$520K In COVID Funds Spent On New SUVs For Murphy Administration

NEW JERSEY — More than half a million in federal COVID-19 relief funds went toward purchasing vehicles to escort Murphy administration officials, including the governor and lieutenant governor, a New Jersey Treasury memo recently revealed.

The state spent $521,783 to purchase eight SUVs for the New Jersey State Police to transport officials "responsible for responding to the COVID-19 public health crisis." The memo, dated Jan. 17, outlines how the administration spent American Rescue Plan Act funds in Fiscal Year 2022. Politico New Jersey was the first to report the document Wednesday.

The Murphy administration didn't return comment to Patch in time for initial publication. But in the memo, treasury officials said the vehicle purchases were COVID-related. State Police provide security and transportation for Gov. Phil Murphy, Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver and other state officials.

"As part of their many responsibilities, these officials provide leadership and lend support to the State’s COVID-19 recovery efforts at vaccination sites, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and other affected sites," the memo says.

Several Republican lawmakers called out the expenditure.

"Really? 10K families who lost loved ones would disagree," State Sen. Ed Durr (R-3) tweeted in response to the treasury's explanation for the purchases.

The American Rescue Plan Act — a COVID relief package signed into federal law in March 2021 — allocated nearly $200 billion in Fiscal Recovery Funds, which gave each state significant flexibility on how they're spent. New Jersey's state government received $6.4 billion.

Under a deal with legislators, the Murphy administration can decide how to use the funds on items less than $10 million and up to $200 million total.

The state treasury sent the memo Jan. 17 to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, which includes members of the State Senate and Assembly. The document outlines how the state spent $200 million in Fiscal Year 2022, which ran from July 2021 through June of last year.

State Sen. Michael Testa (R-1) called the SUV purchases "despicable."

"It’s disturbing that Governor Murphy and Democrat leaders chose to spend pandemic relief funds to buy new SUVs for the State Police to chauffeur them around the state," Testa said in a statement. "Instead of putting the billions in unspent relief funds that have sat idle in state accounts for two years to effective use, Democrats prioritized their own comfort and convenience over helping people."

Most of the 45 listed items include funds for county health departments, hospitals and first responders. Some of the expenditures included:

• $10 million for the Department of Labor's Return and Earn Program — a $500 incentive for unemployed individuals re-entering the workforce.
• $20 million for Phases I and II of the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund, which supported low-income households excluded from COVID-relief programs.
• $10 million to assist residents facing foreclosures.
• $10 million for license-plate-recognition technology, announced last April to address the rise in car thefts.
• $7 million for gunshot-detection technology, used to help first responders quickly render aid and for police to identify shooters.
• $10 million to support local and regional fire departments.
• $9.2 million to "ensure appropriate staffing at voting locations throughout the state," by raising the daily rate for poll workers from $200 to $300 in the 2021 general election.
• $5 million on baby formula for families in need throughout the state during the shortage.
• $6.5 million on a school-mapping initiative used to enhance safety and help law enforcement respond to emergencies.

The current budget, Fiscal Year 2023, allocates $2.1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds, leaving about $1 billion for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins July 1. Murphy plans to introduce his administration's 2024 budget proposal around late February.

Murphy first declared a COVID emergency in March 2020. He lifted the public-health emergency in June 2021, reaching a deal with lawmakers for the governor to maintain some emergency powers, such as rules regarding vaccines.

However, Murphy re-instated the COVID emergency in January 2022, after legislators refused to extend it, which would have ended the school mask mandate. Murphy then lifted the public-health emergency March 7 — the same day that school-masking requirements expired.