Statement

Governor Sherrill’s First Budget Showed the Way Forward. Now Comes the Hard Part.

The new administration made real progress that still leaves New Jersey unprepared for what's coming

By

Published on Jun 30, 2026 in Tax and Budget

Governor Sherrill signed the Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations Act today. The budget includes increases to revenues, reforms to the Stay NJ senior homeowner subsidy program, and expanded funding for families with children and immigrant households.

In response, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) issues the following statement.

Nicole Rodriguez, President, NJPP:

“Governor Sherrill’s first budget gets some important things right: reforming Stay NJ, closing corporate loopholes, and expanding the Child Tax Credit. Each of those required real political will, and that should be acknowledged.

“But the process behind this budget looks much like the one New Jerseyans have watched for years — agreements reached behind closed doors, spending decisions made with no public input, and a final document lawmakers and residents had little time to review before a vote. That falls short of the transparency Governor Sherrill promised.

“The substance leaves serious work undone, too. Washington is shifting billions of dollars in costs onto states and putting programs families depend on at risk, yet this budget does too little to prepare New Jersey for the fiscal and human toll of those federal cuts. That is a missed opportunity to shore up the state’s finances and protect residents before harder budget choices are made.

“One provision deserves particular scrutiny: a new health insurance assessment that would require employers to ask workers whether they or their family members are enrolled in Medicaid. Compelling employees to disclose sensitive family health information raises real privacy concerns and risks enabling discriminatory hiring or employment decisions, intentional or not. New Jersey should be expanding access to health care, not creating new risks for the workers who need it.

“A $1.4 billion structural deficit remains. $400 million in legislative add-ons was approved without any public accounting of where that money is going. Next year’s budget will be tighter still, and it will require the governor to pursue revenue that doesn’t fall on working families — and to bring the public into that process from the start.”

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Author

  • Nicole Rodriguez, Research Director, is an experienced public policy advocate who researches and advocates for state policy solutions that centers the needs of communities. She is skilled in policy analysis, research, writing, communication, and nonprofit organization and management. Her research interests include labor and economic policy at the intersection of work and family.

    Before joining New Jersey Policy Perspective, Nicole was a Senior Researcher at Community Labor United (CLU), an organization that brings together community and labor partners to speak in one voice on issues that impact working-class families throughout Greater Boston. Specifically, Nicole drove strategic campaigns forward with rigorous research and leadership that stabilize and strengthen low-income families and communities of color.Prior to that, Nicole worked as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, an independent research organization that produces non-partisan policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state’s economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. Nicole has authored numerous reports focusing on family economic security and the state budget.

    She has also worked for foundations, non-profits, and state and local governments in Massachusetts. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Villanova University.

    Email: rodriguez (at) njpp.org | Phone: 609-393-1145 ext. 18
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