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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Vaccine Doses: 14,314,403
Fully Vaccinated People: ​​6,771,217
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$700

On Thursday, Governor Murphy unveiled a new property tax relief program, ANCHOR, which would provide rebates averaging $700 to nearly 1.8 million residents. The proposal, which would replace the current Homestead rebate program, will be included in Governor Murphy’s budget address this upcoming Tuesday. We’re still waiting on further details of the program to gauge who will benefit the most from it, but in the meantime, NJPP’s Peter Chen sat down with NJ Spotlight News to highlight how renters — who also pay property taxes — need more relief directed their way. [NorthJersey.com / Katie Sobko and Dustin Racioppi]

Upgrade

Remember how then-Governor Christie cut taxes for the wealthy and well-connected, cut government departments to the bone, and the state received 11 credit downgrades as a result? Well, now the state has received its first credit *upgrade* since 2005, thanks in no small part to progressive tax policies enacted during the Murphy administration that bolstered the state’s finances and stabilized the public pension fund. Bookmark this article so you can share it the next time someone tells you New Jersey needs to cut taxes to fix its finances, because this is proof that progressive tax policy is fiscally responsible tax policy. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

2

This week marks a somber anniversary: It’s been two years since New Jersey reported its first case of COVID-19. Since then, the pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 30,000 New Jersey residents, and roughly 2 million residents have tested positive for the virus. To reflect on the anniversary, New Jersey Monitor asked policy experts — including NJPP’s Peter Chen — to grade the New Jersey state government’s handling of the pandemic. “Part of what the pandemic has shown is that we need robust state governments in order to respond to crises,” said Chen, commending the Murphy administration for rejecting austerity in the face of an unprecedented crisis. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo, Sophie Nieto-Munoz, and Nikita Biryukov]

22.3 Percent

There are 393,000 households in New Jersey that are behind on their rent — representing 22.3 percent of renters — according to a new report by the Rutgers Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity (CLiME). Even with Governor Murphy boosting eviction protections during the pandemic, COVID-19 has exacerbated the housing crisis, especially in communities of color and urban municipalities where low- and moderate-income households are more prevalent. With the first tranche of Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds set to expire in September and over $1 billion already allocated to the program, there’s still more work to be done to make sure all who need relief receive it to stay in their homes. [Rutgers CLiME / Katherine Nelson]

Equity

Another day, another virtual hearing. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission met on Wednesday and heard suggestions from residents on how to spend tax revenue from recreational cannabis sales. New Jersey’s cannabis legalization law mandates that 70% of revenue be reinvested in communities most harmed by the failed drug war. The ACLU of New Jersey’s Ami Kachalia argued that funding for law enforcement under the guise of community investment goes against this decree: “We want real community reinvestment that supports the kinds of needs — things like social services and harm reduction and educational support and economic development — that truly increase access to opportunity for New Jerseyans and help communities thrive.” NJPP Policy Analyst Marleina Ubel also submitted testimony to the Commission — you can read that here. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

ICYMI

With state lawmakers saying they want to make New Jersey more affordable this legislative session, essential workers and advocates gathered outside the State House on Thursday to ask: “Affordable for who?” Far too often, policy proposals that emphasize “affordability” would actually enrich the already wealthy and big businesses, without making New Jersey truly affordable for all. Click the link to read more about the event and how we can make New Jersey #AffordableForAll. [NJPP]

Pic of NJPP

No pet this week — but for good reason! It’s not often that the NJPP team gets together given the ongoing pandemic, but most of us made it out to the #AffordableForAll press conference yesterday in Trenton. I did not get the memo that everyone decided against wearing their hats (in my defense it was pretty cold out).

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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 14,274,456
Fully Vaccinated People: ​​6,750,242
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

February 28

With the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund revving on all cylinders thanks to the new, simplified application process, the program is set to expire at the end of the month. State lawmakers and advocates alike are pushing to keep the program open so all residents excluded from federal pandemic relief have a chance to apply. To date, the program has received more than 20,000 applications, a fraction of the state’s nearly half-million undocumented residents who were excluded from pandemic relief. “Why, if there is a pathway and there is funding, and the Department [of Human Services] has gone out of its way to fix the problems with the program, why would we stop it?” said Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex). [NJ.com / Susan Livio]

424,000

A state-level Child Tax Credit would make New Jersey a more affordable place to raise a family, according to a new report by NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen. The report analyzes two ways to structure a state-level Child Tax Credit — one targeting young children, and one open to children of all ages including adult dependents. The Child Tax Credit proposals, inspired by the wildly successful federal Child Tax Credit expansion, would help up to 424,000 New Jersey families offset the high costs of raising children, reducing child poverty and advancing racial equity. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

The Line

Want to see just how powerful “the line” on New Jersey’s primary ballots is? Look no further than Hudson County. With Senators Sacco and Stack both double-bunked in the new 33rd Legislative District, party leaders are already jockeying over who gets to “pick” who will get the district’s Assembly seats — because in Hudson County, it’s the mayors who pick state elected representatives, not voters. [NJ Globe / David Wildstein]

Russia

On Thursday, Senate Budget Chairman Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) announced imminent legislation to bar public entities from doing business with Russia in response to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. While the bill’s specifics are not yet public, the goal is to cut off all financial interactions with Russia and Russian-tied companies. “Cutting off all avenues of investments and finances in New Jersey and other states will reinforce the international sanctions being led by the United States,” said Senator Sarlo. “I hope to see other states take similar actions.” [NJ Globe / Joey Fox]

$22,500

Earlier this week, NJPP joined Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) as he unveiled the New Jersey College Affordability Act, which helps low- and middle-income families save for college, pay for tuition, and repay student loans. The legislation, which went into effect at the start of the new year, will allow households with incomes up to $200,000 to deduct up to $22,500 from their state income tax bills to help cover the costs of higher education. “I’m glad that we’re continuing to take steps to address what has been one of the biggest barriers — perhaps the biggest barrier — to students obtaining a degree, and that’s cost,” said Speaker Coughlin. [NJ Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

ICYMI

You may have noticed a few changes to our logo today! NJPP will officially turn 25 on Sunday, and we are planning a celebration that will last the full year. Watch your feed, your inbox, and your mailbox for special videos, publications, and invitations to events marking our silver anniversary year. No matter how much NJPP has accomplished over the last quarter-century, we know our work is more important now than ever before. We can’t wait to celebrate our past, present, and future together!

Pets of NJPP

Meet Chichi, Raquel Mazon Jeffers’ co-working pup! Chichi was adopted when she was 4 years old. She was originally from Georgia and is believed to be a Chihuahua-Corgi mix, which explains her adorably awkward sweet-potato-like shape. She is the sweetest, calmest most loving creature Raquel has ever met. 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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 14,153,497
Fully Vaccinated People: ​​6,696,883
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

41 Percent

Here’s a stark example of how policy choices have real-world implications for working families: Child poverty rose by a whopping 41 percent in January after the expanded federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) expired at the end of last year. In real numbers, this equates to 3.7 million more children living in poverty now than at the end of December. Making matters worse, the expiration of the CTC is worsening racial inequities, as Black and Latinx/Hispanic experienced the largest percentage-point increases in poverty. Now it’s up to federal lawmakers to extend the expanded CTC — and for states to establish their own versions of the tax credit (more on that next week). [The Washington Post / Jeff Stein]

20,000

Now for some good news: Thousands more residents are receiving pandemic relief thanks to the new, streamlined application for the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund! On Thursday, the state Department of Human Services announced that they have received more than 20,000 applications for relief, more than enough to exhaust the initial $40 million in funding. Even better, the Murphy administration has committed to providing relief to anyone who applies before the end of February. Now that the program is working as intended, the state “should sustain this momentum until no one is left behind in New Jersey’s pandemic recovery,” NJPP Research Director Nicole Rodriguez said in a statement. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

10 Percent

New Jersey’s teacher pipeline is in trouble, with more teachers retiring and fewer students studying to become teachers. According to NJ Spotlight News, more than 4,000 teachers retired last year — a 10 percent increase over last year. So why don’t more students want to become teachers? According to NJPP’s Mark Weber, the answers are simple. “The pay isn’t enough, the benefits have eroded, the job has more pressure attached to it, and people aren’t feeling supported.” [NJ Spotlight News / Ambreen Ali]

389

Nearly 400 police officers faced major discipline in New Jersey last year — for drunk driving, domestic violence, sexual assault, racist social media posts, and more — according to a new report by the state Attorney General. Of those disciplined, approximately three-quarters were not fired and instead received suspensions, demotions, or other punishment. While this data is a step in the right direction for transparency, New Jersey can and should do more to promote transparency and accountability in policing. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo, Nikita Biryukov, and Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

ICYMI

Last week, NJPP’s Marleina Ubel highlighted how police officers in New Jersey make more than double what social and community workers make, even though these occupations all contribute to public safety and help address the root causes of crime. In 2019, the average police officer made nearly $129,000 compared to $58,000 for community and social service workers. Click the link to read more! [NJPP / Marleina Ubel]

Pets of NJPP

No pet this week (sorry!). If you have a pet you’d like featured, send a hi-resolution picture and some fun facts to dipaolo@njpp.org.

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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 14,060,875
Fully Vaccinated People: ​​6,644,635
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$2,100

With seemingly everyone in the State House focused on making New Jersey more affordable, a proposal advancing through the Legislature would increase the amount of money renters can deduct from their taxable income. The bill would increase the deduction for rent payments to 30 percent from 18 percent, saving the state’s average renter roughly $2,100 per year. NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Sheila Reynertson testified in support of the bill, with amendments, suggesting that lawmakers convert the deduction into a refundable tax credit so more low-income residents (who may not be paid enough to have to file income taxes) would benefit. [WHYY / Tennyson Donyéa]

Out of Date

New Jersey’s school funding formula is out of date, and the state’s large, low-income districts with majority Black and/or Hispanic/Latinx student populations are not funded enough to set students up for success, according to an NJPP report released Wednesday. The report recommends updating the outdated school funding formula to account for higher learning standards and the needs of today’s students. “Put simply, it costs more to achieve more,” said Bruce Baker, a co-author of the report. “It’s time to revisit the formula and recalibrate it for modern times and modern goals.” [Chalkbeat / Catherine Carrera]

$2 Billion

Earlier this week, the Murphy administration retired more than $2 billion in state debt, saving the state a combined $607 million over the next 10 years. “This is about making New Jersey more affordable for this generation and beyond,” Governor Murphy said in a statement. Granted, this is a fraction of the state’s roughly $40 billion in bonded debt, but it’s a step in the right direction and further proof that progressive tax policy (read: raising revenue so the state can actually pay its bills) is fiscally responsible tax policy. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

$40 Million

Last week, after immigrants’ rights activists exposed the shortfalls of the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund, the Murphy administration announced they’d be restoring the original $40 million in funding to the program. Now, immigrant community members and advocates are calling on the Legislature to follow other states’ lead and draft pandemic relief legislation so no resident is left behind in the pandemic recovery. [NJ.com / Star-Ledger Editorial Board]

24 Percent

Nearly one in four temp workers (24 percent) reported that their employers have stolen wages from them, according to a new report by the National Employment Law Project and New Labor, the New Brunswick-based worker center. The report also finds that temp jobs aren’t always temporary, with more than a third of temp workers reporting that their current job assignment has lasted more than a year. Even more alarming, 17 percent of temp workers reported workplace injury, and a whopping 71 percent said they experienced retaliation for raising workplace issues with management. Not good. [National Employment Law Project, New Labor, et al.]

ICYMI

Following the release of New Jersey School Funding: The Higher the Goals, the Higher the Costs, report co-author Bruce Baker joined Chat Box on NJ Spotlight News to discuss the school funding formula and how New Jersey can move forward so all its students can succeed. Bruce’s interview starts at the 8:48 minute mark. [NJ Spotlight News / Joanna Gagis]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Pickles, a Texas native who now resides in Portland, Maine with Mario Moretto! Pickles loves to lounge, sometimes has short-lived bursts of energy, and has no problem begging for food. Fun fact: One time, Pickles took a DNA test and it came back saying she was an Alaskan Malamute (Mario, I imagine, quickly asked for a refund). 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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 13,948,160
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,580,266
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$40 Million

First, some good news: Last night, the Murphy administration announced that the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund will be extended for another month — and that the original $40 million in funding has been restored. The fund, which was cut by $34 million earlier this month, was set to expire at the end of January despite reaching only a fraction of residents excluded from pandemic relief. Even better, the state will also simplify the application process, which immigrants’ rights advocates have long criticized for being too cumbersome. Big shoutout and congrats to all of the immigrant community members and activists who helped make this possible! [NJ.com / Susan Livio]

$1.4 Billion

Now for the not-so-good news: Even with its funding restored, the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund was never big enough to reach all of the residents excluded from COVID-19 relief, according to a must-read report by NJPP Research Director Nicole Rodriguez. The program, initially funded with $40 million in CARES Act dollars and then supplemented with $10 million in American Rescue Plan dollars, would only be able to cover 25,000 individuals or 12,500 households. Nicole’s report finds that the fund would need roughly $1.4 billion to cover the state’s nearly half a million undocumented residents excluded from federal relief. [WHYY / Tennyson Donyéa]

Hundreds of Millions

Last week, Governor Murphy used his inaugural address to highlight more than a dozen tax cuts enacted during his first term, stating his administration delivered “​​hundreds of millions of dollars in direct tax relief.” Well, the folks at NJ Spotlight News provided a fact check on this claim, and … it’s true! Not only did the Murphy administration provide hundreds of millions of dollars in relief, but they did so in a targeted way that primarily benefits seniors, low- and moderate-income parents, low-paid workers, and college students. Click the link for examples, because there are a lot — including many policies NJPP has reported on and advocated for over the last few years. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

Unlikely

Some more not-so-good news: No legal weed this month — or next! With a self-imposed deadline of the end of February to get the legal cannabis industry up and running, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission says it’s unlikely that recreational sales will begin due to a number of factors, including a lack of municipal buy-in. This deadline seemed to be more aspirational than anything else as there were no clear ways to enforce it, despite pressure from the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association and New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari. [NJ.com / Suzette Parmley]

$300

A groundbreaking new study by a team of investigators from six universities finds that, when mothers with low incomes received just over $300 in monthly cash assistance during the first year of their children’s lives, their infants’ brains displayed more high-frequency brain waves at 12 months old. The expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which expired last month, provided support very similar to the cash assistance studied in the new paper. Add this to the already long list of reasons why the federal government should reinstate the CTC — and why states like New Jersey should enact their own version of the program. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities / Danilo Trisi]

ICYMI

Shocking news from earlier this week: Sean Caddle, a political operative who worked for former state Senator Raymond Lesniak, pleaded guilty in a murder-for-hire plot of a long-time associate. Adding intrigue to the case, Caddle was never taken into custody and was released to home confinement as “he has been working, collaborating, with the FBI in developing an important investigation.” [NJ.com / Ted Sherman]

Pets of NJPP

Meet NJPP Policy Analyst Marleina Ubel’s pet mice, Potato Chip and Soot! Chip is an athlete who loves running on her wheel and climbing. Soot, on the other hand, enjoys eating and cuddling. Chip is quiet and Soot is a little more talkative. They are both very sweet, lots of fun, and eat more than you can imagine. Squeak squeak!

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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 13,870,066
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,548,856
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$34 Million

The Excluded New Jerseyans Fund — intended to provide pandemic relief to undocumented immigrant families — was cut by $34 million earlier this month after the Murphy administration reallocated the funds toward other state expenses. The $50 million program, funded by federal pandemic aid that was set to expire at the end of 2021, has only reached a fraction of the state’s undocumented residents due to a complicated and onerous application process. Immigrant workers and advocates are calling on the state to fully fund the program and make it easier for qualifying workers to apply. [NorthJersey.com / Mary Ann Koruth]

Affordability

Doesn’t matter who you ask — Democrats, Republicans, the Legislature, Governor Murphy — affordability is the single biggest issue elected officials hope to tackle in 2022. The problem? There’s no shared understanding of who these policies should target, and many lawmakers are already using affordability framing to push for proposals that would benefit wealthier residents and big corporations at the expense of low- and moderate-income families. As lawmakers explore ways to make New Jersey more affordable, it’s critical that these policies support those who need help the most. [WBGO / Tennyson Donyear]

650

Did you have trouble keeping track of all the bills that moved during lame duck? Us too, and for good reason. Lawmakers introduced more than 650 new bills during the post-election legislative session and acted on more than 700 bills and resolutions in total, according to a new analysis by NJ Spotlight News. Legislating in a hurry means there’s little time for public input, deliberations — or even time for lawmakers to read the bills they’re voting on. “We passed 100 bills the other day,” said enate President Nick Scutari (D-Union). “It’s pretty hard to read them all and understand every aspect of what you’re voting on.” [NJ Spotlight News / Colleen O’Dea]

Reform

Good news for criminal justice reform: The Legislative Black Caucus is resuming its push to allow towns to create civilian complaint review boards to investigate allegations of police misconduct. This step would create transparency and accountability in New Jersey’s policing, but faces some sticking points, primarily in whether the boards would have subpoena power. While police unions argue that subpoena power could be abused, bill sponsors and advocates see it as a necessary tool in police accountability. [New Jersey Monitor / Nikita Biryukov]

76 Percent

A whopping 76 percent of low-income renters do not receive federal rental assistance, according to new research by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. While more than 1.5 million households nationwide have received emergency rental assistance between January and September 2021, more work still needs to be done to address housing insecurity and a history of racist housing policies. Passing the Build Back Better Act and establishing a universal Housing Choice Voucher program would be a good first step in meeting an urgent need to provide safe, stable places to live for the nation’s most marginalized communities. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities / Ann Oliva]

ICYMI

A must-read editorial by The Star-Ledger highlights how the biggest threat to abortion care in New Jersey — money — was left unaddressed by the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act passed by the Legislature earlier this month. Until new legislation lifts financial barriers to this time-sensitive care, the best way to help those in need is to donate to the New Jersey Abortion Access Fund, which provides financial assistance to those seeking abortion care. [The Star-Ledger / Editorial Board]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Rocket and Groot! During the summer, Rocket enjoys swimming in the kiddie pool and ​​long walks on her leash, and during the winter prefers to hang out by the fireplace. Groot, who had life-saving surgery as a baby, prefers to spend his time playing with toys for hours on end and sprinting full speed through the house making battle cries (especially between 12 am and 4 am). Meow!

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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 13,756,828
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,507,149
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

State of the State

On Tuesday, Governor Murphy gave his fourth State of the State address, where he reflected on his first term, detailed the state’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and laid out priorities for his second term. While taxes, the economy, and public health were big themes, missing from the speech was any discourse on race, racial equity, and New Jersey’s excluded immigrant workers. And, of course, NJPP has takes on all of it. Read our Rapid Reaction by clicking the link. [NJPP]

70 Percent

The new year brings a new legislative session — and a slightly more diverse state Legislature. The number of Asian American lawmakers doubled after the new Legislature was sworn in on Tuesday, and New Jersey gained its first two Muslim American legislators, Assemblywomen Sadar Jaffer (D-Somerset) and Shama Haider (D-Bergen). But even with these gains, the Legislature still fails to represent the true diversity of the state, and men still hold 70 percent of the state’s legislative seats. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

49

With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to roll back or even overturn the 49-year-old Roe v. Wade decision later this year, Governor Murphy signed legislation to codify abortion rights into New Jersey law. The bill does not go as far as the original Reproductive Freedom Act, however, as it does not include provisions to require insurance companies to reduce costs by eliminating co-pays and deductibles. As Governor Murphy stated at the bill signing, “this is a victory, yes, but not necessarily a conclusion.” [NJ.com / Susan Livio and Brent Johnson]

21

A pleasant surprise from lame duck: The harm reduction expansion bill passed both houses on Monday and now heads to Governor Murphy’s desk! The bill, which removes the single biggest barrier to new syringe access programs opening — municipal approval — barely passed the Senate with exactly 21 “yes” votes. Described as a “game-changer” by Jenna Mellor of the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition, the legislation should save the Oasis Drop-In Center in Atlantic City from closing after the council voted to shut down the program last summer. [Filter / Alex Norcia]

9 Percent

Governor Murphy made headlines when he released approximately 2,500 people from prison in late 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since then, only 9 percent of those released have been re-incarcerated, showing states that decarceration works. The state still has a way to go in creating a more transparent and compassionate criminal legal system, however — another big theme of Governor Murphy’s State of the State address. [WNYC / Karen Yi]

ICYMI

In a new op-ed, NJPP Interim President Jon Shure details the exact moment he learned how powerful the Legislature can be — so powerful that they can literally make time stand still. Click the link for the fun story, and read until the end for ways lawmakers can use their power to advance equity and support working families in the new legislative session. [NJ Globe / Jon Shure]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Willow, a little dog with a big personality. She is a three-month-old husky mix who made her journey from Texas to New Jersey a few short weeks ago. She has been acclimating to her new family and home by learning the ropes from her older dog mentor, cuddling with her humans Renée and Brian, romping through the snow, convincing the resident cat that they are destined to be best friends and, of course, learning about the New Jersey policy landscape by catching up on all of the archived NJPP Friday Facts and Figures. 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.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 13,591,131
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,446,689
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$13

New year, new minimum wage! On January 1, many New Jersey minimum wage workers received a welcome increase in pay to $13 per hour. This increase, totaling about $2,000 a year for full-time minimum wage workers, will help families across New Jersey make ends meet, especially amid financial pressures from the pandemic. But as NJPP’s Research Director Nicole Rodriguez highlights here, more work remains before all workers can afford basic needs as the state’s minimum wage law does not treat all workers alike. [NJPP / Nicole Rodriguez]

Abortion

In bittersweet news, a scaled-down version of the Reproductive Freedom Act was voted out of committee on Thursday. The bill, which does not mention the word ‘abortion’ once, would codify the right to an abortion in state law. However, instead of an insurance mandate to reduce financial barriers to time-sensitive reproductive care, the bill commands the Department of Banking and Insurance to conduct an affordability study, a first step toward addressing policy change. In testimony delivered to the committees, NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Sheila Reynertson noted the bill “does absolutely nothing to make sure that everyone — regardless of income, ZIP code, insurance coverage, or immigration status — can make personal health care decisions with dignity.” [NJ.com / Susan Livio]

3

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) is still allowing businesses receiving corporate tax breaks to self-report job creation data without independent oversight or auditing, according to a new report by the state Comptroller’s office. How is this possible? The report highlights how the EDA has not acted on three of the comptroller’s 21 recommendations made in 2019 to reform tax incentive programs so companies only receive tax credits they qualify for. “Handing out corporate tax credits based on the promise of ‘job creation’ works only if the state routinely verifies that the jobs are actually created,” NJPP’s Sheila Reynertson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, no such verification system is in place.” [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

Harm Reduction

Some good public health news: a proposal to make it easier for new syringe exchanges to open was voted out of committee on Thursday and now heads to the Senate and Assembly for a full vote on Monday. Harm reduction services and syringe access are the best tools we have for preventing overdose deaths — but only when these programs are able to open and operate. Current law makes it near-impossible for new programs to open (only seven exist in the entire state), and this legislation would fix that. [Insider NJ]

$1.6 Million

There’s renewed interest in how local governments award public contracts after an audit found the Pennsauken school district lost $1.6 million in savings because of flawed advice from their insurance broker. Despite calls for reform almost a decade ago, many towns and school districts still spend millions on insurance coverage without meaningful oversight or safeguards to suss out politically-connected, self-serving brokers. The lack of meaningful reform allows local officials to award contracts to their friends and donors. Making matters worse, a dearth of local news coverage means local governments face less scrutiny than ever before. [NJ Spotlight News / Jeff Pillets]

ICYMI

NJPP Research Director Nicole Rodriguez spoke with News 12 earlier this week to discuss the latest increase in the minimum wage and its impact on low-paid workers. “This is life-changing, every time we have a minimum wage increase,” Nicole said. Watch the clip here. [News 12 New Jersey]

Register Now!

Mark your Calendar! On Tuesday, January 11, Governor Murphy will deliver his annual State of the State address. Looking for a potent and on-point breakdown of his priorities and proposals? Join NJPP for a special, donors-only rapid response Zoom call on Thursday, January 13 from 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm. Want to join in? Email Jennifer Fekete-Donners, Development Director, to check your donor status and reserve your space today!

Pets of NJPP

In the spirit of the lame duck session, this week’s Pets of NJPP are of the bird variety. Meet NJPP Interim President Jon Shure’s zebra finches. No, they’re not ducks, but they keep great company and are industrious nest builders. Beep beep!

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​.
Sign up here.

Vaccine Doses: 13,256,438
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,339,084
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

$4 Billion

Here’s a lame duck special: Atlantic City casinos are primed to receive a tax cut worth more than $50 million per year thanks to a new bill that’s being fast-tracked through the Legislature. The bill would reduce the annual tax payments of casinos and exclude online sports betting from their revenue, artificially deflating how much money they’re making. Supporters of the bill claim that up to four casinos are in danger of closing, but newly released data from the State shows that the casinos have had a banner bounce-back year in 2021, earning roughly $4 billion in revenue and more than $530 million in profit. [AP News / Wayne Parry]

$10 Million

The Murphy administration has earmarked an additional $10 million to the state’s Excluded New Jerseyans Fund and extended the application deadline into the new year. Without these additional resources, the program would have expired on December 31 — the federal deadline to use relief funds from the CARES Act. This announcement follows a decision made last week by the Department of Human Services to double the fund’s maximum payment to $2,000 per person or $4,000 per household. However, this still falls far short of the need for relief: the fund would need nearly $1 billion to cover every eligible resident excluded from federal relief. [NJ Monitor / Sophie Nieto-Munoz]

350,000

The state moratorium on utility shut-offs will expire at the end of the year despite 350,000 residents still behind on their gas and electric bills. The Department of Community Affairs has notified residents who are behind on payments, encouraging them to apply for assistance before it’s too late. “With expanded income eligibility for some programs, you may be eligible for assistance even if you thought you were not,” said Governor Phil Murphy at a press briefing earlier this week. Click the link for more information on how to apply for assistance and for information on county-based organizations also offering help. [NJ.com / Deion Johnson]

First

Here’s some exciting news from the nation’s capital: The U.S. Treasury will finally begin to study the effects of federal tax policy by race. This will give lawmakers and the public a better idea of who benefits — and who is left behind — by changes to the tax code, and what policies are effective tools at closing the racial wealth gap. “Obtaining this information would counter the fallacy that our tax system affects everyone equally, regardless of race, or that only white Americans pay taxes,” said Dorothy Brown, an Emory University tax law professor and author of “The Whiteness of Wealth.” [Bloomberg / Laura Davison and Ben Steverman]

ICYMI

NJPP Board Trustee and Rutgers University professor Julia Sass Rubin breaks down New Jersey’s election results in this data-driven article for the London School of Economics. If you want an election recap free of spin, this is a must-read. [London School of Economics / Julia Sass Rubin]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Thor, one of the Chief Snack Officers at Mind Your Design, the design firm that helped us brand the NJPP Progress 2021 series! Thor helps the quality assurance team at MYD, but he truly excels at ​​interrupting conference calls and trying to steal all the pens in the office. Woof!

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

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Vaccine Doses: 13,127,988
Fully Vaccinated People: 6,291,903
[New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard]

80,000

Expanded unemployment benefits established by the CARES Act will expire this month for a whopping 80,000 New Jersey residents who are currently out of work. While some pro-business groups suggest this will incentivize more people to return to work, there is no evidence that ending unemployment benefits has any impact on employment as it doesn’t address the biggest issues keeping people out of the workforce. ​​“The end of extended unemployment benefits won’t stop the spread of the virus or generate child care availability,” NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen told NJ BIZ. Instead, families will be left with less to spend on groceries, rent, and other household necessities. [NJ BIZ / Daniel Munoz]

400,000

New Jersey has made big investments in replacing lead pipes in schools and homes, but one set of buildings requires special attention: child care centers. While approximately 400,000 children spend time in child care centers every day in New Jersey, testing and mitigation for lead at these buildings is minimal. “Infants and toddlers, especially those who are fed with baby formula, are at heightened risk for lead exposure through water, at a critical moment when their brains are developing and expanding rapidly,” NJPP’s Peter Chen explained in a new op-ed. Fortunately, a new report by Jersey Water Works provides five recommendations to help end the threat of lead in drinking water at child care facilities. Read more about them here. [MyCentralJersey.com / Peter Chen]

Reparations

Advocates gathered in front of the State House last week to urge lawmakers to establish a New Jersey Reparations Task Force. The legislation, sponsored by members of the New Jersey    Legislative Black Caucus, would establish a new task force to research and develop reparations proposals to address the harms caused by New Jersey’s role in the slave trade. Advocates for racial justice are calling for the proposal to be passed during the lame duck session so the state can finally begin to close the widening racial wealth gap and repair the traumas caused by slavery. [NJ.com / Ande Richards]

27 

Despite increasing calls for police reform, police fatalities are on the rise in New Jersey, with at least 27 deaths at the hands of law enforcement so far in 2021. And with no public, searchable database to review fatal police encounters, not every death is captured, hiding the severity of police brutality. “Transparency is the first step in accountability,” said NJPP Policy Analyst Marleina Ubel, who published a recent report detailing how our current police-centered approach to public safety disproportionately harms people of color. [New Jersey Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

15

Some great public health news out of New York: The nation’s first supervised drug-injection sites opened in Manhattan last week — and they’re already saved 15 lives! For those unfamiliar, supervised consumption services are sites where people can use drugs (like heroin) under the safety and support of trained health staff. Common across Europe and in some Canadian and Australian cities, these sites are proven public health tools that prevent overdose deaths, prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and help connect people to support. Shout out to New York City for leading the way on evidence-informed drug policy in the U.S.! [NJ Spotlight News / Melissa Rose Cooper]

ICYMI

Big congrats to NJPP Research DirectorNicole Rodriguez for being featured in Senator Loretta Weinberg’s 2021 Women’s Power List for her work leading NJPP’s majority-women research team! Read the full list here. [Insider NJ / Senator Loretta Weinberg]

Pets of NJPP

Meet M, Susan Druckenbrod’s ferocious feline. M enjoys snacks, naps, and keeping on eye on the neighborhood squirrels. Meow!

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