Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin: “I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make New Jersey a safer and more affordable place to live while meeting our obligations and making prudent investments in the future. From our strong gun safety laws to our historic property tax relief programs like StayNJ, we have made significant progress. Governor Murphy’s State of the State Address reflected on that record and offered some promising ideas on health care, education, and our economy. We will continue to work together to protect personal freedoms, provide support for our best-in-the-nation public schools, and attract great jobs in the industries of tomorrow. “I was pleased to hear the governor’s call to support for our new approach to affordable housing—it’s time to increase availability for more New Jersey families. I thank him for his partnership in the fight against food insecurity, especially our efforts to expand access to free, nutritious meals at school to every child in our state. I’m looking forward to this legislative session and our work with the Senate and Governor Murphy to deliver on the issues most important to the 9.3 million New Jerseyans we serve.”

Senate President Nicholas Scutari: “I welcome the Governor’s continued focus on affordability and his emphasis on improving the quality of life for New Jersey’s residents. We need to build upon the progress we have made in providing tax relief, affordable housing, job creation, educational excellence and strategic investments that promote economic growth, including the state’s infrastructure.  We have to continue to be a national leader in the protection of a woman’s right to choose and maintain our fight for gun safety. We also have to focus on mental health issues. This is a quiet crisis afflicting a broad cross-section of our residents. We have built a framework of care, but there is more work to be done.  In the year ahead, we have to maintain our emphasis on the needs of the hard working people of New Jersey. I will work with Governor Murphy, Speaker Craig Coughlin and our legislative colleagues to address these priorities.”

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco:  “New Jersey is a great state because of our people. Governor Murphy presented an optimistic view in his address. He spoke about affordability, access to health care, education and public safety. The problem we have is that his actions must follow his words. The aggressive spending we have witnessed has resulted in a few clear warning signs regarding the state of the State. Things like our highest in the nation property taxes, one of the highest unemployment rates, highest outward migration and learning loss in our schools, among others.”

New Jersey now stands at a crossroads. Do we continue aggressive spending patterns or do we learn to live within our means and improve the quality of life for all New Jerseyans. Republicans choose the latter. Unlike prior years, it does not appear that the State will be flush with cash this year. I hope we have not missed the opportunity to make the structural changes we need to truly make the State more affordable.”

Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarerlli:  “What state is Governor Murphy living in? While he talks about AI moonshots and policy fights with Southern Governors, is he hoping New Jerseyans will forget that we are paying the highest property taxes in the nation? That we’re still considered the worst place in the nation in which to do business? That thousands of our students are trapped in failing schools? That our largest cities are blighted and not economically vibrant? That suburban overdevelopment is rampant?  It all begs the question . . . Have the Murphys already moved to Washington?”

NJEA President Sean Spiller, Vice President Steve Beatty and Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robinson: “Gov. Murphy’s State of the State address showed why New Jersey remains on a path toward progress and prosperity. He remains deeply committed to students, educators, families and organized labor in New Jersey and has an agenda that will improve the lives of all New Jersey residents.  We agree with the governor’s focus on the importance of early literacy as the foundation of lifelong learning. It’s a critical part of keeping our public schools the very best in the nation. We look forward to working with his administration to continue implementing approaches to reading instruction that work in the real world and recognize the diverse learning needs of our youngest students. While too many other states are busy banning books, we agree that every New Jersey student should be reading books.  We also look forward to finding ways to remove the unnecessary paperwork requirements that burden educators and take too much time way from the instruction that really determines our students’ success.  Gov. Murphy’s continued commitment to responsibly funding New Jersey’s pensions is also vital to our ongoing effort to attract and retain great teachers and educational support professionals for our schools. Not only that, it is already paying dividends for all New Jersey residents. With a better credit rating due to his fiscal responsibility, New Jersey has more resources to invest in middle-class tax cuts, school funding, and job training to make New Jersey a great place to live, work and raise a family. We look forward to working with Gov. Murphy in the coming year to make our great schools even better and to make our great state even stronger.”

Vote16 USA: “Allowing 16-year-olds to vote in local elections is the next big thing in our democracy. We are fortunate to have champions like Gov. Murphy and State Senator Brian Stack, as well as the City of Newark, among our allies in New Jersey.”

Make the Road New Jersey: “As working-class people of color and immigrants continue to face the impact of inflation and an increase in xenophobic and racist attacks, we commend Governor Murphy for calling immigrants the “backbone of New Jersey” in today’s State of the State Address. New Jersey’s economy and culture are shaped and strengthened by its diverse working-class communities, and moving forward, New Jersey elected officials should be unafraid of making bold policy decisions to support our communities and set an example for the rest of the country.  To guarantee the freedom to thrive for our communities, we urge Governor Murphy and the legislature to expand programs that guarantee access to safety for all families, including expanding access to health insurance and other safety net programs to all residents, regardless of immigration status. In addition, as we face a climate crisis and record-breaking heat waves, we must protect workers and implement temperature standards for all workers. As we enter 2024 with evictions driving homelessness in New Jersey we must continue to expand protections for renters.  To create and strengthen these vital programs to meet the needs of New Jersey working families and immigrants who keep our economy running, we must reinstate the Corporate Business Tax (CBT) surcharge, which expired at the end of the year, so that the biggest and most profitable businesses — including wealthy, multi-state corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and Bank of America, pay their fair share.”

League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Ed Potosnak: “New Jersey LCV lauds Governor Murphy’s continued second-term focus on positioning our state as a leader in environmental protection and the transition to affordable clean energy.  We share the governor’s goal of enacting the nation’s strongest clean energy goal — 100% clean energy by 2035 — into law this legislative session. This move will help cement the governor’s legacy and prevent the worst effects of climate change, reduce air pollution, and improve public health while also creating thousands of good-paying union jobs here in the Garden State. While we plan for the future, we must also address the challenges of the present, and support communities in their efforts to increase resilience and respond to stormwater challenges.  In addition, we are looking to work together with the Governor and the Legislature on a commonsense response to the growing threat of sprawl posed by the burgeoning warehouse industry. We need to protect ecologically sensitive areas, reduce truck traffic, and reduce runoff even as we recognize New Jersey’s role as a logistics hub. Governor Murphy has already set a high bar for environmental leadership, from offshore wind to electric vehicles. It’s time to double down on our shared objectives to ensure that the governor finishes out the year as our nation’s greenest governor.

Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Adam Gordon:  “We are grateful to Governor Murphy for his leadership and commitment to advancing the development of affordable housing in New Jersey. We are hopeful that effective legislation to streamline and strengthen the enforcement of municipalities’ affordable housing obligations will pass quickly in this legislative session.  The lack of affordable housing options in New Jersey impacts everyone, especially low-income families and people of color. Solidifying how the next round of affordable housing obligations will work as soon as possible is critical to set up all stakeholders for success and to ultimately build as much affordable housing as possible for New Jersey residents. We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to enact strong legislation this session.”

Housing and Community Development Network President Staci Berger:  “We applaud Governor Murphy’s efforts to make our state a place everyone can afford to call home. Under this administration, NJ has made an unprecedented effort to solve our severe shortage of affordable and available homes. We commend the Governor for his commitment to signing legislation sponsored by Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senator Troy Singleton, and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez to make building affordable homes more effective and equitable. Our 300-member organizations and the communities they serve are grateful that the Governor continues to fulfill his commitment to make housing affordability, security and stability a cornerstone of his Administration.  NJ can only thrive by continuing historic and essential housing investments and removing systemic barriers that have harmed our Black and Brown communities. We look forward to continuing to work with the Murphy Administration, Senate President Scutari, Assembly Speaker Coughlin, and the members of both houses to implement policies and programs that will help to HouseNJ by creating more opportunities for all residents to live in healthy, safe and affordable homes.”

New Jersey Policy Perspective President Nicole Rodriguez:  “There’s a lot to like in Governor Murphy’s address, from protecting rights and freedoms to promoting affordability and economic security. This approach to governing recognizes the critical role of state government in making New Jersey the best place to live, go to school, raise a family, or start a business. The last six years are more than enough proof that this model works, and that we can strengthen public services and have a booming economy at the same time.  But just as the governor attributed this success to confronting New Jersey’s financial challenges, his address overlooks one giant elephant in the room that could unravel it all. As it stands, New Jersey is not raising enough revenue to balance its current budget, and the state’s financial outlook is made worse thanks to a new billion-dollar corporate tax cut that just went into effect.  By scrapping the corporate tax surcharge for big players like Amazon and Walmart, state lawmakers jeopardize the future of the same investments the governor celebrated in his remarks. To keep up the momentum and build an economy that is truly stronger and fairer for all, Governor Murphy and the Legislature must undo this tax cut for the most profitable corporations in the world.”

Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey President Christina Renna: “As we move to a fresh start in the new legislative session, the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) is eagerly anticipating further actions from the Administration that prioritize economic development for the entire state. In the State of the State Address, Governor Murphy unveiled his “AI Moonshot,” a plan to make the state a leader in artificial intelligence that will create new economic opportunities and jobs for New Jersey. The CCSNJ looks forward to being part of these discussions and will be vocal in reminding the Administration that South Jersey is well-positioned to lead in this area, with the South Jersey Technology Park located at Rowan University and various “Eds and Meds” corridors throughout the region perfectly suited for advancements in AI.  Additionally, the Governor correctly stated that large-scale transportation infrastructure projects are crucial to the state’s economic growth and the CCSNJ wholeheartedly agrees. The Hudson Tunnel Rail Project is just one example of such investment, however the CCSNJ encourages the Administration to pursue additional transportation infrastructure projects in South Jersey where public transit is scare, and the regional workforce suffers as a result.  In his speech, the Governor noted that the NJEDA has delivered nearly $1 billion to small businesses, and the CCSNJ agrees that the Authority should be lauded for their incredible commitment to assuring New Jersey’s Main Streets are strong. However, the simple fact is that much of this assistance is disproportionately allocated to the northern and central parts of the state, regardless of the regional disparity in population. While the CCSNJ appreciates the Administration’s work in providing business assistance, the CCSNJ looks forward to discussions around how various incentives can be better tailored to reach the needs of South Jersey.  As always, the CCSNJ is grateful for the ability to be a present and welcome voice in conversation with the Administration on how to ensure that South Jersey is a part of the continued progress of the state and looks forward to working with policymakers this coming year.”

New Jersey Business and Industry Association President Michele Siekerka: “As Governor Murphy embarks on his sixth year in office, we acknowledge and appreciate recent steps to improve New Jersey’s business climate.  Most notably, he rightfully remained steadfast in his commitment to sunsetting the temporary Corporate Business Tax surtax. NJBIA will continue to show our policymakers that New Jersey can and should invest in innovation, workforce development, and transportation, including NJ Transit, without having the highest corporate taxes in the entire nation.   New Jersey’s CBT rate now stands at 9%, fourth highest in the nation. Given the proven economic stimulus from states that have lowered their CBT, and neighboring Pennsylvania’s path to a 4.99% rate, we believe it is appropriate to consider future lowering of the rate. In fact, any return of the CBT surcharge would actually be a tax increase. We also credit the governor and his administration for working with NJBIA to reform New Jersey’s corporate tax policies to be more competitive with other states by changing the way global intangible low-taxed income and net operating losses are treated under state law. This was another huge step in the right direction in 2023.  That said, in 2024, we would like to see more relief for New Jersey small businesses, and fewer regulatory burdens.   Our small businesses never did get any federal COVID relief from a $1 billion-plus unemployment tax increase, resulting from the longest pandemic shutdown in the nation. This is costing our mom-and-pops hundreds of dollars more per employee, per year, than prior to the pandemic.  Further, while the ANCHOR and Stay NJ property tax relief programs have been presented, New Jersey businesses have been ineligible for both – even though they nearly pay half of the state’s property tax.  We have concerns about recent legislation that continues to be unfair to our smallest employers. While the governor painted a rosy picture today about the number of businesses being created during his administration, the fact of the matter is New Jersey ranks 44th nationally in growth among employers with fewer than 500 employees from 2017 to 2021.  We will continue to work with the governor and his administration to ensure that our small businesses have the best chance to thrive in 2024 and beyond.”

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Tom Bracken:  “The Governor’s State of the State address emphasized affordability and continuing to grow a fair, strong and inclusive economy to create the best state to raise a family. He mentioned several times the need to ‘work together’ to achieve those goals. We congratulate the Governor and the Legislature on the accomplishments of the last six years that have made economic progress. We applaud the many initiatives the Governor outlined in his address to build on past achievements. These initiatives – and others – will capitalize on opportunities available to the state to help us achieve economic leadership.  However, there is much work to be done to implement these initiatives – and plans need to be articulated to begin to turn them into action.   We need a stronger and larger economic base that generates reliable, organic and stable revenue to fund current and proposed programs. The most logical way to achieve that goal is to grow our business community by reducing the tax and regulatory burdens currently in place and providing more support to employers to make our state more business friendly.   To be effective and efficient in accomplishing all of the above we need a regular ongoing, constructive dialogue between the business community, the state Legislature and the Governor’s Office.  This is imperative to “working together” to address issues that are blocking potential economic growth.  In the Chamber’s previously announced economic agenda, some proposed items that will assist in achieving the goals outlined in the Governor’s address are: Replenishing the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund, as many states have done, instead of relying on payroll tax increases on employers;  Re-energizing the state’s Government Efficiency and Regulatory Review (GEARR) Commission to identify inefficiencies and overly burdensome regulations that hurt businesses and stifle economic growth; Ensuring there are more public contract opportunities awarded to minority businesses and there are more career opportunities for minority workers at all levels. We are partnering with diverse chambers of commerce on this priority; and Creating an Economic Council that meets on a regular basis comprised of members of the business community, the state Legislature and the Governor’s Office to discuss economic issue. All these items will be discussed in more detail at the Chamber’s ReNew Jersey Business Summit, scheduled for March 26 and 27 at Harrah’s Atlantic City.  The Governor, the state Legislature and the business community understand the enormous economic potential that our state is capable of achieving. Working together we can make the state more affordable, we can make the state the best place to raise a family and we can become the most attractive state to operate a business.”