The budget committees of the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly have approved a $60.7 billion spending bill. This is the largest budget in the state's history, and it now awaits a final vote and the Governor's signature.

紐澤西州參議院與眾議院的預算委員會已通過一項 607 億美元的支出法案。這是該州歷史上最大規模的預算，目前正等待最終投票及州長簽署。

The budget plan, introduced by Governor Mikie Sherrill, expects a deficit of $1.4 billion, which is slightly lower than previous estimates. To reduce this gap, the administration has cut some programs and introduced new ways to raise money. For example, the 'Stay NJ' property-tax relief program for seniors has been changed; the income limit to qualify has been lowered from $500,000 to $200,000. Furthermore, the state plans to charge a fee to companies with 50 or more employees who use Medicaid. This measure is expected to bring in $145 million, although some business groups argue it could lead to legal problems and make hiring more difficult.

這項由州長 Mikie Sherrill 提出的預算計劃預計將出現 14 億美元的赤字，略低於之前的估算。為了縮小此差距，政府削減了部分計畫並引入新的籌款方式。例如，針對年長者的「Stay NJ」房產稅減免計畫已有所變動；符合資格的收入上限從 50 萬美元調降至 20 萬美元。此外，州政府計劃向擁有 50 名或以上員工且使用 Medicaid 醫療補助的公司收取費用。這項措施預計將帶來 1.45 億美元，儘管部分企業團體認為這可能會導致法律問題並增加招聘難度。

Other financial changes include increasing the child tax credit by 25% for three years and providing a record $12.4 billion for K-12 education. To help the budget pass, lawmakers also approved a separate bill for $358.8 million in extra spending. This allows the state to use leftover money from the current year for local projects and provide a $105 million loan to help Jersey City cover its own budget deficit.

其他財務變更包括在三年內將兒童稅收抵免額增加 25%，並為 K-12 教育提供紀錄性的 124 億美元資金。為了促成預算通過，立法者還通過了一項 3.588 億美元額外支出的獨立法案。這使得州政府能將本年度的結餘資金用於地方項目，並提供 1.05 億美元貸款幫助澤西市彌補其自身的預算赤字。

However, the process was marked by strong political tension. Republican members criticized the lack of transparency, asserting that the budget details were introduced too quickly for them to review properly. In contrast, the Democratic majority emphasized that the budget details were clearly explained during previous public hearings. While Governor Sherrill promised more transparency and lower spending, the final deal includes $400 million for legislative priorities, which is less than the $700 million spent by the previous administration.

然而，整個過程充滿了強烈的政治緊張局勢。共和黨成員批評缺乏透明度，聲稱預算細節提交過快，導致他們無法進行適當審查。相反，佔多數的民主黨則強調，預算細節在之前的公開聽證會中已得到清晰解釋。儘管州長 Sherrill 承諾提高透明度並降低支出，但最終協議仍包含 4 億美元用於立法優先項目，儘管這低於前任政府所支出的 7 億美元。

The budget will now be voted on by the 120-member Legislature on Tuesday to ensure that state services continue without interruption on Wednesday.

由 120 名成員組成的立法機關將於週二對預算進行投票，以確保州政府服務在週三能毫無中斷地持續運行。