Gov. Phil Murphy says the Trump administration is punishing New Jersey for enacting a law to avoid a new cap on widely popular state and local tax deductions.
The governor
spoke Friday alongside Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Steve Sweeney.
Murphy was reacting to new Treasury Department guidelines released Thursday aimed at challenging high-tax states' moves to skirt a $10,000 limit on state and local tax deductions.
The Democratic governor and Democrat-led Legislature earlier this year enacted legislation to permit residents to use charitable funds to pay property taxes. Charitable contributions are uncapped under new federal law.
“The IRS is setting a dangerous precedent. They are saying no matter what states may do, the rules as they exist and as they have been widely understood, won't apply because they’ll just change them if they don't like what you are doing,” Murphy said.
Murphy says the administration's new rules "effectively invalidate our law." He pledged to push back but stopped short of introducing legislation or lawsuits.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.