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Exciting Updates to NJ’s State Plan—Don’t Miss Your Chance to Speak Up!
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February 18th, 2025 by Tim Evans
New Jersey Future (NJF) has been a key advocate for the State Plan since our founding in 1987, championing smart growth policies to improve communities and safeguard natural resources. NJF was a member of the consultant team that assisted the Office of Planning Advocacy with the update to the State Plan. I contributed analysis on multiple subject matter areas addressed in the Plan, including parts of the Research Briefs section, Population and Employment Projections section, and the Lasting changes in the post-COVID world section.
- The “Research Briefs” section consists of four subject-matter reports:
- Transit-Oriented Development’s Renaissance in New Jersey
- Young Adults and Walkable Urbanism
- Redevelopment Is the New Normal
- Planning for the Challenges of an Aging New Jersey
- The “Population and Employment Projections” section describes how we evaluated population and employment projections, the issues we examined, and what methodology we decided to adopt. The projections are discussed in the State Planning Commission (SPC) meeting minutes from the 11-6-24 meeting, where the SPC officially adopted the population and employment projections as we recommended.
- The final section of the Population and Employment Projections Appendix, labeled “Lasting changes in the post-COVID world,” highlights some questions that arose during the State Plan update process about changes that were brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to watch for which of these changes have staying power and which might revert to their pre-pandemic state since they will have implications for what future growth and development in New Jersey looks like.
NJF remains committed to helping advance the State Plan and ensuring its success across the Garden State, but we can’t do it alone. You can help make the State Plan update a success by providing feedback on the draft plan or joining a public meeting!
Attend one of a series of upcoming public meetings, one in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties. The Salem County meeting happens on February 19, at 5 p.m. and the NJ Highlands Council and Somerset County meetings are February 20. Find more information on these and your county meeting here.
Email (stateplan
comments
sosnjgov) to submit your comments.
Public comments can be submitted at any time during the cross-acceptance process which culminates with the State Planning Commission meeting (anticipated December 2025) at which the vote will take place to adopt the final version of the Plan.
To ensure adequate time for comments to be considered, the Office of Planning Advocacy recommends submitting by April 16, while the county public information meetings are still taking place.
Timeline for Cross-Acceptance Process:
- December 6, 2024: Cross Acceptance commences. Draft Preliminary State Development and Redevelopment Plan released for public comment.
- February 12 to April 16, 2025: Public Information Meetings, one per county. Check the Update to State Development and Redevelopment Plan page in the item about the 2025 County Public Meeting schedule for the latest.
- Spring/Summer 2025:
- Cross Acceptance Reports
- Statements of Agreements and Disagreements
- Negotiation Phase
- State Agency Reports and Responses
- Complete Infrastructure Needs Assessment, Phase II and Impact Assessment
- Summer/Fall 2025:
- Incorporate results of Cross-Acceptance into the Final Draft State Development and Redevelopment Plan
- Hold six (6) Public Hearings (5 virtual and 1 in person)
- Release the Final Draft State Development and Redevelopment Plan
- Winter 2025: State Planning Commission adopts final State Development and Redevelopment Plan
Your voice shapes New Jersey’s future. Share your input by submitting a comment or joining a public meeting.
Tags: government, Land use, land use planning, resilience, state plan, State Planning
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Former Corrections Officer Sentenced to Three Years in State Prison for Aggravated Assault
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Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) today announced that a former New Jersey Department of Corrections officer was sentenced to a three-year term in state prison after using excessive force and assaulting a resident of the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center (ADTC)’s Special Treatment Unit (STU) in Woodbridge.
Giuseppe Mandara, 55, of Brick, New Jersey, a 15-year veteran of the DOC at the time of the incident, was sentenced on February 21, 2025, by New Jersey Superior Court Judge Thomas K. Isenhour, presiding at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The defendant was ordered to surrender in March to begin serving his sentence.
Mandara pleaded guilty during a hearing on December 3, 2024, to aggravated assault (3rd degree). Following his guilty plea, the court entered an order, consistent with the terms of a plea agreement reached with OPIA, directing that Mandara forfeit his public employment and be forever disqualified from any future public office or employment.
“This needless, unprofessional attack was inconsistent with the years of experience and training that this officer had. In a moment of rage, he lost sight of his responsibilities and his position and set out to simply inflict excessive physical harm,” said Attorney General Platkin. “This type of conduct undermines the good work done every day by other law enforcement officers to uphold the law and ensure public safety across New Jersey. My office is committed to ensuring that people who are in custody are not subjected to abuse, violence, or violations of their rights by those representing the State.”
“Rather than following his training and de-escalating this situation, the defendant enflamed a verbal dispute into a physical confrontation,” said Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA. “He subsequently concocted a false narrative claiming that his actions were self-defense. Unnecessary and excessive uses of force against those in custody will not be taken lightly, and the defendant will now be held to account.”
Based on documents filed and evidence presented to the court in the case and Mandara’s plea allocution, Mandara assaulted the victim on August 23, 2019, inside the sally port area of the West Housing Unit in the STU.
After a verbal disagreement at Mandara’s desk, the victim was walking away to his assigned work location when Mandara continued the dispute, taking off his duty belt and following the victim. That utility belt included sensitive equipment including the keys to the facility and a radio. In arguing for the sentence, the State pointed out that the defendant’s anger had reached the level that “he simply did not care if he had left unoccupied for any resident to retrieve these critical pieces of security equipment.”
According to the investigation, Mandara cursed and threatened the victim while he followed him instead of following his professional training, which required him to deescalate situations. Another corrections officer attempted to block Mandara from proceeding as he stormed after the victim. The defendant engaged in a physical assault, and Mandara and the victim ended up on the ground, where the physical altercation continued. Mandara repeatedly punched the victim while he was on the ground. As part of his plea, Mandara acknowledged his actions were done with the intent to cause significant bodily injury and were excessive and without justification.
Several days after the altercation the victim suffered a fatal stroke. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), a state grand jury received evidence and heard testimony from the state medical examiner about the cause of the stroke and manner of death. The grand jury did not initiate homicide charges in connection with the victim’s death.
Deputy Attorneys General Amy Knutsen and Peter Choy prosecuted the case for OPIA, under the supervision of OPIA Executive Director Skinner.
Defense attorney:
Stuart Alterman, Esq., Evesham, New Jersey
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Governor Murphy Announces Appointments to Economic Council
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Council Brings Together New Jersey Business Leaders and State Government Leaders
Governor Phil Murphy today announced appointments to the Governor’s Economic Council. The Council will provide a regular forum for the New Jersey business community and state government leaders to discuss, collaborate, and solve issues important to the public and private sectors, with the goal of stimulating economic growth and prosperity.
The Council was created by Executive Order 369, signed into law by Governor Murphy on October 29, 2024.
“Convening this Council is another step in our commitment to building a high-growth economy driven by technology and innovation,” said Governor Murphy. “The council will serve as a forum for continued collaboration between the business community and state government to advance our shared economic goals.”
The newly appointed public Council members bring a diverse range of business, economic, land use, environmental, and trade experience from different geographic regions of the state. Public members appointed to the Council include:
- Tom Bracken, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
- Christina Renna, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
- Carlos Medina, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
- John Harmon, African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
- Jeff Kowalkowski, New Jersey Builders Association
- Chrissy Buteas, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
- Dan Kennedy, NAIOP New Jersey
- Zoe Baldwin, Regional Plan Association
- Paulina O’Connor, New Jersey Offshore Wind Alliance
- Doug Tomson, New Jersey Association of Realtors
- Peter Connolly, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program
In accordance with the Order, the members were appointed by Council Co-Chairs Eric Brophy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth, and Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), to join seven members of the Murphy Administration on the Council.
“I am honored to have been chosen as a public appointee to Governor Murphy’s Economic Council. I look forward to working with the Administration and my fellow appointees, a group of dedicated business leaders, in establishing a forum that has the potential of producing the significant economic growth that our state desperately needs,” said Tom Bracken, President and CEO, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “With New Jersey’s impressive demographics, unparalleled assets, and strategic location, our economic upside is significant. The Economic Council will enable the Administration and the business community to have quarterly, constructive dialogue to take advantage of our potential and turn it into much needed growth. I want to thank Governor Murphy for creating the Council, which we hope will be a foundation for economic growth that transcends future administrations. I look forward to contributing to what, I believe, will be a transformative boost to our business community and our future economic prosperity.”
“New Jersey’s business community has many opportunities, as well as challenges, several of which can be overcome by open communication and idea-sharing between government and business,” said Christina M. Renna, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “Southern New Jersey is unique and has a very difference economic landscape than our northern brethren, which Governor Murphy recognizes and appreciates. I am humbled by the opportunity to assure that the region’s economic opportunities are communicated, our challenges understood, and to give a voice to the South Jersey business community on the Governor’s Economic Council.”
“New Jersey is blessed with a strong Hispanic Gross Domestic Product exceeding 100 billion dollars annually,” said Carlos Medina, President and CEO, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. “I thank Governor Murphy for making sure that his Economic Council reflects the citizens which it represents. I’m excited to see how we can grow the economy for all!”
Within the Council, the Executive Order also establishes a Development Coordination Committee as a subcommittee that will focus on ways to streamline the intergovernmental review of complex development projects and improve communication amongst state, county, and local government financing and permitting entities with respect to projects that require a coordinated review.
The Development Coordination Committee consists of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth; the State Treasurer; the Commissioners of the Departments of Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and Transportation; and the Executive Directors of the NJEDA, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Schools Development Authority, and Infrastructure Bank, or their respective designees. The Committee is tasked with reporting to the Council on recommended policies, initiatives, or reforms that may be undertaken to reduce barriers to development or construction project disruptions or delays.
Read Executive Order 369 here.
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Debt is Not a Bad Word: Funding New Jersey’s Infrastructure through Smart Financing
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February 18th, 2025 by Jessika Sherman
The following feature was originally published in the February 2025 edition of NJ Municipalities Magazine, which has been relied upon by local government leaders, department heads and administrators for over 100 years. NJ Municipalities is read by over 6,000 readers each month. You can read an online version, or view the pdf of the print edition.
Municipalities face a tricky balancing act when it comes to infrastructure improvements: they need to address large, costly projects but have limited resources to fund them. Historically, issuing debt has been the primary means that municipalities are left with to finance critical improvements. However, municipal leaders are reluctant to be the ones responsible for issuing debt, while utilities and public systems are often hesitant to raise rates to cover project costs.
The reluctance to take on debt is understandable, especially when debates over the federal debt ceiling and spending often dominate headlines. Concerns over affording the debt service, balancing the budget, raising enough revenues, and not wanting to burden taxpayers or ratepayers are valid. These issues span from the smallest municipalities to the federal government. By assisting municipalities and small-to medium-sized water systems in accessing funding for vital water infrastructure projects, New Jersey Future’s Funding Navigator program has come to appreciate these challenges. While grant programs and federal funding provide some relief, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (aka the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) and the American Rescue Plan Act, these funds are limited and temporary.
Programs like Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) provide municipalities with more accessible options for financing critical infrastructure projects. The New Jersey Water Bank (NJWB), a partnership between the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (I-Bank) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), offers low-interest loans to support clean water and drinking water infrastructure projects. In addition to the Water Bank, the I-Bank provides low-interest loans for other essential infrastructure through the Transportation Infrastructure Bank and the Resilience Infrastructure Bank. These funding sources are fundamental to addressing the state’s infrastructure needs. When paired with effective planning and sound financial management practices, they help mitigate the risks commonly associated with taking on debt.
“If you set a plan and follow the plan, it helps you avoid an emergency. When you do things in an emergency, you pay more for it and can’t plan as efficiently,” explains Thomas Horn, Executive Director of the Lambertville Municipal Utilities Authority. Horn’s experience highlights the significant potential benefits of State Revolving Fund (SRF) low-interest loans. The municipality utilizes a 30-year infrastructure plan that allows it to anticipate water system needs well in advance. By leveraging low-interest loans from the I-Bank, they have made essential system upgrades while developing a fair and sustainable rate structure to manage the debt service.
Lambertville’s proactive approach helps avoid the high costs and inefficiencies associated with emergency repairs. Horn also acknowledges a perspective shared by many municipal leaders: while no one likes taking on debt, sometimes it is necessary. “It’s like a mortgage,” he says. “Very few systems and towns have the resources to fund large infrastructure improvements outright.” Lambertville’s experience underscores the importance of long-term planning and strategic financing in maintaining critical infrastructure.
Strong financial management practices can help municipalities, utilities, and taxpayers benefit from strategic debt use. For municipalities and utilities, debt provides enhanced project funding by facilitating large-scale infrastructure projects with access to capital markets with favorable interest rates, such as those offered by the Water Bank. As Lambertville has demonstrated, loans provide the financial resources needed for critical improvements without placing an immediate strain on existing funds, enabling municipalities to focus on strategic planning and implementation. This approach ensures that cash reserves are preserved for true emergencies, while a structured repayment schedule spreads costs over time, aligning debt service with the lifespan of the infrastructure. By reducing upfront costs, debt can accelerate project timelines, which is essential for addressing urgent needs.
Even municipalities or utilities with sufficient cash reserves can benefit from debt. Low-interest loans are particularly advantageous when their rates are lower than the returns on cash reserves or fund balances, which can be saved for unexpected delays or misaligned payment schedules. Beyond financial stability, infrastructure improvements driven by strategic debt use make municipalities more competitive by attracting businesses and residents, ultimately strengthening the local economy and increasing ratables, which can help fund the debt service over time.
Taxpayers and ratepayers can also benefit from this approach. Infrastructure investments generate jobs and economic stimulation during the planning and construction phases while offering long-term benefits like modernization and enhanced service reliability. Improved infrastructure leads to better service delivery and greater safety for utilities and water systems. Furthermore, debt payments distribute the cost of these improvements over their useful life, ensuring that future users contribute to funding and avoiding hefty, one-time tax or rate increases. Proper planning, as demonstrated by Lambertville, is critical for avoiding costly and disruptive emergencies and ensuring that communities’ financial and service needs are met effectively.
The reality is that, much like the nation as a whole, New Jersey faces costly and urgent infrastructure challenges. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, addressing all the necessary improvements and repairs for drinking water and clean water infrastructure in New Jersey alone will require an estimated $31.6 billion. In 2021, the U.S. received a C- rating from the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, while in 2016, New Jersey received a D+ rating, highlighting the dire need for investment. As a coastal state, New Jersey is particularly vulnerable to flooding and the impacts of climate change, making infrastructure improvements and resilience efforts more critical than ever. Debt is not a bad word—it is a vital tool that enables municipalities to address these challenges without overwhelming current resources when used strategically and with sound financial management. By leveraging debt effectively, New Jersey can build the resilient, modern infrastructure needed to support its communities and secure a sustainable future.
Tags: debt, financial assistance, funding, funding navigator, infrastructure, water infrastructure
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Democratic Guv Candidates Analyze Themselves, Their Party
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PRINCETON – Republicans remain giddy about their chances in this year’s gubernatorial election.
And so it was fitting Sunday night that four Democratic candidates attending a forum here were each asked why they are the best candidate to keep a “blue” state blue.
(Those attending the forum by the Princeton Community Democratic Organization were Ras Baraka, Steve Fulop, Sean Spiller and Steve Sweeney. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill did not attend, although John McKeon, a state senator from Essex County, spoke on Sherrill’s behalf).
The question near the end of the debate elicited interesting responses from the four candidates on hand – in fact, the best responses of the night.
Baraka, the mayor of Newark, enthusiastically jumped to his feet to boldly proclaim: “I actually believe if I’m not the nominee, we lose.”
Baraka, who did have an encouraging (for him) second place finish (to Sherrill) at the recent Hunterdon County convention, seemed to suggest that the Dems’ gloom and doom is misplaced. After all, New Jersey still has about 900,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.
The challenge, he said, is to meet people where they are – church basements, barber shops, bars – and excite them.
“If you can’t inspire people, they’re going to stay home,” he said.
And you inspire people by letting them know you are fighting for them. As an example, the mayor referred to a press event he hosted last month to condemn an ICE raid at a city fish market.
He said that when “Trump came … Newark responded.”
Sweeney, who long has been a centrist among state Democrats, eschewed fiery rhetoric.
“I’m going to reach out to the people who lost faith in the Democratic Party,” he said.
By that, he meant blue collar workers.
Then, he offered quite the sobering history lesson. He said JFK got just about universal blue collar support, but 20 years later, those workers were Reagan Democrats.
“Now, they’re not Democrats.”
This is a national trend and some of the blue collar migration away from the Democrats has been offset by more party support from suburban professionals.
Still, Sweeney, the one time Senate President and an iron worker by trade, wants to recapture a traditional party constituency.
To do that, he said Dems need to focus on what average folk think is important – that being New Jersey is unaffordable.
Fulop’s answer seemed more in line with Baraka’s.
He said one reason Kamala Harris lost was because “she was all over the map.”
That makes it imperative to have a core message, which Fulop said he has – one centered on party principles.
Referring to his track record as Jersey City mayor, he said the city was outfront in welcoming refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine and in protecting transgender workers. He also took pride in opposing George Norcross – now under indictment – and the recently convicted Bob Menendez.
Fulop also warned that the election is going to be difficult and that if Democrats nominate a “Republican-lite,” they are going to lose.
He also took a swipe at his opponents, saying (without naming names), “You have people here that represent the status quo in every single way.”
Spiller, the president of the state teachers’ union, was sort of in line with Sweeney, saying you have to listen to people.
He added that one can do two things at once – meaning support child care, more housing and good health care – while still fighting the excesses of the Trump Administration.
He said the state has never had an educator as governor and it’s about time that it did.
As for fighting, Spiller said he’s been there, noting how then-Governor Chris Christie tried to demonize the NJEA.
Spiller’s point was that he has experience dealing with bullies.
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Elon Musk Press Conference Defiled the Country
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The Elon Musk-dominated Oval Office press conference this week fundamentally disrespected the Office of the Presidency.
While the world’s richest man spoke in generalities about his illegal efforts to remove whole sections of government, weakening American security, trampling civil liberties, and eliminating resources to aid the world’s poverty and disease-stricken nations, while empowering the world’s billionaire class, President Donald Trump sat in the background and said very little.
We can debate government bureaucracy and assess the merits of this or that program, but to entrust Musk with the rejection of USAid sans Congressional oversight represents more than merely a clear and present danger to America.
We reject Elon Musk in black and a baseball cap undertaking this role on behalf of a president who began his tenure by firing eight independent nonpartisan inspectors general. In a suit announced this week, those former IGs claim Trump broke the law “when he attempted to terminate them without justifying their removal or giving Congress 30-day notices.” If Trump were serious about reforming government for average people, he would not eliminate inspector generals and allow the invasive presence of a billionaire eccentric to oversee the overhaul of government.
Not only does Musk disrespect the average working guy out there who ultimately depends on some forms of government control to regulate the Musks of the world. But he disrespected the office of the presidency itself, degrading the Oval Office and clearly overshadowing the nation’s chief executive.
While the unelected Musk ponders the fate of the U.S. Department of Education and pulls the plug on aid to Africa, the President appoints himself, effective immediately, chairman of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board. The former reality TV star seems strangely relegated to entertainment, even as a blandly acquiescent Congress ramrods his cabinet picks, among them vaccine-skeptic Robert Kennedy Jr. as – of all things – secretary of health.
The sight of Musk on his feet and Trump scrunched to one side does not bode well for our great country, which requires strong executive leadership to ensure the protection of real people by the federal government, real Americans, not investor class interlopers who can’t even pretend well to have our interest at heart without obviously and painfully defiling the White House, finally a symbol of our collective power in this republic.
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Morris County Chamber of Commerce Hosts 104th Annual Meeting – Morris County, NJ
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Published on February 13, 2025
Morris County Director Selen Delivers State of the County Address
Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen gave a “State of the County” address at the Morris County Chamber of Commerce’s 104th Annual Meeting, which drew about 500 attendees at the Hanover Marriot Hotel in Whippany today.
View Photos from the Chamber’s 104th Annual Meeting
Director Selen recapped some highlights that made Morris County strong and successful in 2024, including earning a Triple-A bond rating for the 49th consecutive year, making strategic investments in workforce, education and public safety, and continuing the county’s dedication to preserving the area’s history and parks.
“Another big reason for our success is our strong business community,” said Director Selen. “Morris County is home to more than 23,000 businesses, and just last year, nearly 600 new businesses opened here, adding to our already growing list of internationally recognized companies and 73 corporate headquarters.”
Selen pointed out that business success fuels job creation, tax revenue and key investments while allowing the county to keep the county tax rate flat.
“That’s why we invest in education and training, so that skilled talent can be found right here in Morris County. We’re expanding the County College of Morris (CCM) and Morris VoTech with a new Career Training Center that will offer programs in AI, robotics and supply chain management and we’re building an 80,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art Center for Health Professions with Atlantic Health to train future nurses, dental hygienists and radiology technicians,” said Director Selen.
Meghan Hunscher, president and CEO of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce delivered a “State of the Chamber” address, thanking all the sponsors, local businesses and community leaders who make an impact in Morris County.
“I am proud of the community we have cultivated here at the Morris Chamber. As we enter our 104th year, it is imperative that we continue to innovate and introduce new initiatives that build on our success. I look forward to developing new ways to connect our members to valuable resources, opportunities for business growth and rewarding relationships with members across the region,” said Hunscher.
Hunscher also announced changes to the chamber’s Board of Directors for 2025-2026, with Dr. Anthony Iacono, president of County College of Morris, succeeding outgoing chair Deirdre Wheatley-Liss, Esq., of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman. Wheatley-Liss reflected on her two-year tenure and the chamber’s achievements before passing the role to Dr. Iacono, who emphasized his commitment to education, workforce development and economic growth in Morris County.
Highlights of the Morris County Chamber 104th Annual Meeting
The Chamber luncheon also celebrated the success of individuals and businesses from throughout the county.
The keynote speaker, Sudeep Kesh, chief innovation officer at S&P Global Ratings, shared practical insights on mitigating risk while fostering creativity, strategies for navigating an increasingly connected economy, the future of human-AI collaboration and the critical “innovation imperative” for succeeding in a rapidly changing world.
Christine Cox-West, founding partner of The Fortis Agency, a financial services agency, was honored with the Saint Clare’s Health William P. Huber Award for Outstanding Community Leadership. The award recognizes a person who displayed outstanding leadership to benefit the community during the previous year.
In his remarks, Director Selen emphasized that Morris County’s success is about synergy.
“It’s about businesses investing here and schools educating our students. It’s about leaders who drive innovation and economic growth. It’s about the people who built our county and those who continue to build our communities by choosing to live and raise their families here,” said Director Selen, who also thanked past and current county officials for ensuring that the county is prepared for a bright future.
Selen said 2026 will offer tremendous opportunities to boost tourism and support local businesses with the 250th anniversary of American Independence and the FIFA World Cup. Currently, the county has more than 120 restored historic sites, including the first National Historic Park, and is anticipating thousands of visitors for these two major events.
“It’s our opportunity to showcase our county on the national stage,” he said.
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Photo 1: Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen delivers the State of the County at the Chamber’s 104th Annual Meeting.
Photo 2 (l-r): Attendees seated at the 104th Annual Meeting Chamber meeting on Feb. 13, 2025.
Photo 3: Keynote speaker, Sudeep Kesh, chief innovation officer at S&P Global Ratings.
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The Walk to Washington and A Call for a Stronger Economic Future
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A Message from President & CEO Tom BrackenOver 1,000 New Jersey business and government leaders joined the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s Walk to Washington & Congressional Reception last week, marking a triumphant return for the two-day event after a five-year hiatus.
The bottom line: The Walk remains the state’s premier business networking event. And in this pivotal gubernatorial election year, it also served as a powerful rallying call.
From our packed charter train to D.C. to the Congressional Reception and our highly attended gubernatorial forum, one message was clear: New Jersey’s business community is united in its commitment to building a stronger state economy at a much faster pace.
A Call for Pro-Growth Leadership
The size and enthusiasm of the crowds at our events in D.C. demonstrated a shared priority among business leaders: The need for the Legislature and the governor, including the next chief executive – regardless of party – to make economic growth and improving New Jersey’s business climate a top priority.
A growing economy is the most effective way to address and improve the state’s long-term fiscal challenges. Economic expansion creates jobs, increases incomes, fosters innovation, and enhances the quality of life for individuals and families. It also creates the organic, reliable revenue to assist our budgetary challenges.
At our gubernatorial candidates forum on Friday morning – a standing-room-only event – it was encouraging to see candidates focusing on business issues and outlining their economic vision for New Jersey. Across party lines, there was broad agreement on the need for pro-growth policies and a reduction in regulatory burden.
There was also unanimous agreement that regular constructive dialogue among the administration, the Legislature and the business community is an imperative to sound economic growth.
A Promising Step: The New Economic Council
That’s why I’m pleased to report that on Feb. 5 – the day before the Walk to Washington — I participated in the inaugural meeting of the state’s new Economic Council, created by Gov. Murphy. This Council, composed of government and business leaders, is focused on developing actionable strategies to make New Jersey a more competitive place to do business.
This ongoing dialogue (mandated to meet quarterly) between the business community and state government is a step in the right direction. I’m optimistic that the Council’s work will have a lasting impact, transcending administrations and laying the groundwork for New Jersey’s next governor to hit the ground running on economic growth, business retention, and job creation. Its future was also a topic of discussion at our Friday gubernatorial candidates forum.
The return of the Walk to Washington proved that the state’s business community is energized and looking to the future. The over 1,000 in attendance believed, as do I, that New Jersey has all the assets needed for companies to succeed. Now, we must capitalize on them and communicate, both domestically and internationally, the strong reasons why New Jersey is a top business destination.
This message was originally published in ROI-NJ
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LD-39: Pallotta Clearly Targets Auth
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Jon Bramnick threw a party at last November’s League of Municipalities Convention in Atlantic City and one of those attending was Robert Auth, an assemblyman from LD-39 in northern Bergen County.
Frank Pallotta was paying attention and he didn’t like what he saw.
He put it this way:
“Recently, .. Assemblyman Bob Auth publicly rejected President Donald Trump, when he chose to align with, and endorse for Governor, self-proclaimed Trump-hater, State Senator Jon Bramnick. While Auth calls himself a ‘conservative,’ his actions tell a far different story.”
So now Pallotta says he’s running for the Assembly.
As we know, each district has two Assembly members with the other one here being John Azzariti.
But Pallotta is clearly targeting Auth, who he claims remained silent when Bramnick backed the Freedom to Read bill, which protects librarians from civil and criminal penalties regarding library books. Opponents say it allows pornography in schools.
Pallotta is no stranger to seeking office.
He ran unsuccessfully against CD-5 congressman Josh Gottheimer in 2020 and 2022.
Both times he ran “off the line” in the primary. And that’s a strategy Pallotta plans to employ again. He said:
“While I have great respect for the Bergen County Republican Organization’s (BCRO) approximately 800 Committee members, of which I remain an active member, I cannot in good conscience participate in an obsolete and antiquated convention process that can drag on for months, draining tens of thousands of dollars and critical resources away from what really matters – direct voter engagement. The main purpose of the county convention in past years had been to win placement on an organizational line – a line which no longer exists.”
Instead, Pallotta said he will focus on a direct connection with voters, “not backroom deals.”
That means paying attention to such issues as public safety, law enforcement, flood mitigation, crumbling infrastructure, overdevelopment, and the high cost of living.
Back when Auth was at Bramnick’s party, he said he was playing the “long game,” meaning that Bramnick remains the best GOP candidate to win the general election in a state where Dems still have a registration advantage of about 900,000.
On his reelection website the Auth campaign says:
“As our Assemblyman, Bob Auth has a proven record of commonsense leadership focused on helping the families, children, seniors, and taxpayers of Bergen and Passaic Counties. Whether it’s fighting for our fair share from Trenton or working within our communities, Bob Auth has your best interests at heart.”
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