Make The Road New Jersey Responds to Gov. Murphy’s 2024 State of the State Address

Trenton, New Jersey — Ahead of Governor Murphy’s 2024 State of the State address today, Adriana Alvarez, a member of Make the Road New Jersey, released the following statement on behalf of the organization’s thousands of members:

“As working-class people of color and immigrants continue to face the impact of inflation and an increase in xenophobic and racist attacks, it is crucial that Governor Murphy and the legislature continue to enact measures that will defend and support our communities. New Jersey’s economy and culture are shaped and strengthened by its diverse working-class communities, and moving forward, New Jersey elected officials should be unafraid of making bold policy decisions to support our communities and that set an example for the rest of the country.

We urge Gov. Murphy and the legislature to continue expanding programs that ensure all families have access to the safety net — that includes removing barriers to access to health insurance and other safety net programs so that all people can benefit, no matter where they were born. In addition, as we face a climate crisis and record-breaking heat waves, we must protect workers and implement temperature standards for all workers. We enter 2024 with evictions driving homelessness in New Jersey and still very few protections for renters. To meet the needs of New Jersey working families and immigrants who keep our economy running, we must reinstate the Corporate Business Tax (CBT) surcharge, which expired at the end of the year so that the biggest and most profitable businesses — including wealthy, multi-state corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and Bank of America, pay their fair share.”

##

Make the Road New Jersey is an advocacy organization that builds the power of immigrant, working-class & Latinx communities to achieve dignity and respect through community organizing, legal, policy innovation and transformative education.