Happy New Year, New Jersey! Now, brace yourselves.

We just brought you 13 of the ways Garden Staters got screwed in 2018.

Now, here's our look at 12 ways you may get screwed in 2019:

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1. Phil Murphy might try to raise your taxes again (and that could lead to another budget battle)

A number of people — multimillionaires, corporations, Uber riders, e-cigarette users, and Airbnb customers — began paying more in taxes this year as progressive-minded Murphy instituted hikes to increase funding for education, transportation, and public-worker pensions in the current state budget.

He may not be done. The rookie governor indicated recently that it's "too early to tell" whether his second budget proposal will include another round of taxes.

“Everything is on the table,” he said, noting leaders may still need to do more to make sure there is "tax fairness" in the state — i.e., the rich paying their "fair share" to help the middle class and the poor.

Murphy and the more moderate Democrats who control the state Legislature worked out a deal on the increases this past summer, narrowly avoiding a second straight state government shutdown.

But state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, have already told Murphy they won't support more hikes in the new year and will seek to cut government spending instead.

That could lead to another battle over New Jersey's budget, due at the mid-point of the year — especially over how to tackle the state's ever-growing costs for pension and health benefits for public workers. Will there be cuts to the system? Tax increases to help pay for it? Or will there be another compromise?

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(The Associated Press)

2. Will the economy slow down?

Few economists are uttering with certainty the "R-word" — recession — with low unemployment and more hiring on the horizon halfway through President Donald Trump's first term. But there are indications that the economy could finally slow down, and that can hit New Jersey harder than most states.

The New Jersey Business and Industry Association says their members are still in an expansion mode, though they worry about the implications of new things like paid sick leave, a potentially higher minimum wage and legal marijuana. With its huge pension debt, New Jersey is among the states least prepared to weather an economic downturn.

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3. New York might get legal marijuana before New Jersey

It's been almost a year since New Jersey got a new governor — Murphy — who promised to make recreational marijuana legal here. It seemed like a cinch since the Legislature is run by his fellow Democrats.

Nope. 2018 passed without state leaders finalizing a legal pot plan. And in the meantime, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said one of the priorities of his third term will be making weed legal in his state.

Could the Empire State get there first? Murphy said he's not worried. But there's also no timeline for when New Jersey's bill will pass. He says he hopes it's "sooner than later."

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(The Associated Press)

4. NJ Transit pain again?

Delayed trains. Canceled buses. Packed cars. Miscommunication. Those were the hallmarks of NJ Transit in 2018.

Murphy has vowed to revamp New Jersey's troubled mass transportation system. He's already made positives steps, including signing a law recently designed to improve NJ Transit's management.

But even sponsors of that law admit it won't immediately cause the trains to run on time.

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Jets quarterback Sam Darnold (Getty Images)

5. Neither the Jets nor Giants will win the Super Bowl

New Jersey's ... ahem, New York's two NFL franchises have already been eliminated from playoff contention after lackluster seasons.

At least South Jersey can hold its breath. The Eagles still have (albeit an outside) shot of making it.

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(File photo)

6. Your property taxes will likely go up again

New Jerseyans perpetually are saddled with the nation's highest property taxes. In 2017, the year in which data was most recently available, the average bill was $8,690.

And with little movement on the issue in Trenton, there is no sign that will change in the coming year.

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7. Miss America could bid Atlantic City goodbye — again

The beauty pageant — an Atlantic City staple long before there were slot machines — returned to the seaside resort town five years ago after a seven-year stint in Las Vegas.

But it may soon be gone again. There were recent reports that the Miss America Organization is shopping around for a new location.

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The U.S. Capitol in Washington. (File photo)

8. The IRS could for once and all kill Jersey's plan to get around Trump's limit on deducting property taxes

Jerseyans are getting no help from Republicans' federal tax law when it comes to their property taxes. The law caps the amount you can deduct in state and local taxes at $10,000, hurting a greater percentage of taxpayers in the Garden State than anywhere else.

The IRS has yet to issue its final rule on whether New Jersey can use charitable funds to offset that cap, but all indications are that the agency will say no.

In the U.S. House, the new Democratic majority, led by Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., will try to restore the full deduction for state and local taxes. But the Democrats face a roadblock in the U.S. Senate, where Republicans representing states that get billions of dollars more from Washington than they pay in taxes have shown no desire to help the states that are subsidizing them.

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(HBO)

9. 'Game Of Thrones' is entering its final season

Lots of TV shows will say goodbye in 2019. But none is more beloved than the one set in the wondrous world of Westeros.

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President Donald Trump. (File photo)

10. Will Trump's troubles make it even harder to talk to your relatives on Thanksgiving?

If you don’t like the president, you may have to resist the temptation to gloat at your family dinners with your Trump-supporting relatives.

In a midterm election seen as a

, Democrats won 40 U.S. House seats and a majority. That included four seats in

And now, Trump has admitted trying to do business with Russia at the same time its government was trying to tilt the U.S. presidential election in his favor, and special counsel Robert Mueller continues to obtain indictments and convictions from Trump associates during his investigation of possible collusion.

Then again, you never know with Trump, who has cleared house once again and is always on the offensive, giving those relatives who support him plenty of fodder to fight back.

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11. There won't be a Bruce Springsteen tour

Hopefully, you caught The Boss on Broadway — or at least on Netflix — this past year. It might need to tide you over.

New Jersey's favorite son released a statement saying he and the E Street Band won't be on tour in the new year. Then again, it does sound like he might have an album (or two) in the works.

And he's always bound to make a surprise appearance in Asbury Park ...

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U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. (The Associated Press)

12. Chaos, shutdowns, fights, and — oh no! — another presidential campaign

Democrats are taking the U.S. House, which could mean even more chaos in Washington with the volatile Trump.

Will there be even more federal government shutdowns? More actions taken by the president that are lambasted by Republicans and Democrats alike? Will he come after New Jersey even harder than last time because the Garden State is down to one Republican in Congress?

Closer to home, will Democrats in charge of Trenton get along, or bring us to the brink of another state shutdown?

And don't look now, but 2019 means the presidential campaigns will begin to rev up (with another Jersey guy, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, possibly in the mix).

We know, you’re not ready for all of this. Neither are we, and we cover this stuff for a living.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook.

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