Sweeney won’t rule out shutdown

Senate President Steve Sweeney on Thursday guaranteed the state would have a budget by July 1, but he wasn’t sure whether Gov. Phil Murphy would sign that that budget into law.

“I didn’t say he’ll sign it,” Sweeney said.

Murphy and legislative leaders have found themselves at odds over the millionaire’s tax sought by the former.

Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin staunchly oppose the measure and have repeatedly said they would not include it in this year’s budget.

Those calls come at a time when tensions between Murphy and Sweeney are at an all-time high due to a growing feud between the governor and South Jersey kingmaker George Norcross over tax incentives meted out by the Economic Development Authority.

“Hopefully all three branches will agree,” Sweeney said. “If it’s about a millionaire’s tax and he’s going to shut the government down to raise taxes, that’s on him.”