Today, advocates from across New Jersey, joined by Senator Britnee Timberlake, rallied at the Statehouse to demand tax justice at the state and federal levels just a few days before Governor Phil Murphy’s final budget address.
As Murphy prepares to deliver his final budget address on Tuesday, February 25, advocates made clear that he faces a choice: balance the budget through cuts to programs and services that people rely on, or raise new revenue by targeting wealth and big corporations. Collectively, the coalition called for more taxes on the wealthy to make New Jersey more resilient to the chaos happening in Washington, DC, and allow the state to support and invest in working families who are feeling the pinch of rising costs.
“The federal government, right now, is saying to states, “If you don’t get on the same page as our agenda, we will cut your funding; we’ll roll it back. That’s why it’s important for the entire [NJ] legislature to make sure we’re filling gaps, so if the federal government wants to pull their support, we step forward and say, ‘Not here in NJ!’”, called New Jersey Senator Brittnee Timberlake. “We call on corporations to even step up and fill some of the funding gaps. We call for a hard look at the budget that Gov. Murphy is working on right now to make sure we’re filling some of the budget gaps that are coming out of or being created out of Washington’s nonsense.”
The rally also drew attention to looming federal threats, as Congress considers massive tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations at the expense of Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and other critical state funding streams that working families rely on. With $27.5 billion in federal expenditures flowing into New Jersey annually, the chaos in Washington, DC is creating significant uncertainty.
“We are seeing at the federal level what happens when the government serves billionaires and the wealthy instead of helping those who need it most. We can’t let that happen in New Jersey — our state budget needs more revenue to stop the cuts to critical programs like schools and bridges that people count on,” said Peter Chen, Senior Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective.
Today the coalition presented a united front, supporting a range of popular, proven revenue-raising solutions that target the ultra-wealthy and highly profitable corporations—not working families. These measures, which have strong public support, are key to creating a more resilient and just state budget.
“Our FY2026 budget must maintain funding for essential community and social safety net programs,” said Maura Collinsgru, Director of Policy and Advocacy for New Jersey Citizen Action. “New Jerseyans are struggling to keep pace with the rising costs of healthcare, child care, groceries, housing and other essentials. We must find ways to raise revenues to address any deficit issues rather than considering cuts to programs and services families depend on to make ends meet. That includes taxing the very wealthy and our most profitable corporations. We urge our state lawmakers to put the interests of New Jerseyans living paycheck-to-paycheck above tax relief for the very wealthy and politically connected.”
“Any cuts to state programs and services would put families like mine into crisis,” said Mercedes Morán, a community leader and member of Make the Road New Jersey. “I’m calling on Governor Murphy and New Jersey leaders to stand with working families like mine and make the wealthy pay what they owe. Let’s set an example for other states — while Congress considers the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, New Jersey needs to set an example and make it clear that we stand with working families.”
“For too long, we’ve been told to sacrifice more—work longer hours, pay higher taxes, stretch our families thinner. But when do they sacrifice? When do they pay their fair share?” said Trina Scordo, executive director of NJ Communities United. “We stand here—childcare workers, parents, and allies—to demand New Jersey tax millionaires and billionaires, and invest that revenue where it belongs: in us. This is our vision: A New Jersey where we fund dignity, not disparity. Where we unite, from cribs to communities, to demand a future that works for the many—not the few.”
“At a time when we are seeing so many federal cuts, it is incredibly important that as a state, we fully fund public healthcare, including the only public hospital in New Jersey, University Hospital in Newark,” said Debbie White, RN, HPAE President. “We know that the budget cuts by the new administration will benefit the wealthy at the expense of our most vulnerable populations. Our poor, our underserved and our under and uninsured populations need public health. We must protect the citizens of New Jersey by ensuring that our public health systems stay intact.”
“In this time of grave federal crisis of cuts, layoffs and a general dismantling of government, our New Jersey state legislators must have their priorities straight: now is not the time to continue favoring the already well-off! We demand tax justice so that we can overcome the federal threats,” said Dennis Trainor, Vice President CWA District 1.
“Instead of proposing a budget that fights for working-class New Jerseyans, Governor Murphy and Legislative Democrats are mimicking the Trump-Musk Administration playbook—gutting essential services and spending in every single town across the state,” said Ben Dziobek, Climate Revolution Action Network founding member and Executive Director. “Governor Murphy, is this the legacy you want to leave behind?—caving to corporate interests, draining critical funds, and stalling New Jersey’s future just to appease your wealthy friends?”
“Last month, New Jersey made national news when heavily armed ICE agents raided a large-scale employer in one of the most immigrant-rich neighborhoods in our state’s largest city. But you wouldn’t know it based on the committee agendas in Trenton,” said Amy Torres, Executive Director with New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. ”One in three workers in NJ’s essential infrastructure economy is an immigrant. Immigrant New Jerseyans pay over $3 billion in taxes each year with undocumented immigrants making up $1.3 billion in state and local taxes alone. Enough is enough. I refuse to let lawmakers talk about fiscal cliffs unless they tell us how they’re protecting our most precious resource- our people. Governor Murphy stood here just last month and said, ‘I will never back down from defending our New Jersey values — if and when they are tested.’ Well, now is the time. New Jersey must invest in immigrant legal services, language access, and legislation that defends our communities.”
Watch a recording of the press event here.
Download photos of the press event here.
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For The Many is a statewide coalition of more than 40 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.
