Double-Checking Murphy’s Math: Governor’s Claims About Tax Cuts Hold Up

njspotlightnews.org

As a card-carrying progressive, Gov. Phil Murphy is hardly known for being a tax-cutter and instead was frequently portrayed during last year’s gubernatorial election as being dismissive of concerns about high taxes in New Jersey.

But there was Murphy — a Democrat who won reelection in November — going out of his way during last week’s inaugural address to highlight over a dozen individual tax cuts that have been enacted since he took office in early 2018.

Murphy didn’t identify each tax cut individually, but he said his administration has collectively delivered “hundreds of millions of dollars in direct tax relief, for our middle-class and working families and seniors.”

A closer look at the tax cuts by NJ Spotlight News largely confirmed his claims and showed a nuanced strategy. But in a state where arguing over taxes can verge on blood sport, the governor’s cuts have hardly put him in the conservative fiscal camp, as Republicans say far more can be done to provide real relief.