New Jersey governor vetoes bill letting Jersey City use open space trust money for its budget
On September 28, 2026 the Governor vetoed S-4513, which would have let Jersey City, the only municipality that qualified, move voter-approved open space, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland and historic preservation money into its budget for fiscal year 2027. The trust fund stays restricted.
On September 28, 2026, Governor Mikie Sherrill vetoed without approval Senate Bill 4513 (companion Assembly Bill 5348), which the Governor's office lists as concerning the "temporary use of funding for open space, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland and historic preservation for certain municipalities." Despite that general title, the veto message states that the bill would have applied only to fiscal year 2027 and only to Jersey City, the sole municipality with both an open space levy and an arts and culture trust fund. It is therefore a decision about one city's trust fund and not a change to open space or floodplain funding statewide.
S-4513/A-5348 (2026), absolute veto September 28, 2026; S-4514/A-5347 (absolute veto)