- 2019-07-22
- Star-Ledger Guest Columnists
New Jersey is home to five military bases, from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to Picatinny Arsenal, from Naval Weapons Station Earle to the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May and the 177th Fighter Wing in Atlantic City. These installations are essential to our national security – and our location has made them critical pieces of our nation’s military preparedness.
But, even beyond their importance to national security, our bases are also critical to our state’s economy. Together, our bases employ 70,000 residents both directly and indirectly. Our communities are made stronger by our military families, and local economies are made stronger by them, too.
New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone members heard an exclusive breakfast presentation on July 12 by some of Gov. Phil Murphy's key advisors, including Chief of Staff George Helmy, Chief Counsel Matt Platkin, Chief Policy Advisor Kathleen Frangione, Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth Joe Kelley and Cabinet Secretary Noreen Giblin.
- 2019-07-09
- NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The modern port system was created in Newark in April 1956, when a refitted oil tanker carrying fifty-eight trailer-sized steel boxes sailed from Newark to Houston, launching the beginning of container shipping.
Most than 60 years later, parts of the port still look much like it did then. And with a huge increase in the amount of cargo now coming into the marine terminals serving the New Jersey and New York region — as well as the impact of global warming on port operations — billions will be needed to remake the waterfront in the coming decades, officials warn.
- 2019-07-02
- ROI-NJ Op-Ed
In his inauguration address, Gov. Phil Murphy pledged to be the governor of “all 9 million who call our great state home.”
On Sunday, the governor signed the fiscal 2020 state budget while repeatedly asking those in the audience, “Whose side are you on?”
Clearly, by his comments Sunday, the governor has chosen a “side,” which represents only a portion of those 9 million people.
- 2019-06-30
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce believes the 2020 state budget that Gov. Phil Murphy signed today represents a promising step toward the fiscal responsibility New Jersey needs to revitalize its economy.
The Chamber wishes to acknowledge Gov. Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin for approving this responsible budget ahead of the constitutional deadline. Their leadership prevented a potentially damaging government shutdown and the negative consequences that would have resulted.
- 2019-06-26
Linda Bowden, New Jersey Regional President at PNC Bank, has been elected chairwoman of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The move was confirmed by the Chamber Board on June 6. Bowden will serve a two-year term.
- 2019-06-17
- NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
New Jersey’s quality schools and its access to health care help make it the fifth-best place to raise a child, according to the annual look at family well-being in America.
For 30 years, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has published Kids Count, a compilation of data measuring health, wealth and stability, to draw attention to the needs of struggling kids and families. The goal is to influence politicians and policy makers who can make the changes that could improve thousands of lives.
This year, New Jersey continued its streak of top-10 ratings since at least 2010, placing 5th behind New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Iowa, and Minnesota.
- 2019-06-16
- NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Democratic lawmakers will introduce their own state budget Monday that ditches Gov. Phil Murphy’s long-sought proposal to raise tax increases on millionaires in New Jersey, setting up a showdown with the progressive Democratic governor in the coming days, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Incentives are imperative to our state’s economy and in making New Jersey competitive. We appreciate the Legislature’s willingness to extend the current programs (A-5343) until we can find a more viable option for a longer-term solution.
Recognizing that the current programs took approximately 18 months to effectuate, we cannot create a new, more effective, functioning program within the next two weeks. Nor can we allow for the current ones to expire.
A state that lets its economic growth incentives lapse signals that it is “out of business.”
Senate President Steve Sweeney said the Legislature will send Gov. Phil Murphy a budget without the millionaire’s tax increase that the governor is pursuing; he said reforming pension and health care benefits for public employees is vital to solving the state’s fiscal problems; and he said Gov. Murphy should extend the state’s soon-to-expire corporate tax incentive program until a revised incentive program is adopted.