“While we are incredibly disappointed in the Governors decision here, it’s up to us to make the best out of the situation,” said Assemblyman John Armato (D-Atlantic). “We’re going to pass the bill through with Governor Murphy’s changes as soon as possible. We’ve got companies waiting on the sidelines for this for over 2 years. This legislation is vital to diversifying our economy so we can bring a new industry to Western Atlantic County. The job now is to make sure we are getting these companies approved on all levels by the new sunset date so that they get the full 10 years of incentives promised.”

The Growth Zone Legislation tailor-made for the benefit of the Atlantic City Airport and then a one-mile radius around it addressed what the sponsors saw as key points; including a lowered number of employees required to qualify-tailoring to the use of subcontractors.

“Understanding how the aviation business works are critical. When projects like these arise, they have to hire subcontractors; many of these specialized companies only hire a few full-time employees. That’s why we put in the stipulation that they have to stay in New Jersey, so it benefits our economy,” said Assemblyman Mazzeo. “This legislation has been a long a long time in the making, even though 2 gubernatorial vetoes; it’s time to get these companies off the sidelines and in the door. While we’re not getting everything we want, we’re glad the Governor agrees that the National Aviation Research & Technology Park is a critical part of diversifying the South Jersey economy. As this legislation sunsets in 2019, we’ll continue to work with the Governor on legislation to incentivize and grow the Aviation industry at Atlantic City Airport for years to come.”