New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Wowkanech thanks Governor Murphy for 2021 Budget

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks Gov. Phil Murphy for his Fiscal 2021 budget proposals that would make health insurance more affordable for public employees and would invest in public education as part of his plan to lower property taxes. Water infrastructure funding and the Portal Bridge replacement also stood out among Murphy’s priorities in his Budget Address.

“Hard-working families deserve affordable health insurance,” Charles Wowkanech, president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, said Tuesday, “and we’re grateful the governor is including reforms that our union brothers and sisters suggested to lower health insurance costs for employers and employees alike.

“We also are thankful for Governor Murphy’s Corporate Responsibility Fee, which will be charged to large corporations that do not provide health insurance to their employees,” Wowkanech said. “This is totally a matter of fairness.”

Murphy labeled his plans for more support to schools as property tax relief, and Wowkanech agreed.

“New Jersey’s working families benefit from strong public education, from attracting businesses that hire new workers, and from quicker permits to get projects started,” Wowkanech said. “And we look forward to the great union jobs the replacement Portal Bridge will bring.”

Murphy’s proposed millionaires tax has the backing of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, as a progressive solution to funding shortfalls in programs that bring tax fairness to the state.

Finally, the state AFL-CIO applauds the governor and legislative leaders for tackling the quarter-century-old issue of pension instability through a $1.1 billion increase overall in payments to the public pension system.