Helmy suggests compromise with Coughlin in the works

Gov. Phil Murphy’s chief of staff, George Helmy, sent a strong signal today that a fissure with Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin over a senior citizen property tax cut is close to being repaired, possibly resetting a path for a smooth budget process this month.

“Speaker Coughlin has been an incredibly strong partner to Governor Murphy in addressing long-standing inequities in our state and delivering historic property tax relief for our middle-class and working families,” Helmy said.  “While we have serious challenges with the current version of the bill, we share the goal of streamlining the process and delivering even more tax relief to our seniors.  We look forward to working closely with the Speaker to see this relief delivered in this budget.”

Coughlin today agreed to incorporate aspects of Murphy’s senior freeze budget proposal in an amendment to his StayNJ tax cut plan.  Legislative leaders have been working with the governor’s staff to avoid a fight.

“As we negotiate the final tenets of the proposed FY24 State Budget, I am encouraged to see that we all agree more property tax relief is needed for seniors,” Couglin said.  “I look forward to working with the Governor, Senate President and our colleagues as we take the next step to making StayNJ a reality.”

The olive branch comes one day after some of Murphy’s top aides went public with criticism of Coughlin’s plan, suggesting that it was not financially sustainable and might conflict with the administration’s racial equality agenda.

Helmy had called StayNJ “unimplementable.”