| New Jersey Working Families State Director Sue Altman issued the following statement reacting to the state Senate committee’s recently released report on New Jersey’s tax incentives program:
“This committee consistently served as a shield to protect corporate special interests, particularly George Norcross and his business partners, from oversight and accountability. Chairman Bob Smith and other committee members with close business and political ties to Norcross acted more like lackeys than legislators as they sought to craft perfectly curated hearings that obscured the fact that New Jersey’s tax credit program was abused to advance the interests of the politically connected and powerful – at great cost to taxpayers.
“Any reforms proposed in today’s report are a direct result of the tireless advocacy of grassroots leaders and policy experts from across the state who refused to go along with this whitewash attempt.
“We appreciate that committee members are calling for the requirement of community benefit agreements, data sharing plans and an inspector general. We are glad this committee has joined the ranks of the sane and now agree that protections must be in place to prevent future abuse, but this report fails to hold accountable any of the people who have abused the system up to this point.
“And no tax incentive program can go into effect without clear caps that prevent powerful special interests and armies of consultants, including Phil Norcross’ law firm Parker McCay, from continuing to fleece New Jersey residents. We’ve said it before, and we won’t budge: No Caps, No Deal.” |
