Asm. Bramnick Reacts to Gov. Murphy's Budget Address

As part of our Future of Innovation series, Steve Adubato talks with Asm. Jon Bramnick (R) - NJ, Assembly Minority Leader, about his reactions to Governor Murphy’s budget address; tax issues in NJ causing outmigration; ways to be innovative in economy; legalizing marijuana and the tone and tenor of political discourse in our nation.
3/23/19 #302

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

"Welcome to State of Affairs. I'm Steve Adubato. More importantly, we're coming to you from the Agnes Varis NJTV Studio in Newark. Back by popular demand is Jon Bramnick, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick. He is the Assembly Minority Leader. He's got a new book out. Now on public television, we don't like to plug, but there aren't a lot of legislators who have books like this. Why People Don't Like You, by the funniest lawyer in New Jersey, Jon Bramnick. The premise that... listen, we'll talk about the Murphy budget in a second, but what's the premise of this book Jon? The premise is interpersonal skills are important. So I have 200 rules of things you shouldn't do. You should not do? Should not do. Give me one. Yeah. When you shake hands with somebody? Yes. Don't hurt me. You know, certain people want to squeeze your hand so much that, I understand you workout, and I know a firm handshake is important, but just don't injure. I like that. I like that. Yeah. And if you give me a hug? Easy on the hug. Okay? Don't pull it...? Okay, we'll leave that alone. speaking of hugging, are you hugging...? Watch this transition - this segue, are you hugging Governor Murphy after...? By the way, we're doing this a week after the governor's budget address. Are you hugging him? Listen, cutting some spending, making an arrangement with the CWA, the Communication Workers of America, to reduce some healthcare costs? You like this budget, right? Well, some things are good, and some things are bad. What do you like? What don't you like? Well what I don't like is the fact that we don't cap state spending. We cap, we have a two percent cap on local spending. Local government spending? But in the last two years, in these two budgets, you know, we have spending... a nine, ten percent increase. Now why is state government not following its own laws with respect to what we do with local governments? I think everyone knows we have to cap state government at two percent. But Assemblyman, isn't it fair to say, and most objective analysts have said, that the governor's budget is pretty tame in terms of spending, and he could have spent, or proposed spending, a lot more? Well every budget you spend more. But what was important here was, I think Murphy got some message from the legislature, both Democrats and Republicans... What was the message? Well last time I think spending went up 7.5 percent. Yes it did. He wasn't negotiating with the legislature. He wasn't..."