Tension between South Jersey Democratic state lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy continues to boil.

The governor announced Friday he rejected a measure to give $56 million to Cape May County to spend on the boardwalk in and around Wildwood. The money would have been doled out $4 million a year over 14 years.

Murphy’s veto of the bill is the latest in a string of freezing millions in state government spending that rankled the south, where lawmakers that represent the area expressed their anger.

“I am furious at Governor Murphy’s shortsightedness on this issue,” state Sen. Bob Andrzejczak, D-Cape May, said in a statement. “The appropriation in this bill was a drop in the bucket when compared to the millions of dollars the Wildwoods send back to Trenton.”

The money would have gone to the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority for boardwalk construction, repairs and maintenance.

Murphy, in his veto message, said he couldn’t sign the bill because it would run afoul of state spending rules. But the bill’s sponsors didn’t buy it.

“As a small-business owner, I know the importance of making the right investments, and this is the dictionary definition of the right investment,” state Assemblyman Matthew Milam, D-Vineland, said. "We need to be supporting our small businesses more than ever, not shutting the door in their face.”

The veto was the latest move by Murphy to block state money from going to South Jersey, the local lawmakers say.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Trenton’s top lawmaker, accused Murphy of exacting political payback after he froze $235 million in state spending last month following a contentious budget battle. The governor wanted a millionaires tax, but the Democratic-controlled Legislature refused to give him one for the second year in a row.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, says the governor did it to hurt Democrats who wouldn’t go along with him and Sweeney’s home base — especially by freezing money for cancer funding and Stockton University.

The two have routinely locked horns.

But tempers hit a fever pitch after Murphy’s special task force formed to investigate how the state gave away lucrative tax incentives to businesses under former Gov. Chris Christie’s administration put South Jersey Democratic powerbroker George Norcross III in its crosshairs.

The special panel is examining the payment of millions in incentives to projects and companies in Camden tied to Norcross — a childhood friend and close political ally of Sweeney.

Sweeney plans to call Murphy’s state treasurer, Elizabeth Muoio, to appear before a Senate committee to explain why certain programs were chosen.

Last week, Murphy denied acting with a bias against Sweeney’s region.

“I say with great respect I don’t agree,” the governor said. “I think if you look on the items on the list — again, a list that we support — I don’t think the data, the actual facts support that.”

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

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