Category: Press Release

For the Many Joins National Movement for Fair Tax Reforms, Calls on Congress to Act in 2025

Posted on by NJPP Staff

On September 18, 2024, members of the For the Many coalition joined leaders from across the U.S. in Washington, DC, to demand bold tax reforms when the 2017 tax cuts expire next year. Advocates called on Congress to ensure that the wealthy and large corporations contribute fairly to fund critical public services that working families rely on.

For the Many, which spearheaded the Corporate Business Tax surcharge victory in New Jersey, now seeks to amplify its tax justice agenda at the federal level, standing in solidarity with community advocates from over 15 states. As part of this growing movement, the coalition urged Congress to commit to raising corporate tax rates, ending tax cuts for high-income households, and investing in key public services like child care, education, and infrastructure.

By aligning federal tax policy with the needs of working families, the coalition seeks to ensure that both state and national reforms prioritize equity and long-term economic health. With the recent loss of two key members at the federal level, several NJ delegates moving into critical federal roles, and a closely watched gubernatorial race in 2025, now is the time to meet the moment. Recent polling shows 78% of NJ voters support taxing corporations, making this a pivotal opportunity for bold tax reform

“We’re here in Washington to send a clear message: New Jersey’s success in restoring the Corporate Business Tax shows that fair tax policy can work at both state and federal levels. As we approach the expiration of the 2017 tax cuts, it’s time for Congress to ensure the wealthiest Americans and corporations contribute fairly,” said Eric Benson, For the Many Campaign Director. “Our families deserve real investments in education, transit, and child care — not policies that favor the ultra-wealthy. We’re proud to stand with advocates across the country to make that happen.”

The New Jersey coalition is particularly focused on the importance of corporate accountability in funding vital public services. With the recently restored Corporate Business Tax surcharge in New Jersey already set to boost transit investments, advocates emphasized the importance of pairing state-level wins with federal tax reforms that benefit communities.

“The 2017 tax cuts benefited the wealthy and giant corporations while leaving working-class people behind. Congress has the chance to unrig our economy and restore economic fairness by reinvesting in people, not profits,” said Antoinette Miles, NJ State Director, Working Families Party. “In New Jersey, we’ve shown that moving towards a fair tax code that prioritizes working families over corporate profits is possible. We can create a people-first economy where everyone has what they need to get ahead.”

Members of Make the Road New Jersey are currently in Washington DC to emphasize the importance of restoring the Federal corporate businesses tax. The 2017 tax cut under the previous administration primarily benefited wealthy corporations, neglecting the needs of working-class families and students like myself.

“We strongly urge elected officials to prioritize the well-being of our communities by reinstating the Federal corporate tax and directing investments towards the betterment of our society. New Jersey has recently showcased that equitable tax reforms, which prioritize the everyday worker, are achievable,” Camila Guayasamin Llugcha, Make the Road NJ Member. ”As an individual who heavily relies on public services for education and employment, I implore the elected officials representing us in Washington DC to contemplate the restoration of a tax code that enables all communities to prosper, while ensuring that multi-million dollar businesses contribute their fair share.

“Small business owners are tired of being pushed to the sidelines while big corporations rake in tax breaks. The 2017 tax cuts only widened that gap, leaving us with fewer resources to grow and thrive. Congress must fix this broken system, create real relief for small businesses, and stop favoring megacorporations. Our communities depend on it,” said Wetoga Felli, Research Analyst, Small Business Alliance. 

“Taxing the wealthy isn’t about penalizing success; it’s about ensuring prosperity doesn’t come at the expense of our planet and its people. Gen Z is stepping up—we see the climate crisis and economic inequality as two sides of the same coin. In New Jersey, this means ensuring affordable housing, modernizing transit, and protecting our shorelines. Real change demands we rethink how we distribute resources, funding a future where economic and environmental justice are intertwined,” said Ben Dziobek, Executive Director of Climate Revolution Action Network.

“A fairer tax system means a brighter future for our communities. By closing loopholes and demanding that the wealthy pay their fair share, we can create a more equitable system that directly benefits working families, including African-Americans,” said Tomas Varela Jr, Executive Director of New Jersey Black Empowerment Coalition. “Taxing the wealthy isn’t just about money.  A fairer tax code means African-Americans can invest in the very things that help all families thrive: education, housing, and economic opportunity. This is a fight for a more just and prosperous society for everyone.

Watch a live stream of the press conference here.

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For The Many is a statewide coalition of more than 40 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

Fair Share America supports the movement in the states and nationally to make wealthy individuals and the most profitable corporations pay what they owe so that all of us can thrive. We are a groundbreaking, federal and multistate initiative focused on building long-term civic engagement and political power to deliver lasting tax justice.

For The Many NJ: Lack of Budget Transparency is Unacceptable

Posted on by NJPP Staff

Later tonight, New Jersey lawmakers will vote on a $58 billion state budget without having even read the several-hundred-page bill. Year after year, the budget committees vote on the state’s multi-billion dollar spending plan based on only a rough outline of what is included.

Tonight’s vote comes days after dozens of democracy, good governance, and fair budget organizations called on state lawmakers to end the annual backroom deals and last-minute scramble to write the state budget bill. New Jersey residents deserve a say in how the money is spent before a rushed vote at the eleventh hour.

“This lack of transparency is unacceptable and only serves to benefit powerful special interests with lobbyists and influence,” said Eric Benson, Campaign Director of For The Many NJ, a broad-based coalition of more than 40 organizations. “The budget touches the lives of every single person in the state, and members of the public should have at least 72 hours to review the budget before it is passed. Yet under the current system, the lawmakers themselves don’t even have 72 minutes to read it. Some lawmakers may think this is all normal and appropriate, but other states do not operate this way and the people of New Jersey deserve better. We demand a budget process that is transparent and accountable to the people it serves.”

Groups from across the political spectrum have long supported budget transparency and improved accountability. The hectic last-minute rush, often followed by clean-up bills to correct drafting errors, creates problems for all stakeholders who depend on the state budget. It also creates opportunities for lobbyists and special interest groups to sneak in changes at the last minute without scrutiny.

Last year, policy experts from New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) called for new reforms to end the annual brinkmanship: A requirement that the budget bills be posted no later than June 1; a 14-day window between when the budget bill is posted and its second reading in committee; and multi-year projections for revenues and expenditures to reduce reliance on one-off gimmicks and allow for better long-term planning.

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For The Many NJ is a statewide coalition of more than 40 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

Dozens of Democracy and Fair Budget Organizations Demand Budget Transparency, Public Input on Closed-Door Process

Posted on by NJPP Staff

The We the People Coalition and the For the Many NJ, each representing more than 50 organizations across the state, called on state lawmakers to end the annual backroom deals and last-minute scramble to write the state budget bill. With a $58 billion budget touching on every public investment from schools and hospitals to public transit and environmental protection, New Jersey residents deserve a say in how the money is spent before a rushed vote at the eleventh hour.

With only 6 days remaining before the constitutional budget deadline on June 30, the groups called for disclosure of the budget bill text at least 72 hours before a budget committee vote at a public hearing with testimony, giving the public (and the legislators themselves) time to analyze the several-hundred-page bill before it is voted on.

“With erosions in public accountability after the changes to election contributions and now public records, this state cannot withstand even more backroom dealing without public accountability,” said Antoinette Miles, New Jersey Director of Working Families Alliance. “We must replace a system that benefits political insiders with an open process that includes the voices of communities that this budget is supposed to serve.”

“When lawmakers can spend billions of taxpayer dollars through a totally opaque process, that only benefits special interests with influence and access,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Budgets are moral documents, and a budget written and voted on in secrecy without public input will not reflect the values of the public.”

Last year, New Jersey Policy Perspective called for new reforms to end the annual brinkmanship: A requirement that the budget bills be posted no later than June 1; a 14-day window between when the budget bill is posted and its second reading in committee; and multi-year projections for revenues and expenditures to reduce reliance on one-off gimmicks and allow for better long-term planning.

“We have seen how procrastinated budget bills lead to votes with little to no public feedback and the legislators voting on bills they have not even seen,” said Jesse Burns, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New Jersey. “If we believe in a robust democracy, that has to include meaningful public feedback on the biggest single bill of the year. The people of this state deserve better and are sick and tired of Trenton’s anti-transparency antics.”

“The opaque budget process has helped entrenched special interests instead of the working-class and middle-class New Jersey residents who form the foundation of the state,” said Nedia Morsy, Make the Road NJ. “The budget is a moral document that directly impacts immigrant and working class people. When transparency is upheld to keep working class people engaged we all benefit.”

“The public has every right to shape how public dollars are spent. The Legislature must make the state budget proposal public at least 72 hours before a vote is held and hold a hearing to take feedback from the public on the proposal. It’s one of many ways the Legislature can restore meaningful public participation in the budget making process,” said Dena Mottola Jaborska, Executive Director, New Jersey Citizen Action.

“With just a week to go, the Legislature has yet to give any indication of where it is in the budget process. New Jersey schools continue to be saddled with draconian cuts to their budgets, so districts need to know what funding they will have as soon as possible. We deserve to have a budget process that is efficient and transparent, just as our children deserve a ‘thorough and efficient’ education as guaranteed in New Jersey’s state constitution,” said Julie Larrea Borst, Executive Director, Save Our Schools NJ (SOSNJ).

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For The Many NJ is a statewide coalition of more than 40 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

We The People NJ is a statewide coalition of over a dozen labor, advocacy, and grassroots groups dedicated to advancing an equitable and more inclusive democracy by engaging and empowering underrepresented communities and building sustainable power among all New Jerseyans. wethepeoplenj.org

More Than 50 Mayors and Local Officials Call for Corporate Transit Fee to Fund NJ Transit

Posted on by NJPP Staff

A diverse coalition of mayors, commuters, labor leaders, and community activists rallied this morning outside of Newark Penn Station to urge state lawmakers to tax profitable corporations to fund NJ Transit.

At the rally, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla unveiled an open letter from more than 50 mayors, city council members, and county commissioners calling on the New Jersey Senate President, Assembly Speaker, and Legislature to pass the Corporate Transit Fee to fund NJ Transit and to reinstate the full Corporate Business Tax surcharge to invest in other critical public services.

“NJ Transit is a lifeline for our communities,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla at the rally outside Newark Penn Station. “We cannot allow service cuts and fare hikes to devastate our residents. It’s time for wealthy corporations to contribute to the public services that keep our state running.”

Speakers at the rally highlighted the urgent need for stable funding for NJ Transit, which faces a looming deficit of nearly $1 billion once federal pandemic assistance expires. Without more state funding to address this deficit, equal to roughly one-third of the agency’s total budget, commuters will see drastic service cuts and fare hikes that would leave riders stranded, put more cars on the road, and harm the broader state economy.

“Without a fully funded NJ Transit, workers can’t get to their jobs or anywhere else they need to go,” said Stephenie Martinez, a transit rider and member of Hudson County Complete Streets. “Working class communities are what makes the world go round. We have to prioritize community needs over corporate greed.”

The open letter was signed by more than 50 mayors, council members, and county commissioners representing millions of residents, including: Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Bayonne Mayor James Davis, Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney, Kearny Mayor Carol Jean Doyle, and Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller. Additionally, the Essex County and Union County Boards of County Commissioners each signed onto the letter and passed resolutions supporting the corporate transit fee proposal.

“It takes all of us to make sure that each of us have access to jobs and opportunities and transportation is a big part of that, in particular New Jersey Transit,” said Denise Wilkerson, Roselle Councilwoman-at-Large. “In Roselle, we’re a small community without a lot of industry, and residents need transit to get to their jobs. Tax the rich, not the riders!”

While local officials, transit riders, and community leaders rallied in Newark, hundreds of activists and members of the For The Many NJ and Fund NJ Transit coalitions took to the halls of the New Jersey State House to urge lawmakers to tax corporations and fully fund NJ Transit.

“From Newark to Trenton, we’re at both ends of the Northeast Corridor mobilizing for fair and sustainable transit funding,” said Eric Benson, campaign director for For the Many NJ, a broad-based coalition of labor, policy, faith, and community organizations. “We need a dedicated source of funding so NJ Transit can continue to serve the millions of New Jersey residents who rely on it every day.”

“As workers, we know that New Jersey’s transit system is vital to us, ensuring that working people have a safe and reliable way of getting to work, taking our kids to school, and going about our daily lives,” said Ken McNamara, President of CWA Local 1037, representing thousands of public and private sector workers. “We also know that as workers our ability to fully participate in the economy generates enormous profits for big corporations. We are not asking for a free ride, but we are asking for an end to a free ride for big corporations.”

​​“I won’t be able to take the bus due to the fare increases,” said Humberto, Passaic resident and longtime transit rider. “We cannot accept another increase. Corporations must pay their fair share.”

“We know that immigrants make up nearly a quarter of our state and even more of our essential workers who rely on transit,” said Erik Cruz Morales, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “We need to collect the funds from corporations that build their wealth off immigrant workers and use that to invest in immigrant services and fund New Jersey Transit.”

“Wealthy corporations benefit greatly from the infrastructure and services provided by NJ Transit. It’s only fair that they contribute their share to ensure its proper functioning,” said Derek Armstead, Mayor of Linden. “By investing in public transit, we can reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and promote a more sustainable mode of transportation for our communities.”

“The Venn diagram of equity and mobility is a full circle. You can’t have one without the other, and that requires a robust and reliable transit system,” said Zoe Baldwin, Vice President of State Programs and New Jersey Director of the Regional Plan Association. “We ask ourselves year after year, ‘Why is our transit system bad? Why is my system failing me?’ and until now, the state’s leaders have not put forth a proposal to fix it. We need the legislature to make the Corporate Transit Fee a reality.”

“We have to fund public transit by taxing the world’s largest and most profitable corporations. This is an absolute must,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) and emcee of the event. “It is beyond time for corporations to pay their fair share, and we need to make sure we have a sustainable transit system, not just for our present but for our future.”

Read the open letter from mayors here.

Watch a recording of the press event here.

Download photos of the press event here.

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For The Many NJ is a statewide coalition of more than 40 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

The Fund NJ Transit Coalition seeks to bring greater prosperity and better transportation to communities across New Jersey. We represent a convening of groups from across New Jersey’s advocacy spectrum to support legislative funding initiatives and transform NJ Transit into a modern, effective transit agency for the state’s one million and growing daily transit riders.

Over 40 Advocacy, Labor, Community, and Local Government Leaders Urge NJ Transit to Stop Double-Digit Fare Increases

Posted on by NJPP Staff

On Friday, leaders from more than 40 organizations and local governments urged NJ Transit to refrain from voting on the agency’s proposal to raise fares by 15 percent in light of the new Corporate Transit Fee proposed by Governor Murphy.

In an open letter to NJ Transit Board Chair Francis O’Connor that was submitted as a public comment to the agency, the diverse group of labor, advocacy, faith, community, and local government leaders called on NJ Transit to reconsider double-digit fare hikes and instead work with Governor Murphy and the Legislature on funding the agency through the state budget.

“When NJ Transit first proposed raising fares in January, the agency faced a $119 million budget shortfall with no guarantee of additional state aid. Since then, Governor Murphy proposed the first-ever dedicated source funding for NJ Transit — a 2.5 percent Corporate Transit Fee on corporations with more than $10 million in net profits — that would provide the agency more than $800 million annually,” the letter states.

The letter states that the proposed fare increases would disproportionately harm low-income families that rely on mass transit, highlighting that more than half of NJ Transit bus riders have an annual income of less than $35,000, and that the state’s Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian residents are the least likely to own a car.

“Raising fares should always be a last resort, not the first solution for an agency facing budget issues,” the letter continues. “A double-digit fare hike proposed mere months before its implementation is not a sustainable solution, nor is it an equitable one. This proposal will disproportionately harm poorer families who rely on transit, serving as a de facto tax for low-income riders, many of whom are already on strict budgets.”

The letter was signed by leaders of 41 organizations, including New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, Regional Plan Association, 32BJ SEIU, New Jersey Education Association, Ironbound Community Corporation, Raritan Valley Line Mayor’s Alliance, Salvation and Social Justice, Make the Road New Jersey, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, and more.

The letter concludes with four recommendations for NJ Transit moving forward: Refrain from voting on the double-digit fare hike proposal; roll back any future fare hikes to a more reasonable annual increase, with lower rates for local bus routes; save the FlexPass and reverse the proposed 30-day expiration on all one-way tickets; and commit to holding hearings on any future fare hike, with a virtual option, even those proposed in perpetuity.

A copy of the letter can be read here.

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Coalition of 50 Advocacy Organizations and Labor Unions Call on Lawmakers to Stop the Corporate Tax Cut for Amazon and Walmart

Posted on by NJPP Staff

On Friday, a diverse coalition of 50 advocacy organizations, labor unions, and community groups sent an open letter to Governor Murphy, Senate President Scutari, and Assembly Speaker Coughlin urging them to extend the Corporate Business Tax surcharge on the world’s most profitable corporations.

With tax collections nearly $400 million behind last year, state lawmakers will need more revenue to balance the state budget and avoid drastic cuts to NJ Transit, public school funding, affordable housing, child care, tax credits for working families, and much more.

“As we approach the end of a legislative session with lower revenues and a potential recession on the horizon, this is exactly the wrong time to be giving the most profitable corporations a $1 billion tax cut. Such a gift for corporations and their shareholders takes away resources from our schools and infrastructure and undermines funding for areas that promote opportunity for all: affordable housing, quality health care, reliable mass transit, and clean energy,” the letter states.

Earlier this month, Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-Essex) introduced legislation (A5878) that would maintain the Corporate Business Tax surcharge and dedicate it to transit, education, and public employee health benefits. Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union) also spoke out in support of maintaining the surcharge given the state of New Jersey’s finances.

The Corporate Business Tax surcharge is a 2.5 percent tax on corporations with profits exceeding $1 million. The surcharge is paid by the top 2 percent of the wealthiest corporations and is primarily paid by multinational corporations like Amazon and Walmart that make profits in New Jersey but are not headquartered here.

“Now is the time for more revenue, not less,” the letter states. “The wealthiest 2 percent of businesses should be paying more, not getting a tax cut when everyday New Jerseyans are struggling. We keep hearing about kitchen-table issues and middle-class New Jerseyans. How will corporate tax cuts help them? If we intend to invest in the programs we know make New Jersey an engine of economic growth and opportunity, the wealthy few must pay what they owe.”

The letter calls for lawmakers to extend the Corporate Business Tax surcharge before the end of the lame duck session so the state can continue investing in the public programs and services that benefit New Jersey’s families, communities, and the broader economy.

The letter was signed by 50 policy, advocacy, labor, and community organizations, including: 32BJ SEIU, ACLU of New Jersey, Communications Workers of America, Fair Share Housing Center, Latino Action Network, Make the Road New Jersey, New Jersey Citizen Action, New Jersey Education Association, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Jersey Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, Salvation and Social Justice, and the Sierra Club.

A copy of the letter can be read here.

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For The Many is a statewide coalition of more than 30 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

Advocates, Unions, and Policy Experts Praise New Bill to Extend Surcharge on Corporate Profits

Posted on by NJPP Staff

A week after hundreds of union members and advocates rallied outside the State House to oppose a $1 billion corporate tax cut, momentum is building to extend New Jersey’s Corporate Business Tax surcharge with new legislation (A5878) introduced by Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-Essex).

Earlier this month, Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union) spoke out in support of maintaining the surcharge to fully fund NJ Transit, which is facing a looming $1 billion budget shortfall. The surcharge on corporate profits is only paid by the most profitable top 2 percent of corporations and is primarily paid by large, multinational corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and ExxonMobil — not small or midsize businesses located in New Jersey.

Advocates, unions, and policy experts from the For The Many NJ coalition praised the introduction of the bill as a way to promote tax fairness and fund public services, programs, and infrastructure that everyday New Jerseyans rely on.

Nicole Rodriguez, President, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP):
“This bill shows that the Legislature is listening to the many voices across the state saying no to this billion-dollar tax cut for big corporations. The surcharge is a highly targeted tax that pays for the essential public services that keep our communities and economy running. New Jersey needs this revenue to balance its budget and avoid damaging cuts to public transit and programs that working families rely on.”

Antoinette Miles, Interim Director, New Jersey Working Families Party:
“Just a week ago, the voices of workers and grassroots activists echoed throughout the State House, and this bill shows how those voices have been heard. Now it’s time for the rest of the Legislature and the Governor to listen, too, and stop this tax cut for big corporations today.”

Nedia Morsy, Director of Strategic Projects, Make the Road New Jersey:
“New Jersey’s transit riders and workers need a well-funded public transit system, not fare hikes and service cuts. This bill would go a long way towards finally getting a dedicated funding source for NJ Transit, rather than relying on patches and short-term fixes. If Walmart and Amazon are making their profits off of New Jersey consumers and workers, then New Jersey should be making sure they pay us back for the transit and infrastructure that generate those profits.”

Debbie White, RN, President, Health Professionals and Allied Employees:
“Legislators should support the extension of the corporate business tax to protect the financial stability of New Jersey. The revenue generated by this tax on wealthy corporations has supported healthcare, transportation, education and other projects the residents of New Jersey rely on every day. Without this source of revenue, we will see a negative impact on New Jersey’s infrastructure.”

Liz Glynn, Director of Organizing, New Jersey Citizen Action:
“As corporate profits continue to break records, working and middle-class families in New Jersey continue to struggle to make ends meet. The public services they rely on need robust funding, and taxing corporate profits from the world’s biggest companies will help ensure that affordable housing and healthcare, infrastructure, and essential services have sustainable funding into the future. Now is not the time to cut corporate taxes once again.”

Amy Goldsmith, State Director, Clean Water Action:
“New Jersey’s needs are great. On the environment alone, clean energy, lead abatement programs, NJ Transit, and the Department of Environmental Protection are all underfunded while state revenues are down, federal funds are drying up, and a fiscal cliff is looming. Kudos to Assemblyman Giblin for making sure we don’t lose a billion dollars by ensuring mega-corporations pay their fair share. It’s now time for the rest of the Legislature and Governor to step up.”

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For The Many is a statewide coalition of more than 30 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

Costly Corporate Tax Cuts Overshadow and Threaten Good Budget Investments

Posted on by NJPP Staff

Today, the New Jersey Legislature voted on more than 200 bills, including the $54.3 billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The budget document was hastily written and approved Wednesday night, a mere minutes before triggering a state shutdown and without bill text available or an opportunity for the public to comment. Full of errors, omissions, and miscalculations, the budget will likely require “clean-up” legislation in the coming weeks. In response to the budget passing, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) releases the following statements.

On the lack of transparency and regressive tax cuts:

“It’s hard to evaluate this budget when it’s riddled with errors and needs to be corrected,” said Nicole Rodriguez, President of NJPP. “What we do know is that an overall lack of transparency rewarded big corporations and special interests at the expense of everyday New Jerseyans. With record revenues and a chance to make generational investments in the state, lawmakers prioritized a $1 billion corporate tax cut and hundreds of millions of dollars to Hollywood studios and real estate developers. Make no mistake, there are great investments in the budget worth celebrating, but they pale in size and scope to the tax cuts and credits given to the wealthy and well-connected. When corporations and wealthy households are allowed to skirt the tax system and do not pay what they owe, that leaves less funding for our schools, mass transit, and other public goods we all rely on. These short-sighted tax cuts threaten the future of New Jersey, especially as federal aid expires.”

On the doubling of the Child Tax Credit to a $1,000 max credit:

“The expanded Child Tax Credit will help more working-class families meet the high cost of living by putting cash back in their pockets,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at NJPP and author of a report on the benefits of an expanded Child Tax Credit. “Doubling the credit amount will help young children get the healthy and safe start they need to reach their full potential. Right now, one in ten children lives in poverty, despite New Jersey being one of the wealthiest states in the nation. Expanding the Child Tax Credit puts the state on a path to ending child poverty for good.”

On the elimination of public defenders’ fees:

“This is a huge win for the people of New Jersey that will move the constitutional right to an attorney out from behind a paywall,” said Marleina Ubel, Policy Analyst at NJPP and author of a 2022 report detailing the high cost of “free” legal representation. “New Jersey is one step closer to ensuring that justice is accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.”

On the raid of the Clean Energy Fund:

“Lawmakers ignored environmental advocates, labor leaders, and sound research yet again,” said Alex Ambrose, Policy Analyst at NJPP and author of a report detailing the cumulative raids of the Clean Energy Fund. “Instead of using the Clean Energy Fund as intended, lawmakers continue a fourteen-year tradition of raiding the fund to plug unrelated budget holes. The Fund has now been raided by more than $2 billion since 2010, leaving behind those most vulnerable to the climate crisis and undermining the state’s own clean energy goals.”

On the cancellation of medical debt:

“Canceling medical debt will make New Jersey a leader in addressing the devastating challenges of our complex and broken health care system,” said Brittany Holom-Trundy, Senior Policy Analyst at NJPP. “Medical debt is a significant driver of the racial wealth gap and acts as an obstacle for far too many residents in getting the care they need. Uninsured and underinsured residents are more likely to have crushing debt and often avoid seeking necessary medical care as a result. Lawmakers should keep the momentum going and follow this up with policies addressing the structural issues in the health system that cause debt in the first place.”

For The Many NJ: Budget Deal Includes Too Many Corporate Giveaways

Posted on by NJPP Staff

Advocates, policy experts, and small business owners from For The Many NJ condemned the numerous corporate tax cuts and giveaways in the state budget proposal voted out of committee Wednesday night. The budget was advanced by the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees late in the evening, with zero public comment and text not available for the public to review before the $54.3 billion budget was voted on.

The budget deal includes a $1 billion corporate tax cut, an overhaul of the corporate tax code that makes it easier for companies to hide their profits overseas, and major expansions of tax credits for Hollywood studios and commercial developers that were snuck into the budget in the waning hours of negotiations.

Over the last few months, members of the For the Many NJ have urged lawmakers that everyday New Jerseyans, not big corporations, should be the focus of the budget: testifying at public hearings, meeting with NJ Transit riders, unveiling a scroll representing the ultra wealth of big corporations, and rallying in front of the offices of corporate lobbyists.

In a year with record-breaking tax collections, lawmakers failed to invest these funds in programs that families and small businesses rely one — like NJ Transit, affordable housing, the social safety net, and more — and instead diverted billions of dollars to corporate entities, their shareholders, and high-paid executives.

Antoinette Miles, Interim State Director, New Jersey Working Families Party:
“For months, advocates have urged lawmakers not to dole out billions of dollars in costly corporate tax handouts to companies like Amazon and Walmart. Trickle-down policies don’t work. They limit our ability to make investments that make New Jersey’s economy work for everyone and do nothing to ensure our state can maintain its fiscal footing.”

Nicole Rodriguez, President, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP):
“It’s hard to evaluate this budget when it’s riddled with errors and needs to be corrected. What we do know is that an overall lack of transparency rewarded big corporations and special interests at the expense of everyday New Jerseyans. With record revenues and a chance to make generational investments in the state, lawmakers prioritized a $1 billion corporate tax cut and hundreds of millions of dollars to Hollywood studios and real estate developers. Make no mistake, there are great investments in the budget worth celebrating, but they pale in size and scope to the tax cuts and credits given to the wealthy and well-connected. When corporations and wealthy households are allowed to skirt the tax system and do not pay what they owe, that leaves less funding for our schools, mass transit, and other public goods we all rely on.”

Elizabeth Roque, member of Make the Road – New Jersey:
“The Legislature has given a billion dollar handout to the wealthiest multinational corporations like Amazon, while working families across New Jersey continue to suffer. The failure to extend the Corporate Business Tax Surcharge is a mistake that will have long-lasting, devastating consequences on families like mine who are struggling to make ends meet. A billion dollars would fix NJ Transit, provide a full Child Tax Credit to all kids in New Jersey, and help build more affordable housing. But instead, the Legislature today has chosen to line the pockets of the wealthiest corporations.”

Liz Glynn, Director of Organizing, New Jersey Citizen Action:
“Allowing the Corporate Business Tax Surcharge to expire benefits a handful of wealthy corporations at the expense of the vast majority of New Jerseyans. This could eventually lead to significant cuts in programs involving healthcare, education, the environment, transportation, and many other initiatives that help ensure working families in our state can thrive and prosper. It also puts future state leaders in the impossible dilemma of pitting our state’s financial health against the economic security of countless New Jersey families.”

J. Kelly Conklin, Founding Board Member, New Jersey Main Street Alliance:
“While there are certainly things to like in the budget legislation moving toward the Governor’s desk, the political calculus that includes massive revenue giveaways to a very small number of highly profitable corporations in the form of cutting the corporate tax rate doesn’t add up. Using calculus to disguise bad math never works in the long run. But while big, profitable corporations laugh all the way to their offshore bank accounts it will be small businesses that pick up the revenue shortfalls with tax increases and diminished public investment that impacts them, their customers and their employees.”

Marcia Marley, President, BlueWaveNJ:
“New Jersey’s economy is growing in part because of responsible stewardship from our Governor and the Legislature. That said, we are in danger of repeating our mistakes by creating a budget plan that will not weather the coming fiscal cliff. Instead the Legislature and Governor are making large tax relief plans which may not be sustainable and fail to target those who need it most.”

Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey State Director, Clean Water Action:
“Despite a looming fiscal cliff with federal funds depleting and a troubling economic clouds smoldering, the announced agreed upon budget is a reverse Robin Hood. Taking from the poor to give to the rich is unconscionable. Yet, that’s what’s on the table with fare hikes and service cuts being considered for NJ Transit, underfunding of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and $400 million raids on NJ Transit and the Clean Energy Fund that target the low income while millionaire businesses and McMansion homeowners get billions of dollars in new tax breaks and those with low incomes gets less.”

Dennis Trainor, CWA District 1 Vice President:
“After decades of administration after administration of both political parties failing to make the required full pension payment, we’re thrilled that – for the third time in a row – this budget makes the full pension payment. This will help bring retirement security for hundreds of thousands of current and former state workers. And that’s incredible. What’s not so thrilling is Trenton failing to extend the Corporate Business Tax Surcharge – in effect, incredulously rewarding corporate greed and robbing our state of more than $1 billion of revenue annually at a time when New Jersey continues to struggle funding crucial services like education, transportation and healthcare.”

Cliff Simms, Peter Simms, Dorothea von Moltke, Owners of Labyrinth Books and Great Jones Books:
“As the owners of two New Jersey family businesses, we are tired of hearing how small businesses are the engine of employment and economic growth while watching how large corporations are the beneficiaries of unwarranted tax breaks, which add proportionally little or nothing to the economy of New Jersey. Sunsetting the 2.5% surcharge on corporations that make over one million in net profits will eventually put more of a financial burden on small and medium sized businesses, which are still digging out of from the difficulties of the pandemic and have had to cope with, in its wake, rapidly rising wages as well as heightened inflationary costs. It seems obscene to give a handout to large corporations at a time when businesses on Main Street remain depressed and struggling while trying to do the right thing for employees.”

Rev. Sara Lilja, Director, Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry NJ (LEAMNJ):
“Does the state budget reflect our values? Tax breaks for wealthy corporations during this time of economic uncertainty is short-sided and immoral. The state budget must prioritize the needs of all; not just wealthy corporations! The economic engine of our state is our people. Hard working neighbors and friends continue to struggle to make ends meet each month, while contributing every day to the state’s economy. We have a moral obligation to plan for the future of families, and help all New Jersyans to thrive. Our state budget must reflect these values!”

Julie Borst, Executive Director, Save Our Schools NJ:
“New Jersey schools have been underfunded for over a decade. While the Murphy administration has made great strides in getting us to full funding, we do not see how it will be possible to maintain without the largest corporations paying their fair share of taxes. These same corporations have benefitted from significant federal tax cuts and they have benefitted from New Jersey’s well-educated population. They should contribute to support the system that produces those people. Without this funding, homeowners can expect to have to make up the difference.”

Philip Hensley, Democracy Policy Analyst, League of Women Voters of New Jersey:
“In the middle of the night, the legislature passed a budget giving away billions to big corporations. And the process was as flawed as the budget itself: no public testimony was allowed, legislators voted without seeing the final text, and because of rushed drafting the budget’s numbers don’t even add up. While this budget does invest in some laudable programs, for example by increasing the Child Tax Credit, this budget misses the opportunity to fund New Jersey’s future. This continues a worrying trend in Trenton of passing damaging legislation in the dark. From laws gutting campaign finance limits, to secretive last-minute amendments, to a budget that nobody saw and an assault on OPRA, New Jersey residents are noticing an anti-transparency streak in Trenton. With this budget, an opaque process has once again produced short-sighted and inadequate legislation.”

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For The Many NJ is a statewide coalition of more than 30 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically marginalized.

New Jersey Policy Perspective Announces New Vice President and Policy Director

Posted on by NJPP Staff

TRENTON, NJ (June 1, 2023) – New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP), a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to advancing economic and racial justice, is pleased to announce the promotion of Louis Di Paolo to Vice President and the addition of Awinna Martinez as the organization’s new Policy Director.

As Vice President, Louis Di Paolo takes on a more formal role in guiding NJPP’s strategic direction and policy agenda in addition to leading the think tank’s communications department. In his previous position as Communications Director, Louie played a critical role in developing messaging and communication strategies to promote NJPP’s research and shape public discourse on pressing policy issues. Louie was a leading figure in the successful campaigns for the $15 minimum wage, millionaires’ tax, and state-level Child Tax Credit.

“Louie has been a tactical force behind some of the biggest policy wins for New Jersey’s working families,” said Nicole Rodriguez, President of NJPP. “He has the rare combo of policy expertise, communications savvy, and commitment to mentorship for both his colleagues and partners across the advocacy and legislative arenas. We’re thrilled to have Louie take on this new role and bring his talents to every aspect of NJPP’s work.”

Louis Di Paolo, Vice President, speaking at NJPP’s Progress 2022 policy conference.

Before joining NJPP in 2018, Louie served as the Legislative Director for the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, and prior to that as a Legislative Aide for State Senator Bob Gordon. He was previously the Deputy Director of New Leaders Council – New Jersey and served as a councilman in his hometown, Dumont, New Jersey, from 2016 to 2019.

“I am honored to take on the role of Vice President at NJPP,” said Louis Di Paolo, Vice President of NJPP. “This is a truly special organization that leverages hard data and facts to make sure policy works for the people and not special interests. I look forward to continuing to work with the talented team at NJPP and our partners in advocacy to advance justice for all who call New Jersey home.”

To head the think tank’s policy department, NJPP is excited to announce the hire of Awinna Martinez as Policy Director. Awinna brings a wealth of experience in policy development and research, with a focus on human-centered approaches to criminal justice reform. As Policy Director, Awinna manages NJPP’s team of analysts and plays a major role in developing and advancing the think tank’s research and policy agenda.

“Awinna is a strategic thinker and is deeply passionate about policies that prioritize the needs of workers and families across the state,” said Nicole Rodriguez. “Awinna’s rich background in direct service, policy implementation, and community building will help inform our work building a more inclusive and equitable future for New Jersey. We are so fortunate to have Awinna head our policy team and take on a leadership role here at NJPP.”

Awinna Martinez, NJPP Policy Director.

Awinna’s extensive background includes working as a Program Manager with the Center for Effective Public Policy and serving as the Project Director of the Staten Island Justice Center, overseeing the implementation of pretrial supervised release under New York City’s bail reform law. Her contributions at the Midtown Community Court, Newark Community Solutions, and the Center for Collaborative Change in Newark have further deepened her understanding of community needs and the impacts of policy change. Awinna is a proud product of New Jersey’s public schools and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law – Newark.

“I’m excited to join NJPP and contribute to the vital work of advancing economic and racial justice in my home state,” said Awinna Martinez, Policy Director of NJPP. “With a brilliant team of analysts and deep ties to grassroots and community groups who inform our work, I am confident that together we will continue to drive meaningful change. It’s an honor to join an organization with a record of success in championing policies that center the needs of communities.”

Founded in 1997, NJPP is a “think and do” tank, driving policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based independent research, analysis, and advocacy.

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