Both legislative houses will vote on the $28.6 billion budget today.
The assembly is just starting its session now, and the senate will convene at 2:00pm.
Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Barbara Buono said yesterday that she’s “guardedly optimistic” about having the 21 votes necessary to pass the budget, even if two Democrats – Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) and Jeff Van Drew (D-Dennis Township) – have expressed reservations about voting for it.
Democrats have a more comfortable margin in the assembly, where Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Voorhees) has expressed confidence about passing it.
Republican assembly candidates Michael Donohue and Fran Conrad yesterday put out a press release yesterday charging that incumbents Matt Milam (D-Vineland) and Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) – the two most vulnerable Democratic legislators in this year’s election – got passes from party leaders to vote no on the budget without suffering political consquences.
Republican leaders have said that no member of their party will vote for the budget.
