NJ Gov. Murphy Has A Message On Raising Taxes Next Year (Video)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy had a Christmas message about raising taxes next year. You may not find it very merry.

During a press conference, Murphy said "everything is on the table" when asked if he and the state Legislature plan to raise taxes next year.

Murphy, speaking in the below video, said "it's too early to tell; we're still in the early stages" when asked directly whether he plans to raise the income tax next year, given his plans to provide breaks on county college tuition and other potential costly initiatives.

"I would say eveything is on the table. Period. Full stop," he said. "I would like to frankly provide tax relief to certain communities in our state."

Murphy, who didn't identify the communities, said the issue could come down to "tax fairness" and whether the middle class and the working poor are getting their fair shake.

"It's not too early to talk about principles, things that we care about, and tax fairness is still on that list," he said. "Is the midde class getting the shake that they deserve? Are the folks who are working poor or in poverty, are they getting the path into the middle class that that they deserve?"

After Murphy made his remaks, Senate President Steve Sweeney responded, saying there is "a path forward for New Jersey that fixes fiscal problems and restores economic growth but tax increases are not part of the solution."

"Until we make the desperately needed structural reforms to government spending and fiscal practices, we will not consider tax increases," he said. "Ignoring the need for fiscal reforms will only allow the deeply rooted financial practices that have plagued the state for too long to continue and become worse.

Sweeney, echoing Murphy's words, then said:

"Left unaddressed, we won’t have the resources or the ability to address the needs of the people of New Jersey or invest in the programs and services that can expand economic opportunities. Period, full stop. I am fully committed to making the reforms needed to produce real and lasting progress on the state’s fiscal practices and economic conditions. Period, full stop.”

Murphy said he wants to make sure that "everbody is paying their fair share" and "we made the first series of investments in what is a long journey, and we have to have means to pay for them, and we have to be guided by tax fairnesss."

"I take nothing off the table on Dec. 19," he said. "I don't know why I would take anything off the table. That doesn't make sense."

Murphy addresses the tax issue at 1:04:10 in the video:

Photo/video courtesy of NJTV, YouTube