Highland Park — New Jersey Main Street Alliance released the following statement today in response to Governor Phil Murphy’s State of the State.

“In Governor Phil Murphy’s first year we’ve seen some steps towards creating a level playing field for small businesses in a recovering economy,” said Raj Bath, BusinessRepresentative for New Jersey Main Street Alliance.  “Thanks to the Governor’s authorization for an audit of the state’s Economic Development Authority, we know tax breaks for large companies do not help main street New Jersey. The fact that we have given $11 billion with no clear return on investment is simply bad economics and a wasted opportunity to invest in small business.  We have to change the way we prioritize tax payer dollars so that it benefits New Jersey small business owners and the communities they serve.  We applaud Governor Murphy’s efforts to reform the EDA and look forward to working with the administration on ensuring our small businesses and their communities have what they need to thrive in today’s economy.

“This past year New Jersey passed legislation pushing back against the Trump administration’s destructive healthcare policies and made quality healthcare more affordable for small business owners and their employees. Policies that allow small business owners to focus on selling their products and services help grow their local economies and benefit all of New Jersey. We hope to see more policies like this, as Secure Choice gets passed and Paid Family Leave is expanded and improved. As we begin 2019, we look forward to working with the State Legislature and the Murphy administration to continue to level the playing field for small business owners and ensure that they succeed.”