FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2025
CONTACT: Karina Diaz, Hudson County Executive’s Office
PHONE: 201-795-6200
JERSEY CITY, NJ – Today, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy delivered the annual budget address to the Board of Commissioners as he introduced the County’s proposed 2025 budget.
“This budget continues my administration’s focus on service and opportunity while prioritizing fiscal responsibility. Just like every family in Hudson County must be able to balance their household budgets, we need to do the same with our finances. That means making tough decisions with how we spend taxpayers’ money now, and in the future.
“Our 2025 budget pays for the critical services and resources our residents deserve and depend on and funds them without sacrificing quality. And as the strength of Hudson County is our people, I am proud to say we will not be laying off a single employee.
“Times are tough, and we will work together with the leadership of all our County departments, and we will especially need the cooperation and creativity of our constitutional officers. The Trump administration has proposed drastic cuts that will hurt everyone in our community. Now more than ever, we must work together to ensure we can continue serving Hudson County.”
For photos of the budget address, click here.
For video of the budget address, visit HudCoTV on Youtube.
The County Executive’s Budget Address, as prepared for delivery:
Before I get started, I’d like to thank all the commissioners, especially Chairman Anthony Romano for allowing me the opportunity to speak today and to present the 2025 Hudson County budget.
We sought input from all the department heads in crafting this budget, but I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Cheryl Fuller, our Director of the Finance and Administration Department, her deputy John Inagaki, and to County Administrator Abe Antun for their tireless efforts in putting this budget together. I sincerely appreciate all of your dedication and hard work you put into this plan.
I’m proud to say that Hudson County’s fiscal house is strong. Our bond rating, which has been stable for many years, is AA- by all standards. Practically the highest quality rating.
As County Executive, from Day One, my administration has been laser focused on creating opportunity. And this budget I submit to you today continues that focus on opportunity – opportunity for our county, opportunity for our businesses, and opportunity for every one of our residents.
I want to take a moment to talk about my responsibility, specifically the responsibility we have toward the taxpayers of Hudson County.
Some may not realize the connection between what happens in Washington and the 12 municipalities of our great county, but the current presidential administration is presenting a dire threat to Hudson County – not to mention the entire United States – with drastic cuts that will hurt everyone in our community. Whether it’s cuts to federal programs, imposing crippling tariffs on our businesses, or persistent inflation, economists say we may be heading into a recession due to the reckless actions of one man and those who blindly follow him.
We’ve already seen President Donald Trump impose his disastrous cuts on Hudson County.
Just last month, his administration’s decision to cut a crucial grant from the Environmental Protection Agency will weaken water pollution protections and eliminate workforce development initiatives for green jobs in Hudson County.
More of these cuts are sure to come. So, we must work together to ensure we can continue serving our community. The great American statesman Patrick Henry once said, “United we stand, divided we fall” and never has this sounded more appropriate than right now.
I am grateful for the work of our congressional delegation in Washington, and I will continue to work with them, to fight for Hudson County in every way I can.
With that said, in this budget we’ve made difficult choices while continuing to provide the same quality services our county offers, and our constituents deserve.
Just like every family in Hudson County must be able to balance their household budgets, we need to do the same with our budget. That means making tough decisions with how we spend taxpayers’ money now and in the future.
Despite the economic uncertainty we face, my staff has done a tremendous job putting together our budget. Times are indeed tough, and we will need to work together with the leadership of all our departments, and we will especially need the cooperation and fortitude of our constitutional officers.
This budget ensures the strength of all our vital programs that allow Hudson County to provide the best possible services to our residents. I have to say – I am so proud of the efforts of our county staff. Day in and day out, they work tirelessly to make certain our residents get the help they need. I know for a fact that the Commissioners often call on them to address the needs of their constituents, and I profoundly thank them for answering those calls. This budget will continue to fund the critical services and resources our residents depend on and fund them without sacrificing quality.
I am pleased to say we are not laying off a single person in the county.
We’ve negotiated – and continue to negotiate – fair and equitable contracts with our union partners in the civil service. And the county continues to meet its pension obligations for the Police and Fire, Public Employees Retirement System.
I am proud to say that, with a lot of hard work and difficult decisions, we have developed a budget that results in the average taxpayer in most of our towns seeing only a modest increase in their county taxes, and some municipalities not seeing an increase in county taxes at all.
But I do caution, and I will say not only caution, but truly beseech our department heads and directors – including our constitutional officers – to keep tight oversight of their budgets, in not resorting to unfettered overtime, and in understanding that when you ask for budget or staffing increases, we will ask for transparency and justification.
Hudson County faces challenges, but I remain excited and optimistic about our county’s direction.
This budget maintains fiscal responsibility while maintaining the same high-quality services our residents have come to expect from our county. All staff remain employed, and all our programs will continue unabated.
Service and opportunity will continue in the County of Hudson, despite economic uncertainty and threats of federal funding being pulled back.
We will work with our mayors, our commissioners, our legislators, our members of Congress and any other elected official who will work with us to help support our community.
We have had great partners in government working through challenges with us, including Governor Phil Murphy, Speaker of the NJ Assembly Craig Coughlin, and NJ Senate President Nicholas Scutari – and I am hopeful that the next Governor of New Jersey will uphold that standard of partnership and care for our Hudson County community.
Thank you for your time and attention.