Dunn says Dems add 'pork and eleventh hour deals' to state's budget

By West Morris Reporter, newjerseyhills.com

Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, R-Morris, says that when an initial quote skyrockets due to extra expenses, it’s called junk fees.

“In Trenton, it’s called business as usual,” she said.

“And it happens to taxpayers every June,” said Dunn, a former member of the Assembly Budget Committee.

“Democrats add these so-called Christmas tree items, all this pork, at the eleventh hour through backroom deals, leaving the public and Republicans in the dark until well after the budget is passed and signed. It must stop.”

She said the Assembly Republican Conference united by refusing to submit any budget resolutions—pet project tack-ons that bloat an already record-busting proposal—in response to Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s “ironic” call for fiscal restraint, despite her delivering a proposed $60.7 billion budget back in March, $1.9 billion more than her predecessor’s final spending bill.

“The governor rightly pointed out that we can’t afford this process anymore. It is not accountable. It is not efficient. And yes, New Jersey taxpayers deserve better,” Dunn said. “But we need real change backed by law, not simply winks and handshakes to try better.”

Budget resolutions must be posted for public scrutiny by June 1, a full month before a spending bill must be signed into law to avert government shutdown, under a bill (A3805) that Dunn again introduced at the start of this new legislative term. Currently, rules adopted by Senate and General Assembly Democrat leaders allow members to file budget resolutions as late as 14 calendar days prior to passage of the appropriations bill and do not prescribe a date those resolutions must be made public.

During former Gov. Phil Murphy’s tenure, according to Dunn, budget resolutions weren’t made available until August.

“I remember my own frustrations when I was a member of the budget committee, being handed a document of hundreds of pages just minutes before I was expected to vote on it,” Dunn shared. “And although I have nothing but respect for the budget committee chairwoman, we on the minority side got shrugged off when we complained, often and loudly, about the lack of transparency and timeliness. Multiply that by 9 million and that’s the apathy shown toward New Jersey residents. We’re all left out of the process.”

And some are more left out than others, she said.

Dunn wants the state constitution amended (ACR128) to eliminate sweetheart deals that benefit a municipality, school district, nonprofit or other non-State agency based on political connections, not true need.

“There needs to be accountability on earmarks. Knowing who controls the purse strings shouldn’t be the criterion for receiving taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” Dunn said. “Instead, funds should be distributed judiciously, based on true need and merit.”

A recent NJ Spotlight News analysis found more than 80% of legislatively sponsored spending in the current budget went to Democratic-controlled districts.

“Republicans have made the commitment to honor the governor’s call for fiscal restraint,” Dunn said. “Will she ultimately honor her own call?”

Dunn represents the 25th Legislative District, which includes Boonton Township, Butler, Dover, Harding Township, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Madison, Mendham Borough and Township, Mine Hill, Morristown, Morris Township, Mount Arlington, Randolph, Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens, and Wharton.