Budget Battle Before Soccer Summit

The clock is ticking—by July 1st, lawmakers and the governor must agree on a budget or face a state shutdown, just as a major international soccer tournament looms, promising global attention and revenue. While both sides agree on roughly $59 billion in projected tax revenue, the real battle is over spending priorities: schools, senior tax breaks, and other key programs. The governor’s plan aims to shrink the deficit to under $1.5 billion by cutting proposed projects, but lawmakers push back—especially on the Stay NJ program, which helps seniors with property taxes. The governor wants to cap benefits and lower income limits to save hundreds of millions, while lawmakers may resist. And with economic uncertainty on the rise, she’s pushing to maintain a healthy budget surplus—history proves it’s essential for weathering tough times. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/86b0fd3bb8b93804