New Jersey is weighing a $60 billion budget proposal that cuts back a popular property‑tax program for seniors.

The STAY NJ plan lowers payments and tightens eligibility, which Gov. Mikie Sherrill said is meant to keep relief “targeted on middle‑class seniors.”

Sherrill called the spending increase “the most fiscally responsible budget New Jersey has seen in years,” noting a 1.6% rise that she said falls below inflation. She said federal funding pressures and the end of COVID aid impacted the proposal.

Republican lawmakers criticized the plan as too costly. Sherrill pushed back, saying she would not raise taxes and calling the proposal “an affordability budget.”

The governor also addressed rising gas prices, saying they are tied to federal actions and claiming “every time Trump gets involved costs go up for middle‑class families.”

The plan includes investments in housing, tutoring and mental health resources. Sherrill said the state must consider consolidating school services to ease property taxes and improve student outcomes.

She also said her administration aims to reduce delays and “cut through the red tape” to help businesses operate in the state.