Category: Friday Facts and Figures

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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Wasted

The latest state budget wasted a once in a generation opportunity to fix some of New Jersey’s crumbling infrastructure and chronically underfunded public services, writes Charles Stile in a new column that captures a lot of our feelings here at NJPP. Seemingly every budget deal involves some sort of backroom dealing and short-sighted decision-making, but this year was different. With record tax collections and federal pandemic aid, state lawmakers punted on fully funding NJ Transit, fixing the state’s unemployment insurance system, and investing in affordable housing as rents and housing costs skyrocket. “This year, with the extra billions on hand, could have been the time to look to the future,” writes Charles. “But instead, the budget finances the immediate future of the November elections.” [NorthJersey.com / Charles Stile]

$4 Million

Last Friday, Governor Murphy signed legislation to eliminate public defender fees for legal services rendered by the state’s Office of the Public Defender. Previously, New Jersey charged a minimum $150 fee for state-issued public defenders, with some clients charged more than $1,000 for legal services — an issue highlighted in an October 2022 report by NJPP’s Marleina Ubel. The new law also wipes out unpaid balances for public defenders, as well as any associated warrants, liens, or civil judgements. “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. [Gothamist / David Giambusso]

380,000

New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm gained final approval from the federal government this week in a big win for the environment and good-paying jobs in the clean energy sector. Once completed in 2025, Ocean Wind 1 will add up to 98 wind turbines off the coasts of Cape May and Atlantic Counties — enough to power more than 380,000 homes. This project, combined with adjacent wind farms still in the approval process, will bring New Jersey closer to its clean energy goals and help transform the state into a leader in the clean energy economy. [NJ.com / Steven Rodas]

17

With no movement in Congress to expand tax credits for working families this year, 17 states have created or expanded their own state-level Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit (CTC) — including New Jersey. In the latest state budget, New Jersey lawmakers doubled the CTC for kids under six, with a new maximum benefit of $1,000 per child. Colorado similarly increased its maximum CTC benefit to $1,200 for kids under six, while Minnesota created a new CTC of $1,750 for every child under 17 years old. Given the success of CTCs in improving health outcomes for children and families — and the reality that the costs of raising kids do not stop once they turn six — New Jersey lawmakers can and should expand the CTC next year so more kids are eligible. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy / Neva Butkus]

ICYMI

Last week, NJPP Peter Chen recommended three ways to fix New Jersey’s budget process, including a deadline for legislators to approve their budget proposal to prevent inside-dealing and the near constant threat of a state shutdown. In a new Friendly Fire column that ran this morning in The Star-Ledger, Julie Roginsky endorsed the idea, saying the current budget process “does not serve anyone well, including the vast majority of legislators who twiddle their thumbs in their caucus rooms while leadership negotiates behind closed doors.” [The Star-Ledger / Editorial Board]

Pets of NJPP

It’s been a while since we’ve featured Mau here, so here he is hanging out in the backyard on my new clover “lawn.” While I enjoy having my morning coffee outside with Mau, I think I’ve created a monster, because this indoor cat is looking to go outside all of the time now. Meow!

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$54.3 Billion

After a frenzied week in Trenton, New Jersey has a new $54.3 billion budget. While it includes some investments worth celebrating, those are overshadowed by a $1 billion corporate tax cut, hundreds of millions of dollars for Hollywood studios and private developers, and an overhaul of the corporate tax code that makes it easier for companies to hide their profits overseas. Even worse than the regressive tax cuts was the process by which the budget was passed, where lawmakers voted on a flawed bill (it was literally full of errors) before anyone had a chance to read it or testify on it. More on that below. [Gothamist / Nancy Solomon]

Groundhog Day

In a new op-ed, NJPP’s Peter Chen details his experience at the State House this week and outlines three ways to fix New Jersey’s budget process. Here’s a sneak peak of this must-read op-ed: “It’s less than an hour away from triggering a state shutdown. A handful of advocates, reporters and members of the public are sitting in a near-empty committee room. No one has seen a copy of the $54 billion-plus budget that’s about to be voted on. Does this sound familiar? On Wednesday night, this exact scene was giving many budget observers, including myself, déja vu. It was Trenton’s version of Groundhog Day, where the faces change, but the result remains the same.” [NJ Spotlight News / Peter Chen]

$1,000

In some good budget news, New Jersey lawmakers have doubled the state’s Child Tax Credit, with the maximum benefit increasing from $500 to $1,000. This change partially reflects recommendations made by NJPP’s Peter Chen in a report released earlier this year and will help hundreds of thousands of families with young kids keep up with rising costs. Given the success of the program, lawmakers should continue expanding the credit in future years with higher benefit levels and expanded eligibility so older kids also qualify. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

$200 Million

You know who’s not struggling to make ends meet? Hollywood studios and their millionaire executives. But that hasn’t stopped lawmakers from handing them hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits (it also hasn’t stopped Hollywood executives from sending us nasty emails about the NJPP analysis linked here, but that’s a story for a different day). While proponents of film and TV tax incentives say they benefit the broader economy, all of the available data and evidence suggest the opposite. This expansion specifically will cost the state $200 million annually, erode safeguards against abuse, and make it impossible to project the total costs of approved projects. “Every study shows that this is a negative return on investment,” NJPP’s Peter Chen told Variety. “The economic gains generated by these programs are ephemeral.” [Variety / Gene Maddaus]

ICYMI

The NJPP team shared their thoughts on the state budget in the statements linked here. Click through for our immediate reactions on the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, elimination of public defender fees, another raid of the Clean Energy Fund, and the cancellation of medical debt for low- and moderate-income income residents. [NJPP / Nicole Rodriguez, Peter Chen, Marleina Ubel, Alex Ambrose, Brittany Holom-Trundy]

TikToks of NJPP

No pet this week, but if you watch carefully, you’ll catch a glimpse of one of Erica’s cats in this reaction to the new state budget on TikTok. [NJPP]

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$500,000

Earlier this week, Governor Murphy and legislative leaders reached a compromise on the StayNJ senior tax cut proposal, adding an income cap of $500,000, lowering the max benefit to $6,500, and adding a $250 benefit for renters. These changes will prevent millionaire households from getting a tax cut (sorry, Bruce Springsteen), but the proposal still overwhelmingly benefits the state’s wealthiest households. Because benefits are tied to property taxes paid, seniors with the highest valued homes — and therefore the most wealth and highest incomes — will get the biggest tax cuts, while renters will receive a small fraction of the benefit. Keep your eyes peeled for an NJPP analysis of the new proposal early next week, and in the meantime, read Peter Chen’s thoughts on the bill in The New York Times by clicking the link. [The New York Times / Tracey Tully]

Bunk

So, how are lawmakers defending a tax cut that will overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest households? Some are pointing to a survey by United Van Lines as proof that seniors are fleeing the state — even though this survey isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. We were thinking about writing something breaking down why United Van Lines isn’t a reliable source, but Jen Miller beat us to it. In a new op-ed, Jen explains how this survey is from one company’s customer data, and its findings run counter to what the Census says about New Jersey’s population. “The problem with the survey is it’s bunk.” [NJ Monitor / Jen Miller]

78 Percent

An overwhelming majority of New Jersey residents — 78 percent — oppose NJ Transit service cuts and fare hikes, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll. Instead, residents want the state to increase funding for NJ Transit to cover its growing budget shortfall, which is expected to reach $1 billion in a few years. So, how did we get here? State lawmakers have chronically underfunded NJ Transit by hundreds of millions of dollars and have consistently raided its capital projects fund to cover operating costs, and it’s one of the only transit agencies of its size without its own dedicated source of funding. Instead of increasing funding for NJ Transit in the budget, lawmakers are prioritizing a $1 billion corporate tax cut and a big tax break for the state’s wealthiest homeowners. [NJ.com / Larry Higgs]

$4 Million

New Jersey is one step closer to eliminating public defender fees thanks to a new bill sponsored by Senator Nellie Pou (D-Paterson). After an NJPP report uncovered the high cost of “free” representation, public defenders and advocates for criminal justice reform have urged state lawmakers to follow the lead of neighboring states by eliminating fees for residents who cannot afford an attorney. Governor Murphy already included $4 million in his budget proposal to cover the costs, and this new legislation would void liens for outstanding fees and throw away any warrants issued for unpaid public defender fees. “It’s a drop in the bucket,” said NJPP’s Marleina Ubel on the cost of eliminating these fees. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

$11.6 Billion

A new editorial in The Star-Ledger urges state lawmakers to oppose increased penalties for fentanyl, saying the proposal would reignite the War on Drugs and result in more overdose deaths and longer prison sentences for residents struggling with their drug use. The editorial cites NJPP research showing the state spent $11.6 billion over the last decade enforcing the drug war with no return on investment, and that the only way forward is to take a public health approach to drug policy: “If our Legislature wants to do something useful, it should go back and read a 2019 report from the New Jersey Policy Perspective that showed how our state spends 8.5 times more on enforcement than it does on addiction services.” [The Star-Ledger / Editorial Board]

ICYMI

Essential workers, union members, and advocates rallied in Trenton this week to oppose corporate tax cuts in the new state budget. “This is about making sure the budget reflects what every day New Jerseyans need to survive, not about giving billions of dollars to big corporations like Amazon and Wells Fargo,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen. Click the link to watch the coverage on News 12. [News 12 / Matt Trapani]

TikToks of NJPP

As if the $1 billion corporate tax cut wasn’t bad enough, lawmakers are also looking to overhaul New Jersey’s corporate tax code and re-open some major loopholes. In a new Tiktok, Peter acts out how corporations exploit these loopholes to hide their profits in tax havens abroad. [NJPP]

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40 Percent

Speaker Coughlin’s senior tax cut proposal, StayNJ, is being fast-tracked through the Legislature — and a new NJPP report finds that it would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest households in the state while leaving many low-income seniors behind. Of those in the top one percent of households, 40 percent would receive a tax cut from StayNJ, while a mere 5 percent of those in the lowest-income 20 percent would benefit. This is due to the proposal’s lack of an income cap and exclusion of renters, who typically have lower incomes than homeowners. “It’s fair to design a system that continues to assist people at different income levels, but the bulk of the benefits should not be going to people at the higher end of the income spectrum,” said NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen. [Gothamist / Nancy Solomon]

20 Percent

On Thursday, state Treasury officials announced that tax collections for May declined by 20 percent year-over-year, meaning the state collected $642 million less than in the same month last year. This means it will be harder for the state to balance its budget — especially with lawmakers poised to enact big tax cuts for corporations and wealthy homeowners. Also on Thursday, a new report published by the Steve Sweeney Center for Public Policy at Rowan University warned that the state could fall $12.5 billion short of meeting its current budget obligations over the next five years — and this doesn’t even consider the roughly $2 billion StayNJ senior tax cut proposal. “At least in my humble opinion, there’s no way the state could support the extraordinary spending that’s been proposed under StayNJ,” said Richard Keevey, former director of New Jersey’s budget office. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

$123 Million

Earlier this week, the Senate Budget Committee advanced legislation to overhaul the corporate tax code, despite opposition from state and national tax experts. The proposal would significantly lower state taxation of global intangible low-tax income (GILTI), a move estimated to cost the state $123 million annually. It would also make it easier for multinational corporations to hide profits in tax havens overseas. “As many corporate lobbyists have publicly stated, this overhaul of the tax code was drafted with extensive input from corporations and their tax law firms and accountants. But one group was missing from these discussions: the people of New Jersey, whose schools, transit infrastructure, and public services will lose out if corporations avoid paying their fair share in taxes,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

840,000

New Jersey was one of the first states to enact a paid family leave program — but a new NJPP report finds that more than one in five workers lack job protection if they take leave due to a loophole in the state’s family leave laws. Even if a worker qualifies for paid family leave benefits, they may work at an employer that is exempt from providing job protection, leaving 840,000 workers at risk of being fired for taking family leave they’re entitled to. “All workers deserve the opportunity to bond with their children or care for their loved ones without fear of termination, demotion, or retaliation,” said Peter Chen. “Right now, hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans do not have job protection, making paid family leave a risk they can’t afford to take.” [NJPP / Peter Chen]

ICYMI

NJPP is thrilled to announce the promotion of Louis Di Paolo to Vice President and the addition of Awinna Martinez as our new Policy Director. Join us in congratulating Louie and welcoming Awinna! [NJPP]

Pets of NJPP

Say hi to Lucy (aka Lulu), co-working pup of NJPP Policy Director Awinna Martinez! She loves to eat, sunbathe, and bark whenever someone is at the door or walking past the house. Here she is stationed at one of her favorite barking stations where she can see through the front door window for her shift as security detail. Woof!

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No Data

Exciting news: The Star-Ledger Editorial Board came out in support of keeping the corporate business tax surcharge in place, saying there is no evidence or data to show that it’s hurting the state’s economy. The editorial highlights how this is a tax on profits made in New Jersey, not just on companies headquartered here, undercutting the argument that this is about making the state competitive. NJPP’s Peter Chen is also quoted in the editorial: “The idea that there has been some sort of corporate flight from the scene is just not borne out by the facts.” [NJ.com / Editorial Board]

Possibility

Earlier this week, Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union) said he’s considering keeping the corporate business tax surcharge, calling it a “possibility.” The comments were in response to a question from a reporter on how the state would pay for a new senior tax credit proposal (more on that below). “It’s good news that lawmakers are reconsidering cutting the corporate tax rate, especially given looming revenue shortfalls in the coming months,” NJPP’s Peter Chen told Politico. “But those funds should go towards the investments that make New Jersey a great place to live and do business, investments that have long been underfunded like New Jersey Transit and public schools.” [Politico / Daniel Han]

Seniors

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) unveiled a new senior tax credit proposal this week — and Governor Murphy has already said he’s opposed to it and would even shut the state down over it. Why? The proposal, while well-intentioned, would target benefits to the wealthiest seniors in the state and leave many low-income seniors with nothing. Here’s how it works: The bill would create a new program, StayNJ, that would provide seniors with a tax credit worth 50 percent of their property tax bill, with credits capped at $10,000. NJPP’s Peter Chen did a quick analysis of the bill and found four major issues: there’s no income limit on eligibility, more expansive homes get higher credits, renters are excluded entirely, and, because the credit isn’t targeted, it would come at an enormous cost to the state just as revenue collections are coming in lower than expected. [NJ.com / Derek Hall]

Zero

NJ Transit’s transition to zero-emission electric buses is facing a major obstacle: zero dedicated funds for the chronically underfunded transit agency. While the state has cobbled together funds from the federal government and the Volkswagen emissions settlement to pilot some electric buses in Camden, the state has little to no funding to upgrade existing garages so they can store and charge new electric buses (that the state will also have to purchase). The transition to electric buses “requires sustainable and dependable funding,” said Mark Tuozzolo, NJ Transit’s acting senior director of capital planning. Needless to say, this is just one of many examples of the types of public infrastructure projects that could be funded if the state didn’t give the wealthiest corporations or homeowners a big tax cut. [NorthJersey.com / Colleen Wilson]

ICYMI

NJPP’s first-ever Budget & Brews happy hour is this upcoming Thursday in Trenton! Join your favorite policy wonks and special guest Pat Garofalo, author of The Billionaire Boondoggle, for a night of hot takes and cold drinks. Tickets are free, registration is required. [NJPP / Budget & Brews]

TikToks of NJPP

We are the … 4 percent? A new poll by Rutgers finds that only 4 percent of New Jersey residents know about the state budget (it also shows that keeping the corporate business tax surcharge is more popular than the governor). In a new TikTok about the poll, NJPP’s Erica Boland steps out from behind the camera to break down why the budget is important — and what’s at stake. [NJPP]

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

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$2.2 Billion

New Jersey’s revenue collections will take a $2.2 billion hit through the end of the next fiscal year, according to new estimates by the State Treasurer released earlier this week. The lower forecast includes $1.2 billion less for the current fiscal year that ends June 30, and $1 billion less in the upcoming year. This will make it harder for lawmakers to balance the budget, maintain a healthy surplus, and continue investments in education, infrastructure, and so much more. While the Treasurer delivered the bad news to lawmakers, workers and advocates from For The Many NJ rolled out a 500-plus foot tarp outside the State House to symbolize profits made by big corporations that would benefit from the proposed $1 billion corporate tax cut. [NJ.com / Derek Hall]

Win-Win

In an op-ed that ran earlier this week, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop came out in full support of keeping the Corporate Business Tax surcharge, saying it’s not nice to have but necessary to fund investments in public infrastructure and programs we all rely on. Mayor Fulop points out that big, multi-national corporations would benefit from the proposed corporate tax cut, not Mom-and-Pop shops, and that businesses are doing fine with the tax in place: “The CBT has been a win-win as corporate citizenship should be a two-way street — if you are making enormous profits from doing business in our state, you should be helping to pay for the schools, buses, and houses that those residents need.” [NJ.com / Steven Fulop]

$700 Million

New York recently expanded its film tax credit program, raising individual incentive amounts and increasing the overall program to $700 million a year. Lawmakers across the river are now considering expanding New Jersey’s tax credit program to compete, the latest move in a race to the bottom where Hollywood studios win and the rest of us lose. Study after study shows that film tax credits do not generate the jobs and economic growth they promise — but they do come at a real cost to the state. “In order to keep up you have to give away more and more,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen. [NorthJersey.com / Daniel Munoz]

$10 Million

Legislation to fund community crisis response teams advanced through the Assembly Public Safety Committee earlier this week. The bill would allocate $10 million to fund teams trained to defuse mental health crises and connect residents to the care they need. The bill — sponsored by Assemblymembers Spearman (D-Camden), Sumter (D-Passaic), and Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer) — was introduced in March after Paterson police shot and killed Najee Seabrooks while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Bre Azañedo of Black Lives Matter-Paterson testified in support of the bill, highlighting the very real dangers of armed police responding to emergencies they are not equipped to respond to. ​​“It has been proven time and time again that when Black and brown people call the police, we are putting ourselves at risk,” Azañedo said. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

ICYMI

NJPP’s Alex Ambrose joined Chat Box with David Cruz to break down why congestion pricing is a good thing — and how we will all benefit from less air pollution and less traffic. Alex also made an important point that a *very* small percentage of commuters who drive into downtown Manhattan will pay the congestion tax, and that the best thing New Jersey can do to respond is to invest in NJ Transit. The clip starts at 8:53. [NJ Spotlight News / David Cruz]

TikToks of NJPP

In a new TikTok, Alex Ambrose takes us on a tour of a new electric bus garage and charging station in Camden. Click the link for a recap of Alex’s trip, from her morning coffee to a tour of the garage to a ride on a new electric bus! [NJPP]

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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51,000

The construction of new affordable homes in New Jersey doubled after enforcement of the state’s Mount Laurel doctrine shifted to court settlements in 2015, according to a new report from Fair Share Housing Center. The report highlights New Jersey and its Mount Laurel doctrine — a legal framework stemming from a series of state Supreme Court decisions that mandate each town provide a “fair share” of affordable housing to combat segregation — as a national model for other states to follow. Between 2015 and 2022 alone, New Jersey built 22,000 affordable homes to house an estimated 51,000 residents. [NorthJersey.com / Ashley Balcerzak]

Newark

On Sunday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka came out against a plan to cut New Jersey’s corporate tax rate, saying the state has pressing needs that could be funded with revenue from the Corporate Business Tax surcharge. “We need as many resources as we can get, and those who have should pay,” Mayor Baraka said at a rally organized by Make the Road NJ. “What’s ironic is that the governor knows this. At one point he agreed with this. And so we have to continue to get him to agree with it even on his way out the door.” [Politico / Matt Friedman]

NJ Transit

At a budget hearing earlier this week, state lawmakers said it’s unlikely that NJ Transit will get a dedicated source of funding in next year’s budget, even though the transit agency faces substantial budget shortfalls in coming years. Senator Pat Diegnan (D-Middlesex), chair of the Transportation Committee, said raising fairs would be “the worst solution” given the impact it would have on low-income residents. Advocates, lawmakers, and transit officials have floated other options, such as extending the Corporate Business Tax surcharge on the most profitable businesses. Like we always say, budgets are about priorities — so do lawmakers prioritize multinational corporations like Amazon and Walmart, or working families who rely on NJ Transit to get around? [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

Jersey City

In an interview with Politico, Jersey City Mayor and newly announced gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop came out in support of raising the state’s minimum wage higher than $15 an hour to help low-paid workers keep up with rising prices. This shouldn’t come as a surprise: Jersey City was the first municipality in New Jersey to raise its own minimum wage to $15 back in 2016, and the city raised the minimum pay for municipal workers to $20 last year. Here’s what NJPP’s Peter Chen had to say about the idea: “Aiming for $20, and maybe even above, is a reasonable push. But I think eliminating the exemptions is just as important because there are so many groups that are carved out and so many wages that are depressed.” [Politico / Dustin Racioppi]

5 Percent

All but five percent of New Jersey police departments are violating a state attorney general directive to make it easier for residents to report police misconduct. According to a new report by the state Comptroller, most police departments fail to post complaint forms online, while others post them with warnings intended to discourage civilians from filing reports. In an interview with NJ Spotlight News, NJPP’s Marleina Ubel highlighted how these warnings act as a deterrent and should be removed: “These kinds of warnings are in direct violation of the internal affairs policies and procedures set by the Office of the Attorney General.” [NJ Spotlight News / Brenda Flanagan]

ICYMI

Join your favorite policy wonks in Trenton on June 1 for a budget-themed happy hour: Budget & Brews! Admission is free, but registration is required. Reserve a spot by clicking the link! [NJPP / Budget & Brews]

Pets of NJPP

The Pets of NJPP are now on TikTok! Earlier this week, Erica’s cat Beaker recorded a video for us to highlight how CEOs earn 351 times more than their average workers. [NJPP]

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

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Worst

New Jersey has some of the worst air quality in the nation, according to the latest State of the Air report by the American Lung Association. Bergen and Mercer Counties received ‘F’ ratings in the report, while Camden County’s ‘D’ rating is among the worst in the Philadelphia region. Exposure to air pollution and smog can cause asthma, heart disease, strokes, and cancer. As NJPP’s Alex Ambrose told The Star-Ledger, the biggest driver of air pollution in New Jersey is the transportation sector, underscoring the urgent need to promote mass transit and electric vehicles. More on both of those below. [NJ.com / Steven Rodas]

$1 Billion

NJ Transit is expecting a $1 billion budget shortfall by 2026, and all options are on the table to resolve it, according to state Transportation Commission Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. If that sounds bad, that’s because it is. “All options” includes fare increases and service cuts, which would result in longer and more expensive commutes, and more cars on the road. Two NJ Transit board members, Shanti Narra and Bob Gordon, have called on lawmakers to provide the agency with dedicated funding so the budget isn’t balanced on the backs of commuters. This echoes calls from transit and environmental advocates, who have been sounding the alarm on the need for consistent, dedicated funding for years. Oh, and note that the $1 billion shortfall is almost exactly the same size as the corporate tax cut lawmakers want to include in next year’s budget. [NorthJersey.com / Colleen Wilson]

$35 Million

Now for some electric vehicle news: The state’s electric vehicle incentive program, Charge Up New Jersey, was put on pause this week as the program has exhausted its $35 million budget for the year. This is a testament to the success of the program and increasing electric vehicle sales. Still, electric vehicles only made up eight percent of new car sales in 2022, a rate that must grow — and fast — for the state to meet its goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2035. [ROI-NJ / Linda Lendner]

2035

The Editorial Board at The Star-Ledger is calling on the Murphy administration to move faster and adopt the Advance Clean Cars II rules, which would require all new cars and light-duty truck sales to be zero-emission by 2035. Because the rule-making process can take months, the state risks missing another model year of implementation if the rules are not introduced by late Spring. Further delay would also make it less likely that New Jersey will meet its clean energy goals. “[W]hen it comes to doing our part in cooling the climate, time is a luxury we can no longer afford.” [The Star-Ledger / Editorial Board]

4.6 Million

Speaking of rules … On Monday, the state’s Environmental Justice Rules were finalized and adopted, creating some of the strongest safeguards in the nation against pollution for residents in “overburdened” communities. The rules require permits for pollution-generating facilities (e.g., power plants, incinerators, sewage treatment plants, landfills) to be denied if they disproportionately harm residents in overburdened communities. More than 340 municipalities — home to over 4.6 million people — are considered overburdened based on the number of low-income residents, people of color, and people for whom English is not their first language. The only open question is whether the new rules will apply to proposals and permits that predate its adoption. [NJ.com / Steven Rodas]

ICYMI

We’re looking for an Operations and Finance Manager — could that be you? Click the link for more information, and please share this with anyone you think may be interested. [NJPP / Career Opportunities]

Pets of NJPP

Sticking with the Earth Day theme, here’s a picture of a weird looking dog fox from NJPP’s environment and transit analyst, Alex Ambrose. The fox, while not a pet, frequently visits Alex’s backyard to soak up the afternoon sun. Woof?

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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9,000

On Monday, more than 9,000 Rutgers University faculty and graduate student workers went on strike — the first in the university’s history — after working nearly a year without a contract. The strike is not only about better pay, benefits, job security, and housing but the “corporatization” of the university, as Charles Stile of The Record outlines here, where more of the workload is given to untenured, part-time staff and adjuncts. Governor Murphy suggested that additional state funding could help Rutgers meet the workers’ demands, but some lawmakers were quick to criticize that idea, even though Rutgers is the state’s flagship university and has been consistently underfunded over the last two decades. It’s worth noting that lawmakers never restored higher education funding after Governor Christie cut it to the bone a decade ago. Instead, lawmakers are prioritizing multiple corporate tax cuts that will cost the state more than $1 billion every single year. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

2

New Jersey received two credit rating upgrades this week, one from Fitch and another from Moody’s. These upgrades recognize New Jersey’s improving finances and lawmakers’ commitment to fully funding the state’s pension obligation and paying off debt. Make no mistake, this is a testament to the success of increasing taxes on millionaires and big corporations, as the state would not have the resources to fully fund the pension or pay off debt without these tax policies. If lawmakers move forward with new corporate tax cuts, they will undermine the biggest driver of revenue growth, risking the future health of the state’s finances, the pension fund, and so much more. [NJ Spotlight New / John Reitmeyer]

50

Starting this week, workers in New Jersey have new protections against mass layoffs. The new law, inspired by Toys R Us laying off roughly 2,000 workers in 2017 after they filed for bankruptcy, guarantees one week of severance pay for every year of service when a company with 100 or more employees lays off 50 or more workers. This is meant to not only support workers but stop corporations and hedge funds from exploiting bankruptcy laws to pad their profits at their workers’ expense. “The workers were left in the dark and cheated out of deserved compensation while the companies were pillaged for their resources. The law will help protect the rights of the workers from these abuses.” said bill sponsor Senator Joe Cryan (D-Union). [NorthJersey.com / Daniel Munoz]

10 Billion

Some clean energy news: A new proposal by the EPA would require a significant reduction in tailpipe emissions, a move projected to eliminate 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions through 2055. While the rule is not prescriptive on how to reduce emissions, it should accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. New Jersey can help with this transition by adopting the Advanced Clean Cars II initiative, which would require all new cars sold in the state to be electric by 2035. The clean cars proposal is currently stalled, and environmental advocates are calling on the Murphy administration to implement it before the end of the year. [NJ Spotlight News / Tom Johnson]

59 Percent

New Jersey’s prison population is half of what it was ten years ago thanks to criminal justice reform — and crime hasn’t risen as a result. However, racial disparities remain as Black people make up 59 percent of the prison population despite accounting for only 15 percent of the state population. These disparities could get worse if new “tough-on-crime” bills are signed into law, perpetuating mass incarceration without getting to the root causes of crime. “It’s astounding,” said NJPP’s Marleina Ubel. “[I]t seems like we’re going to be moving backwards.” [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Muñoz]

ICYMI

NJPP is looking for a rockstar Finance and Operations Manager! Think you or someone you know has what it takes to make sure NJPP’s future growth is successfully and sustainably managed? Learn more by clicking the link..[NJPP / Career Opportunities]

Pets of NJPP

Matisse still thinks he’s a baby and that Erica’s footstool is just for him. But, as you can see by the catnip banana provided for scale, he is actually a pretty big boy. Meow!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

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Whales

Opponents of clean energy have used every excuse in the book to stop offshore wind development. Their latest tactic? Falsely blaming recent whale deaths on offshore wind — despite no evidence to support those claims. In a new article breaking down the history of offshore wind development and its detractors, NJPP’s Alex Ambrose points out that correlation does not equal causation: “For decades, it’s been noted that when ice cream sales increase, so do shark attacks. But there is correlation and there is causation.” [NJ.com / Steven Rodas and Ted Sherman]

$4 Billion

New Jersey’s finances are improving, according to newly released state data, and that’s a direct result of the state paying off debt and making full pension payments under the Murphy administration. In 2022, for example, the state saw a $4 billion drop in total bonded debt following a big increase in the previous fiscal year. Make no mistake, these payments would not have been possible without revenue from policies like the millionaires’ tax and Corporate Business Tax surcharge. These gains are under threat, however, if lawmakers choose to cut taxes for the state’s biggest and wealthiest corporations. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

Shortage

New Jersey still has a shortage of teachers — though the size and scope of the shortage remain unclear despite a recent law requiring annual reports on teacher staffing levels. An NJPP report released last year found that the number of teacher candidates has steadily declined since the Great Recession, reaching a 20-year-low in 2019, the latest year data was available. With lawmakers brainstorming ways to address the shortfall, NJPP’s Mark Weber warns not to overlook straightforward solutions like increased teacher pay. “You need to pay them competitive wages, and that starts with making sure school districts have enough resources to pay those wages, not in terms of competing against each other but competing against the broader labor market,” said Mark Weber. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

38 Percent

The “party line” on New Jersey’s primary ballots is a major barrier to women’s representation in the Legislature, writes Debbie Walsh, Director of the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics. Only 38 percent of candidates on the party line in this year’s upcoming legislative races are women — and less than half of these candidates are running in a district where their party currently holds office. “When we New Jerseyans look at the stew of backrooms, horse-trading, and diner-booth deals that comprise the reality of our political system, shouldn’t we ask of ourselves — is there a better way?” [New Jersey Globe / Debbie Walsh]

2

In non-New Jersey news: On Thursday, Tennessee Republicans expelled two Black Democratic lawmakers from the General Assembly — Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson — for their participation in a peaceful protest in support of gun law reform. Republicans in the Assembly also voted to expel Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, but fell one vote short. This unprecedented move stripped more than 200,000 residents of Tennessee of their elected representation. “What is happening here today is a farce of democracy,” said Rep. Jones on the Assembly floor. “What we see today is a lynch mob assembled to not lynch me, but our democratic process.” [The Tennessean / Melissa Brown]

ICYMI

NJPP is hiring! Are you an operations and finance extraordinaire? Is advancing racial, economic, and social justice in public policy through evidence-based research your jam? Do you want to work with the greatest staff in the state? (NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez’s words, not ours.) If you answered yes to the above, apply for our Operations and Finance Manager position by clicking the link. [NJPP / Career Opportunities]

Pets of NJPP

This is Phil, the coworking kitty of Erica’s sister, Alex. Phil loves playing fetch, trying to steal hair ties from your wrist, and saying hello to neighbors as they walk by the window. Meow!

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy.