Food prices in December were up 2.4% for the year — and if you go back five years, they’re up about 25%.

Measures on climate polluters, antisemitism definitions, opioid funding, voting rights, property tax appeals, budget stress testing and parole reform must be reintroduced in the new legislative session that started Tuesday.

As lame duck comes to an end, NJ's majority Democratic lawmakers approve spending millions on World Cup marketing and pet projects, as well as new tax breaks for the operators of the Prudential Center in Newark. @njspotlightnews.org

"This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. https://to.pbs.org/4jI4s46

"I think it’s a great for young women to see a woman treasurer,” said Elizabeth Maher Muoio, NJ's longest serving woman treasurer, as she looked back on her tenure during a recent interview with @njspotlightnews.org.

The first draft of history, expertly composed by @bhulac.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org.

NJ motorists are paying higher tolls in 2026, seemingly at every turn. In many cases, these increases are the result of policies that generally allow public agencies to enact modest, annual hikes to keep up with inflation, and head off the need for larger, one-time increases. @njspotlightnews.org

Some news today from Gov.-elect Sherrill: NJ deputy treasurer Aaron Binder is her pick to serve as state treasurer. Binder will succeed Elizabeth Maher Muoio, who has served as treasurer for Gov. Phil Murphy's full tenure. Binder is a former budget director for the Assembly Budget Committee.

New Jersey’s minimum wage ramp-up -- the hourly rate is now hovering just under $16 -- has won praise from advocates for low-income residents as a policy that helps bridge income gaps in a high-cost state with a lower rate of overall income inequality than the nation as a whole. @njspotlightnews.org

Gov. Murphy spent $22M+ of his own money campaigning for governor. Was it worth it? "The honor, the responsibility, the substance of the work, the way the state has, I would argue, has been transformed, measured by a lot of different ways … Worth every penny and then some." @njspotlightnews.org

“We did what we said we would do, and in politics, that is not often the case. We campaigned on an agenda that we actually, when we got into office, we actually executed and stayed true to,” Gov. Murphy said during a final sit-down interview with @njspotlightnews.org

"You’re seeing the financial services struggling, the public sector struggling to hire,” said Adam Kamins, senior analyst with Moody’s. “All of that is putting NJ in a precarious spot where it’s not quite in recession yet, but it is dangerously close.” @bflanagannj.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

While property taxes are at a record high in NJ, it's relatively inexpensive to appeal an assessment, and that can lower your bill. But state lawmakers now want to hike the filing fees for such appeals, which are charged by county tax boards and have been held flat for decades. @njspotlightnews.org

Rising energy costs and the Trump tariffs have added to the affordability concerns of many NJ businesses this year, and that's making it harder to maintain prices paid by consumers, according to the latest edition of a long-running poll of NJ business owners and top executives. @njspotlightnews.org

In a statement Monday, Alina Habba said she was stepping down to protect the “stability and integrity” of the office, but said her decision shouldn’t be mistaken for “surrender.” 📷 : AP Photo/Evan Vucci

For more on this issue, including a recap of the raucous first committee hearing for the bill seeking to slash comptroller oversight powers, check out this comprehensive coverage by @bflanagannj.bsky.social

Affordability concerns helped foster the establishment of NJ's independent state comptroller's office. Today property tax bills average more than $10,000 in NJ, but a state senator who voted to establish this office in 2007 now wants to reduce the comptroller's oversight power. @njspotlightnews.org

The fate of a plan to create a permanent and dedicated source of funding for a state hotline that helps people experiencing mental health emergencies by taxing phone lines in NJ remains uncertain in the remaining weeks of Gov. Phil Murphy’s tenure. @bobby-brier.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

Why the holiday shopping season has become a make-or-break time of the year for many of NJ's small businesses in an era of inflation and tariffs. Nice reporting by Raven Santana @njspotlightnews.org

It's been a tough year for those of us in public media, but we continue to cover New Jersey with unbiased local news. This includes all of my reporting on taxes and state government finances. Please consider helping @njspotlightnews.org offset the funding cuts during this Giving Tuesday campaign.

NJ's gas tax is going up by 4.2 cents per gallon on Jan. 1, according to the Dept of the Treasury. This increase pushes the total gas tax up to 49.1 cents. All the revenue goes into the state's Transportation Trust Fund. For more context, check out my prior reporting for @njspotlightnews.org

As the roster of NJ locations certified as “film ready” has grown, many small businesses are cashing in amid record overall spending on in-state film productions. Still, not everyone is convinced offering tax breaks to incentivize these film productions is smart policy. @njspotlightnews.org

The Legislature’s push to update housing policy comes as some local governments in NJ have taken more punitive approaches in recent months towards people sleeping or camping in public places, including ordinances with punishments that call for jail time or hefty fines.

Amid a surge in NJ housing costs - and the homeless population - housing advocates praise a top Democrat's push to give towns the power to create trust funds and housing plans to help address and prevent homelessness in their communities, reports @bobby-brier.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org.

You can watch the full interview here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuiP...

Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill discussed her pending cabinet nominees, freezing utility bills and how she will approach her first state budget during a wide-ranging interview with @njspotlightnews.org held during the New Jersey State League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City.

Several months after a surprise, late-June budget diversion, state lawmakers are now aiming to restore $45 million to the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund through a bill that passed a key Senate committee on Thursday, reports @bobby-brier.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org.

A key decision about the state gas tax is pending in Trenton. That means NJ motorists should know soon whether the state’s per-gallon gas tax must be increased at the start of 2026 to help maintain billions in planned spending on transportation infrastructure. @njspotlightnews.org

It was great chatting with @wnyc.org Weekend Edition host David Furst about the NJ election results and the big challenges facing governor-elect Mikie Sherrill. And check out @njspotlightnews.org today for our continuing coverage.

With economic concerns still running high nearly a year into another Trump presidency, Democrats in NJ focused heavily on affordability issues in the run up to Nov. 4. How did it work out? Democrats made gains, up and down the ballot. @njspotlightnews.org

Thanks, John. The quick overview is that Sherrill has obligations in both D.C. and New Jersey, and the timing on when she resigns is REALLY important. @njspotlightnews.org

It's definitely worth taking a new look at this smart @bhulac.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org story today now that NJ will soon have a congressional vacancy to fill.

What’s the prize for pulling off her huge victory? How about pressure to deliver on affordability promises while managing a state budget gap and funding cuts coming down from the federal government. These and other big issues are on the to-do list for Gov-elect Mikie Sherrill. @njspotlightnews.org

Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the race to become New Jersey governor in one of the most expensive campaigns in state history conducted in the shadow of the Trump presidency and decided by voters overwhelmingly concerned about affordability concerns. @colleenodea.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

The AP has now called the NJ governor's race -- Democrat Mikie Sherrill will be the state's 57th governor. @njspotlightnews.org

Democrat Mikie Sherill is now holding a more than 260k lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli with more than 50% of the vote in, according to AP. @njspotlightnews.org

We're live! Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/ZH2TU-t...

Track away NJ. You can hit refresh as often as you want!

Final early voting #s in NJ: 1.36M total. 300K more Dems than GOP (a target Dems were trying to reach). Will it make a difference? @njspotlightnews.org www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/10/nj-e...

Democratic candidate for NJ governor @mikiesherrill.bsky.social votes in Montclair, reacts to bomb threats at polling places this morning:

It's not just the race for governor on the ballot, NJ. Many voters can also vote for mayor, city council and their local school boards. School boards have a big impact on how local schools are governed and how taxpayer money is spent. @njspotlightnews.org

If you know the issue or issues you care about, you have all the resources you need to get informed before you cast a vote. And after you vote, join @njspotlightnews.org Tuesday at 10 p.m. for complete coverage of all the results, as well as deep dives on the issues that driving them.

To all the last-minute voters (and family members, you know who you are) asking me, who should I vote for? I'll never tell you who to vote for, but I'll always encourage you to make an informed decision. Get all the info you need from @njspotlightnews.org at www.njspotlightnews.org/nj-decides-2...

Out of the ashes of ARC came Gateway. But now this long-planned new rail tunnel that is considered crucial to the region's economic future has also come under threat of being canceled. @bhulac.bsky.social and I look at current events in the context of some 30 yrs of planning. @njspotlightnews.org

As you get ready to vote, do you -Want to know where the candidates stand on the issues, including taxes, housing and school funding? -Want an election resource where issues are the focus instead of nonsense horse race stories? Check out @njspotlightnews.org www.njspotlightnews.org/nj-decides-2...

In NJ, the largest portion of the typical homeowner's property-tax bill funds the budget of their local K-12 schools. Down ballot this year, voters will decide who wins key school board seats in districts throughout NJ, reports @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org @njspotlightnews.org.

With full state employer pension contributions now being made on an annual basis, pension fund managers have been able to take full advantage of favorable market conditions that have lifted investment returns in recent years, including during the fiscal year that ended June 30. @njspotlightnews.org

From state income taxes to local property taxes, we pay billions annually to fund NJ's K-12 public schools. How would the candidates for governor alter NJ's approach to school-funding? @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org explains it all in this very useful story.