Home>Feature>State budget to be pushed to September

Gov. Phil Murphy, left, with Senate President Steve Sweeney before the governor delivers his annual budget address to a joint session of the New Jersey Legislature on February 25, 2020. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor.)

State budget to be pushed to September

Murphy, legislative leaders working on plan to postpone state budget issues until after coronavirus pandemic ends

By David Wildstein, March 31 2020 9:29 pm

Update: Murphy, Sweeney and Coughlin agree to extend New Jersey tax deadline from April 15 to July 15, and extend state budget to September 30. 

New Jersey has decided to extend the current state budget until September 30, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

The four-month delay means Gov. Phil Murphy and the legislature can avoid postponing budget negotiations as the state deals with the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity say that an agreement between Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is in place. The two legislative leaders have briefed their budget chairs, Paul Sarlo and Eliana Pintor Marin, sources say.

The current state budget is due to expire at midnight on July 1.

The governor’s office and the Office of Legislative Services are working on legal language to justify the extension.  The state requires a new budget every July 1.

Murphy has said that he expects COVID-19 to create a dire fiscal emergency long after the current health emergency is over.

It is not immediately clear if Murphy will use his current state budget or start from scratch.

POLITICO first reported today that Murphy and the legislature were considering the move.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused hardships, financial strain, and disruptions for many New Jerseyans and New Jersey businesses. As part of our response, we have reached agreement that the state income tax filing deadline and the corporation business tax filing deadline will be extended from April 15th to July 15th,” Murphy, Sweeney and Coughlin said in a joint statement.  “Additionally, as part of the whole-of-government effort that is going into fighting COVID-19, we have agreed that the state fiscal year should be extended to September 30th. This will allow the Administration and the Legislature to focus fully on leading New Jersey out of this crisis, and to allow for a robust, comprehensive, and well-informed budget process later in the year. We are committed to working together to enact the necessary legislation and supplemental appropriations to accomplish these goals.”

This story was updated on April 1 at 9:38 AM with a statement from the governor and legislative leaders.

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