New Jersey Democratic Mayor Phil Murphy recently signed a new state law that will increase the salary of lawmakers throughout the Garden State.
According to a news release that was sent from Murphy’s office on Tuesday, state lawmakers will see their salaries increase from $49,000 to $82,000. Some of the other top government officials in New Jersey, including the governor, will see raises under this new bill, too.
The measure passed through the state Legislature on the last day of the legislature’s previous session earlier in January. Murphy’s office made no specific comments on the legislation in the news release.
While New Jersey’s governor will see an increase in pay with this bill, Murphy himself won’t see a dime of it. The bill won’t go into effect until the start of 2026, and Murphy’s second term in the governor’s office ends in January of 2026.
Murphy is currently serving his second term as the Garden State’s governor, and he isn’t able to run for a third term.
Before these raises go into effect, members of the state Assembly will be up for election in November 2025. In other words, it’s possible that the raises may never come to fruition, depending on the outcome of those elections.
It’s been 22 years since New Jersey lawmakers have voted to give themselves increases in pay. Those who are in favor of the bill say that the raises of 67% are necessary as the cost of living has risen dramatically in recent years.
Some state lawmakers have even said they’ve been forced to use their own personal money to complete some of the duties that their job requires of them.
Many Republicans in the state government opposed the pay raises, as they questioned whether it was a sound decision.
The governor’s new salary will be $210,000 per year, an increase from the current annual rate of $175,000. The new top rate for officials in the governor’s Cabinet, as well as some other leading state officials, will increase from $175,000 to $210,000 at the same time.
Lawmakers will now receive $150,000 per year to pay members of their staff, which is an increase from the $135,000 they get now.
Unlike what happens in some states, New Jersey legislators aren’t paid a per diem rate or get reimbursements for mileage driven for their job duties.
Murphy’s office didn’t release information about how much this new bill would cost New Jersey taxpayers. Since the total price tag of the bill is expected to be about $4 million, though, it’s likely that taxpayers will have to shoulder at least some of this burden.
The state Legislature in New Jersey is considered to be a part-time and not full-time job — which again is different from how it is in some other states.
The Legislature regularly meets between January and June, then takes off for a good part of the summer and as fall elections come closer.
They then return for a lame-duck session afterward.
