Eliana Pintor Marin

State Sen. Mike Testa said Gov. Murphy is salivating at the chance to borrow $10B and likened him to Gollum from "The Lord of the Rings" series begging lawmakers for that power.

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, who chairs the budget committee, said it’s going to be a long summer.

You wouldn’t think a bill that passed the state Legislature with 109 votes in favor and none against, boasting 30 sponsors and co-sponsors, would have even a bit of opposition.

Factoring in other laws not directly adopted for the 2019 budget, Murphy approved more than $2.25B in new and higher taxes and fees in his first year in office.

“I mean, the reputational consequences for the organization are extreme,” Charles Sullivan said Tuesday in testimony before a committee that had been looking into how Murphy’s team handled Katie Brennan’s allegations against Al Alvarez.

In testimony before the Legislature, the state comptroller offered a significantly different take than Gov. Phil Murphy on the study of tax incentive programs.

The chief of staff of the Schools Development Authority had been twice asked to leave his job. His new boss knew he was leaving – but wasn't told why.

Now that Democrats are advancing their own budget plan, without the tax increases he wants, Gov. Phil Murphy is stepping up efforts to sell his blueprint.

Terminals at MVC offices are nearly 40 years old and the agency’s servers are near the end of their life. A modernization contract awarded in 2008 wound up being cancelled.

Expect lawmakers to renew attention this summer on making changes to public worker pensions, despite Gov. Phil Murphy saying more changes should wait.