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New Jersey
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Study gives New Jersey a failing grade for pandemic response
(The Center Square) – New Jersey ranked last for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new analysis from the Committee To Unleash Prosperity. The group gave the Garden State an F-minus for its pandemic performance, tying New York and the District of Columbia. “Shutting down their economies and schools was by far the biggest mistake governors and state officials made during COVID, particularly in blue states,” CUP co-founder Stephen Moore said in
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Federal budget includes funding for new Hudson River tunnel, Portal North Bridge
(The Center Square) – The proposed $5.8 trillion fiscal 2023 federal budget includes $100 million for a new tunnel between New Jersey and New York City and more than $330 million for a new bridge over the Hackensack River. The roughly $12 billion Hudson River Tunnel is part of the Gateway Program, a series of improvements on a section of the busy Northeast Corridor between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City. Both Amtrak and
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New Jersey’s February job numbers improve
(The Center Square) – New Jersey continued to see job gains in February, but the state’s unemployment rate lags the national average, according to an analysis of new numbers. New Jersey employers added 25,900 jobs, and nonfarm wage and salary employment reached a seasonally adjusted level of more than 4.1 million, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced. February’s gains were entirely in the private sector, officials said. Job growth continued for
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Proposal would temporarily roll back New Jersey’s gas tax
(The Center Square) – New Jersey lawmakers could soon consider rolling back the state’s gas tax at least temporarily. At 42.4 cents per gallon, proponents say the rate is the fourth-highest nationwide. A proposal from state Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer/Hunterdon, would lower the Garden State’s gas tax to 14.5 cents per gallon – the 2016 rate – for 60 days. “The high cost of gas is impacting our residents who are now spending a larger
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Analysis: New Jersey has the 10th highest tax rate in the country
(The Center Square) – New Jersey taxpayers pay some of the highest taxes in the country, a new analysis from WalletHub revealed. “New Jersey residents pay the 10th-highest taxes nationwide, that amount to almost $12,000 a year for the median household,” WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez told The Center Square. “Almost half of this amount is spent on real estate taxes, which are the highest in the country.” While the Garden State ranked No. 42 overall,
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New Jersey governor signs legislation to bar Russian investments
(The Center Square) – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to bar government dealings with companies associated with the governments of Russia and Belarus. S-1889/A-3090, introduced following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, would stop public investments and other financial agreements with businesses and people with Russian and Belarusian interests. It also bans companies or people with investments in Russia and Belarus from securing state or local government professional service contracts and from receiving other tax
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Murphy unveils $48.9B proposed New Jersey spending plan
(The Center Square) – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy proposed a $48.9 billion fiscal 2023 spending plan, one that includes a $4.2 billion budget “surplus.” In fiscal 2023, Murphy anticipates the state will see $47.2 billion in revenues, up from $46.9 billion projected for fiscal 2022, and the budget projects the state will end fiscal 2022 with a $6.2 billion surplus. The proposal also includes a more than $6.8 billion pension payment. “The budget I
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Legislation would enforce New Jersey’s racing commission’s internal controls
(The Center Square) – The New Jersey Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee advanced legislation to enforce internal controls of the New Jersey Racing Commission, including the prompt reporting of revenues. A-327 would require an audit at the end of each fiscal year to ensure the proper reporting of financial and other regulated information. Proponents of the legislation point to a state auditor’s report that found the commission did not correctly process $7.5 million