Legislation that would increase lawmakers' staff salaries, judges and other officials while permitting Republican Gov. Chris Christie to profit from a book deal could cost taxpayers about $7.5 million in 2017.
The Office of Legislative Services published its estimate Friday. The legislation is on a fast track for Christie's desk, with final votes expected Monday in the Democrat-led Legislature.
The office estimates costs of $7.45 million this year and at least $10.6 million a year beyond that.
The measure would let governors profit from the sale of a book.
It also would raise allowances for lawmakers to pay their staffers by $30,000 to $140,000, allow Christie to raise his department heads' salaries from $141,000 to as much as $175,000 and give judges 3 percent raises in 2017 and 2018.