Trump tweets ‘congratulations’ to N.J. lawmakers for not raising taxes

President Donald Trump has a message for New Jersey’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: job well done.

A day after Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a $38.7 billion budget that did not include his proposal for higher taxes on the wealthy, Trump tweeted praise for lawmakers who defied Murphy’s wishes.

The Republican president has a long history in New Jersey dating back to his failed Atlantic City casinos, and he regularly visits his golf club in Bedminster.

Murphy, a Democrat, had pushed to raise the marginal tax rate on income above $1 million from 8.97 percent to 10.75 percent. The latter rate currently applies to income exceeding $5 million.

But legislative leaders refused to support the so-called millionaires tax. Senate President Steve Sweeney (D., Gloucester) has said he would consider raising taxes only if Murphy agreed to slash spending and overhaul the state’s retirement system for public workers.

“He’s not standing up for taxpayers and trying to fix the state of New Jersey,” Sweeney said in an interview last month. “All he’s doing is currying favor and pandering, rather than trying to fix things.”

Although Murphy was unable to win the tax fight, he declared Sunday that he was “in the fight for the long haul."

"I am on the side of putting the needs of New Jersey’s families ahead of the wealthy, ahead of privileged insiders, and ahead of powerful special interests," he said.

On Monday, Murphy pointed to Trump’s tweet as evidence that he was right.