those who are aging and suffering from physical ailments.

Republican officials across New Jersey are outraged and standing up for firefighters and first responders. 

Here is a quick round up of their public comments:

New Jersey Republican Chairman Doug Steinhardt: "New Jersey's brave firefighters and first responders are there for us, and now we all need to come together with one loud voice and be there for them. Governor Murphy is continuing the dangerous trend of reckless spending that so far has defined his Administration. Rather than reign in spending Murphy raids firemen’s burial funds to fuel ultra liberal handouts like financial aide for illegal immigrants or so-called free college. We can’t let Governor Murphy buy liberal headlines at the expense of our heroes."

Senator Declan O'Scanlon: “Firefighters are a critical component of our public safety and first responder community. These funds should be used for the betterment of our firefighters and perhaps improvement of the state of the sector itself, not to plug up completely unrelated budget holes. Since the issuance of the Comptroller’s report we have been reaching out to stakeholders to discuss the best way to expand access to, and manage the fund to fortify the firefighting community without destroying the fund’s primary intent.”

Senator Steve Oroho: “The Murphy administration has patted itself on the back about how they have reduced raids on dedicated funds. Funds for the firefighter relief programs have been sacrosanct whereby past administrations and legislatures have said ‘hands off;’ this administration must do the same.”

Assemblyman Anthony Bucco: “Gov. Murphy vowed against raiding the clean energy, unemployment compensation, and affordable housing funds to plug budget holes, but he’s willing to take money away from firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect our citizens. He doesn’t have his priorities straight. It’s a disgrace that the governor would fund his agenda on the backs of firefighters.”

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso: "As a first responder, I am absolutely floored by this proposal! 80% of fire fighters are volunteers! These men and women run towards danger, for no reward other than helping a fellow resident. As an assemblywoman I am embarrassed by this tactic! Do your job Gov #cutspending ... Stop raiding funds from those who give selflessly. They ask for so little in return. These brave souls deserve more!"

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi: "For the men and women who put their lives on the line every time they answer a call, I will be voting no on this if it comes before the legislature."

Assemblyman Kevin Rooney: “Governor Murphy, once again, refuses to acknowledge New Jersey’s affordability crisis. Instead of cutting spending, Murphy’s budget relies on gimmicks that take funding away from our first responders. Stealing from our firefighters does not create a ‘stronger and fairer New Jersey.’ Murphy should be cutting spending and saving taxpayer money.”

Assemblyman Parker Space: “Whether you are a volunteer or a career firefighter or their loved ones, making sure these men and women who give of themselves for their communities are taken care of in a time of need is paramount and these funds are dedicated for such purposes and shouldn’t be ransacked for progressive causes. Just like the ‘dedicated’ 9-1-1 funds for counties which continue to be raided to the EMS training funds money raided by Corzine a decade ago, these budget gimmicks have got to end.”

Assemblyman Hal Wirths: “As Labor Commissioner, I saw firsthand how years of raiding the Unemployment Trust Fund for budgetary purposes so politicians of both parties could continue to spend without making tough decisions was bankrupting the fund. These funds for firefighters should be protected from the yearly budget negotiations as it was intended and it is a travesty that firefighters and their families are being dragged into it.”

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First He Took Money From Veterans, Now Governor Murphy Wants To Take Money From Firefighters

Remember that time it was pointed out on our radio show that it was “’uncomfortably coincidental’ that up to $2 million was cut from our veterans while Governor Phil Murphy can find $2 million for a defense fund for illegal immigrants?”

Well, now it appears Murphy is done screwing over our veterans and instead has decided to try and screw the state’s firefighters in this year’s budget proposal. Only this time it looks like folks are paying attention.

Someone discovered a line in Murphy’s budget proposal that takes $33 million from the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association and places that money in the state’s general fund. The line doing so is on page 552 of the 592-page document:

Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.54:18-1, or any law or regulation to the contrary, $33,000,000 of the amount deposited with the New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall be transferred to the General Fund as State revenue.

Apparently we aren’t the only ones to think taking money from our firefighters is disgusting. According to an NJ.com article on the issue:

Now, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration wants to divert $33 million from that fund to spend on its own agenda, an under-the-radar maneuver that critics are calling “horrendous” and a threat to the neediest of firefighters. It means no new money would come into the fund this year.

The Murphy administration’s answer to the money being taken from the firefighters is ridiculous. From the same NJ.com article:

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Treasury, Jennifer Sciortino, said the firefighters’ fund will still have plenty of money and the $33 million will help the state “meet our many obligations, which includes funding the firefighters’ pension system.”

“The healthy reserves maintained in the Firefighter’s Fund will enable them to continue supporting their critical mission,” she said.

The way I read that is because the firefighters have “healthy reserves” they manage their money wisely so the governor will punish them.

Last year Murphy managed to take money from our veterans, but now folks are paying attention so maybe we’ll be able to keep him from taking money from our firefighters.

Time will tell. You can view all 502 pages of Murphy’s proposed budget here.

Governor Phil Murphy Finally Discovered South Jersey

Phil Murphy

There has been a lot of news coverage lately of Governor Phil Murphy’s assault on the billions of dollars of tax incentives given to companies moving to Camden. See here, here and here for more. Even former Governor Chris Christie got into the act.

To me, it looks more like a heavyweight boxing match with Governor Murphy in one corner and George Norcross in the other. They are slugging it out! And, who doesn’t love a good political fight? The fight is even better when a group of Democrats fight with the state’s Governor from the same party.

It’s not my intention to get into whether or not the billions of dollars in tax breaks given to companies moving to Camden are a good or bad thing, everyone already has their thoughts on that issue, but the fight is fun to watch.

I will say that back in February I wrote about a sweetheart deal in which a piece of Camden waterfront property was transferred for the total sum of two dollars ($2.00) and how I found that to be odd.

Anyway, back to the fight. One has to wonder what Murphy’s endgame is here. Is he going after Norcross as a way to punish New Jersey’s Senate President Steve Sweeney?

Why even pick this fight? It’s not like Murphy has ever cared about South Jersey before.

We can argue all day long about how good former Governor Chris Christie was, but at least he paid attention to South Jersey – even when I wished he would stay away.

My point? Whether I agreed with him or not, Christie paid at least a little bit of attention to South Jersey. It appears to me the only time Murphy cares about anything in South Jersey is when he can mess with Sweeney – like the time Murphy decided to veto the minutes of a South Jersey Port Corporation meeting. Politico did a detailed piece on that Murphy stunt in which they wrote:

Gov. Phil Murphy this week vetoed the minutes of a South Jersey board stacked with allies of Senate President Steve Sweeney after the directors refused Murphy‘s request to cut ties with the agency’s general counsel.

Basically, Murphy vetoed those meeting minutes to pick a fight with Sweeney.

All this leads me to ask again, Why is Murphy picking this fight? Murphy was for tax breaks when they benefited him. Some Camden County Democrats even proved that point when, according to New Jersey Globe they said:

“We find it surprising and hypocritical that Governor Murphy has happily accepted $165 million in tax credits when he was on the management committee at the huge and lucrative firm, Goldman Sachs, and was fully prepared to give away $5 billion to the planet’s richest company, Amazon, but has feverishly insinuated without proof that irregularities “exist for tax programs that would help Camden, the Democrats said. “It must have been okay for him and Amazon because he was moving his firm to Jersey City and Amazon was considering moving to Newark.”

Frankly, that’s a good line of attack. Murphy, according to Wikipedia, retired from Goldman Sachs in “2005-06.” Yet according to a December 2003 New York Times article Goldman Sachs was “seeking subsidies to build in New York, where its headquarters have long been located.” At the time, the 42-story tower Goldman Sachs was builing in Jersey City was nearing completion – a building that received considerable tax breaks.

Camden County Democrats are absolutely right to call out Murphy on his hypocrisy over tax incentives.

I frequently complain that South Jersey Republicans always get excited when someone goes after Norcross. This time, there might be a reason to get excited because if we pay attention to this fight it is likely the Democrats fighting with Murphy might give us some useful information for 2021.

Stay tuned because this fight isn’t going to end anytime soon and, if we’re lucky, Murphy will continue to show exactly what a big hypocrite is.