Even though the state faces a $3 billion structural deficit, Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill wants to spend tens of millions of dollars on pro-abortion services, pro-life groups reported March 10.
The spending plan — Sherrill’s first since taking office earlier this year — was unveiled March 10 and outlines a $60.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2027. According to NBC 4 New York, Sherrill’s budget could reduce the structural deficit by $1.2 billion.
The proposal would continue the $52 million allocation for abortion-related, “family planning and reproductive health access” services that began under Sherrill’s predecessor, former Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. Of that total, more than $30 million would go to facilities across the state that provide services “regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.” Another $22 million would be allocated to a new Reproductive Health Access Fund that pro-life groups warn is designed to expand access to abortion.
In a March 10 statement, New Jersey Right to Life criticized the proposal, arguing that it forces families to pay for “extreme, pro-abortion policies” even as they face “sky-high property taxes and record-high living costs.”
“Instead of focusing on education, infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility, Governor Sherrill is prioritizing funding abortion providers who end the lives of innocent unborn children and exploit women at a very vulnerable time in their lives,” New Jersey Right to Life Executive Director Marie Tasy said.
According to the group, New Jersey’s projected $3 billion deficit is driven by rising Medicaid costs and prior spending commitments, such as pensions.
The pro-life organization also reported that Planned Parenthood has received more than $268 million in New Jersey taxpayer dollars over the past eight years. According to data from the Guttmacher Institute, about 58,980 unborn children were killed in the state in 2024.
“Taxpayer dollars should instead support programs that protect children, strengthen families, and safeguard women from being pushed into abortion — not funnel tens of millions to Planned Parenthood’s Abortion Business,” New Jersey Right to Life said. “The people of New Jersey deserve better from the newly elected Governor and Legislature.”
Sherrill’s proposal now heads to the Democratic-controlled state legislature, where lawmakers will review and negotiate spending priorities before the fiscal year begins July 1.