By Rev. Charles Loflin
Ready or not, it’s THAT time of year again! The tell-tale signs of inevitable seasonal change are unmistakable. Now is the time to prepare for necessary action in the near future. Perhaps that conjures for you images of spring cleaning, early garden preparation or aspirational wardrobe rotation. As much as I’m really looking forward to the prospect of some warmer weather, the seasonal change I’m referencing is of a different nature.
For the New Jersey State Legislature, it’s Budget Season. While that may not fill you with the same joyous expectation as the promise of spring flowers, it is nevertheless a necessary part of the work to build a more just New Jersey. As our friends at New Jersey Policy Perspective put it, “The state budget is much more than numbers and line items — it is a reflection of New Jersey’s priorities and values.”
Let’s take a quick look at how the budget process works in New Jersey, consider some resources to help understand the dynamics at play, and some practical suggestions for advocating for Unitarian Universalist values in the process.
How the budget process works in New Jersey.
To better understand the process, working backward from the statutory requirements is helpful.
- The NJ Constitution requires a balanced budget
- A budget must be signed into law by June 30th (or trigger a state shutdown)
- The NJ Office of Management and Budget (OMB) projects revenue and expenses
- The Governor proposes a budget
- The Legislature holds public hearings, drafts and passes an Appropriations Act
- Legislators and the Governor negotiate the final budget
The “usual” calendar looks like this:
- September—January: OMB Revenue & Expense Projections
- January—February: State of the State, Governor’s Budget Proposal
- February—May: OLS Revenue Projections/Hearings
- May—June: Budget MAYHEM! Negotiations & Voting on Appropriations Act
- June 30: Statutory deadline to pass a NJ Constitutionally required balanced budget
- July—August: Legislators “return to district” to hear from community
- September: OMB Begins Revenue and Expense projections for the next year
What isn’t mentioned above is the heavy lobbying from industry and special interests that happens every step along the way. Additionally, New Jersey has a well-earned reputation for passing “secret” budget resolutions for pet projects without sufficient transparency.
Our friends at New Jersey Policy Perspective have articulated 3 high-level goals that would help make for greater transparency in the budgeting process, which include:
- Set a real deadline to finalize the legislative budget by June 1. This would allow ample time for thorough review by all parties. Passing a budget that literally no one has read through in its entirety is bad process
- Meaningful public feedback is needed. Requiring a minimum of 14 days between release of the final budget and its vote would help facilitate this. Currently, the public testimony is largely ceremonial (if not blatantly performative)
- Move to multi-year projections. Currently, OMB only looks at one year projections for both expenses and revenue. This creates a less accurate and less sustainable system. It also promotes one-off “gimmicks” to achieve a “balanced budget” that obfuscates structural issues
Governor Sherrill delivered her inaugural budget address on Tuesday, March 10th (which is a little later than normal which compresses the remaining schedule for this cycle). The Legislature has announced the schedule of public hearings (see below for more details).
Tools and Resources
- Governor Sherrill’s budget address: watch the video or read the address.
- NJ Legislature Website: https://njleg.state.nj.us/
- On the home page, scroll down to the New Jersey Budget section where you will find:
- Online Registration for the Budget Public Hearings
- Budget Hearing Schedules for the Senate and Assembly
- Governor’s Proposed Budget for FY27 (aka Budget in Brief)
- On the home page, scroll down to the New Jersey Budget section where you will find:
- New Jersey Policy Perspectives website is a great starting resource, especially the Tax and Budget section
Practical Suggestions to Advocate for yoUUr values:
Get informed
Work to understand the “big picture”. Leverage some of the tools listed above to analyze the highlights and the lowlights
Get involved
It is important to understand that while legislative committees continue to hold hearings during the budget process, the reality is that most legislation takes a “back seat” to the budget process. Legislation CAN still move, and, in fact, as part of the budget negotiating and deal making process, select legislation WILL see action as the budget deadline draws near.
To be an effective advocate, not only for a just budget (remember, tax justice IS social justice) but also for priority legislation that may see action as part of the negotiation, a strategic approach is necessary. Participating in the budget public testimony process IS important but is often ignored. Traditional advocacy tools like phone calls, emails, and direct meetings with legislators can have a greater impact. As always, target legislative staffers as they are often more influential movers than the legislators themselves.
Get Specific
Know and articulate your values. Read beyond the headlines. Listen to the expertise of coalition partners and center the stories of those most impacted by the real-world consequences of these policy choices. Hold elected officials accountable.
Remember, this is about more than numbers—its about priorities and values. And always remember, tax justice IS social justice.