Sen. Booker Stops in Woodbridge as Part of His 21-County Tour of New Jersey

New Jersey U.S. Senator Cory Booker joined Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, Senator Joe Vitale and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez on Sunday for a discussion on government efforts to make the state more affordable for seniors.

The elected leaders met with seniors at the Reo Diner in Woodbridge for a wide-ranging conversation. The Middlesex County diner was one stop on Senator Booker’s annual Jersey Summer Road Trip, where he visits with constituents and local leaders in all 21 New Jersey counties.

“Hearing from our state’s seniors about the issues they care most about is critical to my work in the Senate,” said Senator Booker. “Historic legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, are lowering the costs of prescription drugs and providing needed support to New Jersey projects that benefit our seniors. I look forward to continuing to champion seniors and all New Jerseyans with my work in the Senate.”

Seniors at the event also heard about state-level efforts to reduce prescription drug costs.

Speaker Coughlin led efforts to pass legislation broadening income eligibility for the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) Program and the Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program, which lower the costs of prescriptions. Funding to expand eligibility was included in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

“We heard from seniors that they couldn’t afford their prescription drugs,” said Speaker Coughlin (D-Middlesex). “We also heard their property taxes are too high, that’s their number one concern.”

This year, senior homeowners and renters are receiving an additional $250 in property tax relief in the second year of the ANCHOR program and income eligibility was expanded for the Senior Freeze program. Seniors can also look forward to additional property tax relief with the StayNJ program, which will reduce property tax payments by up to $6,500 for seniors, beginning in 2026.

“Seniors in the state will benefit from both property tax relief and lower costs for their medicines over the next year,” said Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex).  “Under the Speaker’s leadership, we were able to enact these important programs into law.”

Speaker Coughlin praised Senator Joe Vitale’s sponsorship of legislation capping out-of-pocket costs for insulin, asthma inhalers and EpiPens, which Governor Phil Murphy signed into law last month.

“Consumers should not be so exposed to the unpredictable and unaffordable costs of such basic, life-and-death medicines. That’s no way to live,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex).

Senator Booker also discussed federal efforts to cap prescription drug costs, which he said could save New Jersey residents hundreds of dollars a year. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, costs for prescription drugs are capped for Medicare Part D enrollees starting next year.