New Jersey residents get a new tool to track how the Sherrill administration is spending their tax dollars

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New Jersey residents who want to know how their tax dollars are being spent have a new way to find out.

On Thursday, Garden State officials launched the New Jersey Report Card. Officials said the portal will help increase transparency and accountability.

What information is available?

The website provides information about state-funded programs and revenue sources, as well as a tool that breaks down state spending and revenue in the current proposed fiscal year 2027 budget. The site also provides information on how much agencies and departments have spent over the past 10 years and an overview of the budget process state lawmakers follow.

The website, which is listed as a “pilot version,” gives descriptions of key issues for the Sherrill administration, including Bringing Veterans Home, the Down Payment Assistance Program, the Child Care Assistance Program, Family Connects NJ, which is a program which offers home visits for all families welcoming a baby through birth, adoption of family care, and a program to help local governments share services.

Officials said information about 15 additional programs will be added to the website by the fall.

Why have a report card?

During the website launch at the statehouse on Thursday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said the tool will make bureaucracy transparent.

“It’s going to help us all see where government is best delivering, so we continue to make the best decisions to lower costs,” she said. “This is your government, you should be able to see what it’s doing with your money.”

During her gubernatorial campaign, Sherrill pledged to cut bureaucracy and make state government more efficient and accountable to taxpayers. On Jan. 20, her first day in office, she signed an executive order that called for the creation of a New Jersey Report Card.

Her proposed state budget, which was announced last month, includes $13.3 million for technology upgrades across state government to support operating initiatives, including the New Jersey Report Card.

New Jersey Chief Operating Officer Kelly Doucette said most state residents interact with the government regularly.

“Government does not tend to make those interactions easy to understand or bring all of us into the process,” she said. “That gap, between what government does and what people can actually see and understand, that’s where trust too often breaks down.”

She said the New Jersey Report Card aims to change that.

“Government should be transparent, accountable and easy to navigate, not just for people who follow policy closely but for families who are busy and don’t have time to do a deep dive into budget documents,” Doucette said.

Support for the report card

New Jersey Citizen Action Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska said in a statement that the report card promotes transparency and encourages residents to be involved in the government process, which she said is a key component in a healthy democracy.

“We are especially grateful to see readily available information on programs like [the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program], childcare, and NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid, which are of critical importance to the many working families struggling with multiple affordability crises,” she said. “We urge our state legislature to do their part as the budget process unfolds, and provide the public opportunities to comment on legislative changes before they are voted through.”

Nicole Rodriguez, president of New Jersey Policy Perspective, said in a statement that the website will be a valuable tool.

“When people can see where the money goes, which programs their dollars support, and what those programs deliver, it creates the conditions for an honest, fact-based conversation about what a sustainable budget actually looks like,” she said.

New Jersey Business and Industry Association President Michele Siekerka thanked the governor for making budget accountability and transparency a priority.

“This new Budget Report Card will serve as a vital tool in our shared pursuit of greater fiscal responsibility, and towards that we are also encouraged that the proposed FY27 budget tries to hold the line on spending,” she said in a statement.

The New Jersey Office of Management and Budget reviewed the data that is used in the report card. The website includes a feedback section that asks, “Did you find what you were looking for on this page?” Respondents can answer “yes” or “no,” and then provide more feedback if they wish.