NJGOP Chairman Reacts To Murphy Economic Speech

NJGOP Chairman Reacts To Murphy Economic Speech

For Immediate Release

Trenton, NJ – Yesterday, Governor Phil Murphy gave a speech regarding his plan for economic development for the state of New Jersey. NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt released the following statement in response:

“Your doctor is supposed to tell you to lose a few pounds.  Your waiter is supposed to show you the desert menu. New Jersey needs to hit the treadmill and, as Governor, Phil Murphy needs to write the prescription. Instead, he’s been serving up by the millions slices of state government pie.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make New Jersey fairer or stronger. But, no recipe for what ails this State includes economic policies that continue to punish New Jersey’s families and businesses.

“Any serious conversation about economic growth in New Jersey must start with cutting taxes and shrinking government. After Murphy’s 2018 budget, New Jersey actually sank farther, to 50th in corporate tax and 48th in personal tax friendliness. Overall, we rank last, 50th out of 50 states, for tax climate.

“Yesterday, Governor Murphy made twenty two empty promises. Businesses make decisions based on dollars and cents, not political nonsense. Murphy’s presser produced lots of sound bytes and I’m sure there are people who believe them, because they’re what they want to hear. But, that isn’t leading, it’s pandering. They’re a chimera. They aren’t real.

“New Jersey is the Mars of a national, economic solar system.  It’s cold and inhospitable here, and Murphy’s litany of tax and spend promises do nothing to move the needle for New Jersey’s already struggling families and businesses.  It’s one thing to promise more jobs and higher wages, but when your economic policies strangle the very businesses needed to support them, they’re empty promises and we’re weaker and poorer for them.  You can’t raise taxes by billions and saddle business with excessive regulations and mandates and expect them to grow. The burden is just too great.

“Seeking outside investment is a novel approach, but not even Wall Street will invest in a State where over taxation and over regulation thrive. While two plus two might equal six at Goldman Sachs, back home in New Jersey it still equals four, and Murphy’s plan simply doesn’t add up.”

###