Category: Press Release

Sales Tax Holiday is a Gimmick That Will Not Make New Jersey Affordable

Posted on by NJPP Staff

Advocates, essential workers, and policy experts from For The Many NJ slammed a 10-day sales tax holiday proposal announced earlier today by Governor Phil Murphy and legislative leaders, calling it a gimmick that will not make the state more affordable for low-paid workers and their families.

“This tax holiday proposal is a gimmick that will not provide meaningful relief to working families who need it most,” said Sheila Reynertson, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Changes to the sales tax, whether they’re temporary or permanent, are not targeted, so guess who benefits the most? Wealthier residents who generally buy the most and have the flexibility to stock up during the holiday period. And if this tax holiday applies to online purchases, there’s no guarantee it will do anything to help local businesses here in New Jersey.”

Sales tax holidays are a poorly targeted form of tax relief, reduce state revenue that could be invested in other areas, are often exploited by retailers who raise prices, and can be difficult to administer, according to research by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), a non-partisan tax and budget policy think tank in Washington, D.C.

“Instead of a tax holiday that benefits New Jersey’s wealthiest residents, we should invest in working families like mine,” said Banessa Quiroga, leader of Make the Road NJ from Elizabeth, NJ. “I was an essential worker during the pandemic. My labor saved lives, but I’m still struggling to put food on the table and pay my bills. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and providing hazard pay and funds for excluded workers are a better use of our dollars. People who put their lives at risk throughout the pandemic shouldn’t be going hungry, especially when New Jersey has billions in surplus.”

Wealthier residents benefit the most from sales tax cuts and holidays as they have the most disposable income and can easily shift the timing of their purchases to take advantage of the holiday. Similarly, those who purchase more expensive items — like laptops and TVs — will benefit more from the tax holiday than those who cannot afford higher-priced goods.

“New Jersey’s communities of Color and low-income families are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, and a gimmicky sales tax holiday won’t provide them the relief they deserve nor safeguard us from future crises,” said Laura Bustamante, Policy and Campaign Manager of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “Our racial and economic disparities are systemic, not episodic. They require lawmakers to dig deeper, beyond new computers or fancy big-screen TVs, and use the historic budget surplus to provide hazard pay, direct relief, and robust safety net programs.”

When New Jersey lawmakers cut the sales tax in 2016 from 7 percent to 6.625 percent, the state’s lowest income residents saved roughly $32 a year, while the top one percent of earners saved more than $720 a year.

“While working families appreciate measures such as a back-to-school sales tax holiday, they would have hoped to see some REAL, long-term targeted relief,” said Kevin Brown, SEIU 32BJ  Executive Vice President and New Jersey State Director. “These band-aid measures are a disservice to the role of the Legislature and governor’s office of protecting and building a New Jersey for all. Our workers need hazard pay, rental assistance, more Earned Income Tax Credit, more Excluded New Jerseyans Fund. As we continue the recovery process, we urge the authorities to come up with reasonable measures that improve affordability and level the playing field for the middle class and low-wage workers throughout the state.”

“The sales tax holiday isn’t a permanent fix; it has no staying power,” said Sue Altman, Executive Director of the New Jersey Working Families Party. “We’d far prefer the Legislature take up reforms that would provide real savings to working families. They can start by cutting the New Jersey Corruption Tax, which is the premium we all pay for living in a state with machine party bosses running the show. Unaccountable grifter insurance brokers, corporate tax incentives with no benefit to local communities, and tons of Christmas tree giveaways to politically connected professional services firms does nothing to make the state affordable for most residents. It does plenty, however, to help the politically connected buy shore homes.”

Earlier this week, essential workers and advocates from For The Many NJ called on lawmakers to use the state’s $10 billion surplus on targeted relief to low-paid workers and their families by: expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), establishing a state-level Child Tax Credit, boosting cash assistance in WorkFirst NJ, providing essential workers with hazard pay, and fully funding the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund.

“There are better ways to get money to working- and middle-class families struggling to keep up with inflation and rising prices,” Reynertson added. “There are proposals in the Legislature right now that would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and create a state-level Child Tax Credit, both of which put hundreds of dollars back in families’ pockets. A sales-tax holiday is needlessly complicated, untargeted, and expensive, all while failing to make the state more affordable.”

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For The Many NJ is a statewide coalition of more than 30 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind.

Nicole Rodriguez Named President of New Jersey Policy Perspective

Posted on by NJPP Staff

The Board of Trustees of New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP), a Trenton-based think tank that drives policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice, announced today that Nicole Rodriguez will be the organization’s next President. Rodriguez, now NJPP’s Research Director, has guided the think tank’s policy agenda and supervised its research staff since 2019. She will succeed Brandon McKoy, who joined the leadership team of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities last fall.

“This is an exciting time for NJPP and the broader progressive movement,” said Marcia Marley, NJPP Board Chair and head of the Board’s Search Committee. “Nicole lives and breathes the values that have guided NJPP’s mission since our founding 25 years ago. No other candidate matched her knowledge, commitment, and dedication to the work NJPP does.”

Since joining NJPP as Research Director, Rodriguez has led the think tank’s analysts to policy wins that: made the state’s tax code fairer through the “millionaires’ tax”; opened a pathway for all residents to obtain drivers’ and professional licenses regardless of immigration status; and established a state fund to provide relief for workers and families who had been excluded from other forms of pandemic assistance.

“I’m honored to take on the role of President of NJPP, an organization with a legacy of not only getting things done but doing so in a way that puts people first in the policy-making process,” said incoming NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez. “With democratic institutions and basic freedoms under attack in our nation’s halls of power, the need for community-driven policy has never been greater. We have a lot of work to do in building a state and economy that works for everyone, and I know that with this team we can get it done.”

A Boston native, Rodriguez quickly rose through the ranks at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, starting as a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities fellow — the same program that brought Brandon McKoy to NJPP. At MassBudget, Rodriguez established herself as a state and nationally recognized researcher and policy advocate on issues related to workers’ rights and economic security. Her research was critical to successful campaigns to raise Massachusetts’ minimum wage to $15 an hour and enact paid family and sick leave. Immediately before joining NJPP, Rodriguez was a Senior Researcher at Community Labor United.

“Like her predecessor Brandon McKoy, Nicole came to the State Priorities Partnership through CBPP’s State Policy Fellowship, which aims to bring more diverse voices to state policy debates,” said Sharon Parrott, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “Her knowledge and passion for justice make her an excellent choice to lead NJPP.”

Rodriguez holds a Master of Public Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Villanova University. Her personal experience as a first-generation American raised by a single mother from Cuba drives her passion for promoting policies that support immigrants and working families.

Rodriguez will start as President of NJPP on June 1, 2022.

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Essential Workers, Advocates, and Policy Experts Urge Lawmakers to Spend American Rescue Plan Funds on Direct Relief for Working Families

Posted on by NJPP Staff

With more than $3 billion remaining in federal pandemic assistance — and no hearings planned on how to spend these funds — advocates and policy experts held a virtual “People’s Hearing” for members of the public to weigh in on how the federal relief should be used.

“Lawmakers may have said they’re finished with budget hearings after this week, but today’s People’s Hearing sends a clear message: New Jerseyans aren’t finished speaking up for what our communities deserve,” said Amy Torres, moderator of the virtual hearing and Executive Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice.

The virtual hearing, organized by the For The Many NJ coalition, included testimony from essential workers, community leaders, advocates, and policy experts in support of using the federal funds to provide direct relief and support to families struggling to keep up with everyday costs.

“To advance racial equity and help the people still getting back on their feet from the pandemic, New Jersey should spend its flexible federal recovery funds on their intended purpose: direct relief,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). “Direct relief is itself a transformational investment. Helping people avoid poverty, homelessness, and deprivation reduces pain right now but also builds resiliency for the future.”

Signed into law in March 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provided billions of dollars in flexible funding for states and local governments to begin reversing the harms done by the pandemic and promote an equitable economic recovery. New Jersey state government received $6.2 billion in flexible aid, more than $3 billion of which is still available.

“New Jersey should not squander this opportunity. As state policymakers consider how to use more than $3 billion in remaining Fiscal Recovery Funds, they should work with communities to identify the best ways to use these funds,” said Ed Lazere, Senior Fellow in State Fiscal Policy, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The economic recovery remains uneven and incomplete, with many still struggling with incomes that are not enough to pay rent or afford food.”

Residents from across the state joined the hearing to share their stories and encourage lawmakers to provide more relief to families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

“The impact of the pandemic is not over for many who were already struggling in our state,” said Wandalynn Miftahi, a member of the Anti-Poverty Networks Garden State Leaders program who is unable to afford housing on her own. “Mature people who are viable parts of their communities and striving to assist future generations look forward to a more positive, supportive community to live in. With high and rising housing costs, New Jersey must devote more to help people of color access and maintain safe, affordable homes. We must remember everything starts at home.”

The hearing served as a reminder that the pandemic is not over, with many families still living in poverty: 1 in 10 families in New Jersey are currently having trouble finding enough to eat, a third of renters are worried they’ll be evicted in the next two months.

“Between COVID and the current economy, the low- and moderate-income families continue to struggle to pay for basic living expenses,” said Susan Biegen, another member of the Garden State Leaders program. “The Emergency Rental Assistance Program has not been able to keep up with the need with many families being told there is no funding left. American Rescue Plan funds would best be used by providing back rent, utilities, and food assistance so families won’t have to worry about eviction and hunger.”

Some lawmakers have suggested using federal assistance to provide tax cuts to profitable businesses despite a clear need to make the state more affordable for low- and moderate-income families.

“To make New Jersey more affordable for our low- and moderate-income families we must prioritize state revenues and American Rescue Plan funds to increase supports for families in deep poverty, allocate sufficient funds to keep people in their homes, expand health coverage to all kids and uninsured residents, and establish a state child and earned income tax credit,” said Maura Collinsgru, Director of Policy and Advocacy, New Jersey Citizen Action. “These programs will help ensure residents most impacted by the pandemic and rising inflation can not only survive, but thrive.”

Immigrant community members joined the virtual hearing to urge lawmakers to provide further relief to residents excluded from most forms of federal and state assistance — and for the state to invest in language access so all residents can apply for programs and services they already qualify for.

“Two years into the pandemic, there still are more than a half million people left behind from all forms of relief,” said Aida Mucha, Member Leader with Make the Road New Jersey. “It’s a disgrace that half of New Jersey’s federal ARP fiscal recovery funds are still sitting unused and unallocated when families like mine are struggling to pay bills. I worked throughout the pandemic to deliver food to families in quarantine, but I was excluded from aid like so many immigrant essential workers. I urge the state to take action now to provide direct relief to excluded workers.”

“Nearly one in two New Jerseyans is a person of color and almost a quarter of us are foreign born,” said Laura Bustamante, Policy & Campaign Manager, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “New Jerseyans speak over 155 languages, one in four households speaks a non-English language at home. With the recent increase in access to status neutral services and programs, newly eligible New Jerseyans are facing linguistic barriers, leaving these landmark initiatives inaccessible. Beyond that racial and ethnic categories currently used in agencies that capture demographic information are overly generalized, rendering distinct populations invisible. If the State is looking to make wise use of the dollars it invests in public programs, language access and data disaggregation will be necessary tools. ”

The pandemic and resulting economic fallout has disproportionately harmed Black and Latinx/Hispanic communities. Policy experts and advocates testified at the hearing in support of targeting aid to these communities to begin reversing racial inequities.

“Before New Jersey can become stronger, fairer and a more affordable state, there must be a commitment to equity and justice,” said Racquel Romans-Henry, Director of Policy at Salvation and Social Justice. “That commitment begins with but is not limited to significant investments in the development of violence interruption, harm reduction and restorative justice hubs; investments in neighborhood maternal health centers; community reinvestment of cannabis revenue; and funding the Office of Legislative Services so that they may prepare racial impact statements for policy changes that affect pretrial detention, sentencing and parole as required by S677 passed in 2018.”

“For the many students in our school who have seen pre-pandemic inequities impact their education at an even greater level, it is important that the state act now and accelerated addressing these challenges,” said Kaleena Berryman, convener of Our Children/Our Schools. “Funds should be allocated for student and educator mental health, building health and safety upgrades, and a concentrated approach to ensure students with disabilities and English language learners receive the extra support needed due to months of lost time. To make this happen, the state must also concentrate of fully staffing the Department of Education.”

“The impacts of the pandemic are still being felt by our schoolchildren and their teachers, especially in lower-income communities,” said Greg Stankiewicz, Statewide Coordinator, NJ Community Schools Coalition. “We urge the Governor and Legislature to allocate $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds to support expanding community school approaches to more low-income public schools, helping nonprofits and universities work together with school districts to provide additional needed services to students and families.”

“As Dickens wrote, we are living in the best of times and the worst of times for our state budget,” said Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey. “We have a historically flush budget with an ample surplus as well as an additional $3 billion in reserve through the American Rescue Plan. Unfortunately, we still see ongoing raids to NJ Transit’s capital budget and the state Clean Energy Fund and flat funding to state agencies, as well as lead service lines and water infrastructure that need to be replaced. This is the moment to invest in our environment, clean energy and public health and make historic investments — and give the public a chance to weigh in on this opportunity.”

“New Jersey should not squander this opportunity. As state policymakers consider how to use more than $3 billion in remaining Fiscal Recovery Funds, they should work with communities to identify the best ways to use these funds,” added Ed Lazere of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The economic recovery remains uneven and incomplete, with many still struggling with incomes that are not enough to pay rent or afford food.”

Watch a recording of the virtual hearing here.

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Hera Mir Joins the New Jersey Policy Perspective Communications Team

Posted on by NJPP Staff

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) announced today that Hera Mir has joined the staff as Movement Communications Strategist. In this role, Hera will work closely with partners from across the state to develop a people-centered communications strategy for the think-tank’s racial justice policy priorities.

“We’re pleased to have Hera join the NJPP communications team to help sharpen our focus on policies that will advance racial justice and build power with communities of color,” said Jon Shure, Interim President of NJPP. “The pandemic exposed and worsened racial inequity in New Jersey and heightened existing challenges when it comes to reaching communities that are excluded from the state’s systems of care, safety, education, and more. Hera’s expertise in amplifying the voices of communities of color, and her role in major immigrant justice policy wins in New Jersey, make her the right fit for carrying out our vision.”

Hera brings years of experience in communications, immigrants’ rights policy advocacy, and direct services in New Jersey. They are a skilled people-centered storyteller who has worked across the media landscape to uplift stories of immigrant workers and their families on major immigrants’ rights campaigns.

“I look forward to carrying across the vision of a people-first communications strategy, a needed communications approach in New Jersey,” said Hera Mir, Movement Communications Strategist at NJPP. “Racial inequities are embedded in all areas of our society, and we need proactive, people-centered policies to achieve racial justice. Yet, too often, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are on the sidelines of policy making that directly impacts our lives. I’m humbled to help New Jerseyans across the state make their power felt in our local communities and in Trenton.”

Before joining NJPP, Hera worked for the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, where they led on press relations, digital organizing, and digital media strategy, as well as supporting communications of the Alliance’s grassroots members. Specifically, Hera worked on Alliance communications for the Let’s Drive NJ campaign and in support of the Immigrant Trust Directive, the anti-detention bill to ban all new Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention contracts in New Jersey, and more.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, NJPP is a “think and do” tank, driving policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based independent research, analysis, and advocacy.

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Essential Workers and Advocates Call for State Budget That Makes New Jersey Affordable for All

Posted on by NJPP Staff

As state lawmakers say they want to make New Jersey more affordable this legislative session, essential workers and advocates from For The Many NJ gathered outside the State House in Trenton to ask: “Affordable for who?”

All New Jersey residents should have safe, stable housing, nourishing meals, and the ability to meet the basic needs of themselves and their families and build a future. Yet, far too often, policy proposals that emphasize “affordability” would actually enrich the already wealthy and big businesses, without making New Jersey truly affordable for all.

“New Jersey should be a state that’s affordable for working families and the everyday heroes who carried us through the pandemic: health care workers, child care workers, educators, food service and grocery workers,” said Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) and emcee of the event. “We can’t afford to hand out more tax breaks to yacht and mansion owners while so many low-paid and moderate-income working families struggle to make ends meet. There needs to be a recognition that our “affordability crisis” is a crisis for workers who aren’t paid enough or aren’t given enough hours to cover everyday costs.”

New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the nation, but many residents struggle to keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table, and meet the basic needs of themselves and their families. One in ten residents live below the federal poverty level, and 76 percent of New Jersey’s low-income households have trouble paying rent, utilities, or other housing costs.

“We have worked hard throughout the pandemic. At the airport, we have kept travelers safe, and as we begin the recovery process, we need to know that we will be protected,” said April Fitch, a security officer at Newark Liberty Airport. “It is important to breach the gaps in education, housing, and – most importantly – working conditions. The state budget needs to be planned with all New Jerseyans in mind. We need to work together to guarantee that we are all thriving. That means providing relief to our underserved communities, protective measures to all essential workers, and establishing hazard pay for all frontline workers so that we may have a shot at financially recovering from this pandemic.”

Speaking outside the State House, essential workers made clear that every dollar lost to broad-based tax cuts would be one dollar less to make the public investments needed for everyone to thrive. Policies that leave out those hurting the most and for whom high costs and prices take the biggest chunk out of their earnings do not promote affordability.

“New Jersey’s lack of affordable homes for working families is nothing short of a crisis,” said Rose Leonard, a teacher in Mercer County who saw her rent increase from $1,900 to $2,700 per month during the pandemic.“It creates instability, prevents families from building savings, and creates an uncertain environment for our children who have to move from district to district to follow the availability of a home their families can afford. When we talk about making New Jersey more affordable, housing security and stability must be at the foundation. New Jersey needs more affordable homes for more people.”

New Jersey state government’s financial outlook is stronger now than even before the pandemic thanks to strong revenue collections and an influx of federal funds. This provides a generational opportunity to bring immediate relief to families struggling to balance their budgets through direct assistance, food, housing, and medical care, and expanding tax credits that help those having the most trouble making ends meet.

“I risked my life during the pandemic to make sure others could eat and shelter in place. But I only received aid after I fought to win the Excluded New Jerseyan Fund, which gave me and my family assistance. We need to make sure no one is left behind,” said Felix Gallardo (she/her), a member of Make the Road New Jersey and participant in the 24-day hunger strike who worked at a food factory during the pandemic where multiple coworkers died from COVID-19. “The Legislature should fully fund the Excluded New Jerseyan program with a billion dollars so no one is left behind instead of tax giveaways to the wealthiest New Jerseyans and businesses.”

The speakers also pointed to the billions of dollars New Jersey received from the federal government to help residents and communities recover from the pandemic, saying the state should use these funds as soon as possible to bolster the state’s public health infrastructure and help the people who have given the most and are still struggling to recover from the pandemic.

“Why not allocate some of the billions of dollars the state received in the American Rescue Plan toward addressing the staffing crisis to keep nurses at hospital bedsides?,” asked Banita Herndon, HPAE Local 5089 President and a nurse for more than 25 years, including 18-plus years in the Emergency Room at University Hospital in Newark. “Hazard pay and quarantine pay could be one of the best tools to retain those workers who are leaving and motivate others to join the healthcare profession.”

“The New Jersey State School Nurses Association, which represents over 1000 certified school nurses across the state, urges New Jersey to fully fund schools next year,” said Donna Pleus, President of the Association. “As we work to help students stay safe, healthy, and learning, our schools need full funding to provide children with high-quality health services from certified school nurses and mental health services from qualified providers.”

“The last two years have  been incredibly challenging and we have learned a lot about what students need to thrive in challenging circumstances,” said NJEA President Sean M. Spiller. “As we seek a return to normalcy in the upcoming school year, we urge New Jersey to invest heavily in our public schools so we can provide all the support and resources our students need to overcome the challenges of the last two years and to seize the opportunities that are ahead.”

“The Gospel writer Matthew, teaches in the Bible, ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart is also, Matthew 6:21,’” said Reverend Sara Lilja, Executive Director of Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry NJ (LEAMNJ). “Where we direct our spending in the state budget points to our priorities as New Jerseyans. Do we prioritize our neighbors over big corporations, and lift up those who have limited choices over those who have many? This is the time to clarify our priorities as a state, we must direct our support to those most in need”.

Watch a video recording of the press conference here.

Photos of the event are available here.

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For The Many is a statewide coalition of more than 30 organizations working to expand funding for essential services and improve budget practices to meet current and future needs, especially for communities that have been historically left behind. 

Jon Shure Returns to New Jersey Policy Perspective as Interim President

Posted on by NJPP Staff

The New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) Board of Trustees announced today that NJPP founder Jon Shure has returned to the organization as Interim President. In this role, he will support the leadership transition following the departure of President Brandon McKoy.

“As we approach our 25th anniversary next year, NJPP is bigger, stronger, and more influential than ever in the cause of economic security and social justice for all New Jerseyans,” Jon Shure said. “ I’m proud to serve in this new role and help the organization transition to new leadership.”

Shure has been a Senior Director of Taft Communications for the past five years and will continue to serve as a senior consultant. Jon spent more than a decade as a reporter for The Record before becoming press secretary for then-Congressman Jim Florio and serving as communications director during Florio’s term as Governor. In 1997, Jon became the founding President of NJPP and, over 12 years, built the organization into the state’s premier public policy think tank.

“There are few, if any, people who know NJPP as intimately as Jon does,” said NJPP Board Chair Marcia Marley. “With his knowledge of the organization, his passion for policy research, and his commitment to advancing economic justice, Jon is uniquely qualified to lead NJPP as Interim President.”

The NJPP Board of Trustees will soon launch a national search for a new President. A search committee, led by Board Chair Marcia Marley, will guide the process with input from staff, board members, and the policy research and advocacy communities.

Jon Shure’s first day as Interim President was November 10, 2021.

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NJPP President Brandon McKoy Stepping Down to Join Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Posted on by NJPP Staff

Today, Brandon McKoy announced that after seven years with New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP), the last two and a half as President, he will step down at the end of October 2021 to join the senior leadership team of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a DC-based think tank that promotes public policies to reduce poverty and advance equity.

Under Brandon McKoy’s leadership, NJPP has grown bigger, stronger, and more diverse than ever before, with a larger staff, more funding, and a broader research portfolio than at any other time in the organization’s 25-year history.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead NJPP through this deeply transformative chapter,” said NJPP President Brandon McKoy. “Over the last few years, we have grown substantially — in funding, size, and influence — and radically reshaped the narrative on the role of state budgets in advancing racial equity. While this is a bittersweet moment, my new position will provide me a platform to counsel, strengthen, and resource NJPP and other state think tanks across the country so that they are better able to model our success.”

In November, Brandon McKoy will become the Vice President of State Partnerships at CBPP, providing strategic support to a network of think tanks across 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

“Through his bold and strategic thinking, tireless advocacy on behalf of low-and moderate-income New Jerseyans, and commitment to racial and economic justice, Brandon has led NJPP to new heights and cemented himself as a respected leader in the State Priorities Partnership network,” said Sharon Parrott, President of CBPP. “I am thrilled to have him join CBPP where his work will continue to have a profound impact on families and communities in states across the country.”

“Brandon’s departure will leave a void in Trenton,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “As President of New Jersey Policy Perspective, Brandon was heavily involved in advocating for many of our administration’s biggest accomplishments, including enacting a pathway to the $15 minimum wage and restoring the millionaire’s tax.  While I am sad to see him leave, I know that his work on dismantling structures of racism and wealth disparity has made this state a better place for working families and that he will bring the same values and perspective to Washington.”

NJPP’s Board of Trustees will begin to search for a new president who will continue to center racial equity and data-driven solutions in policy debates across the Garden State.

“NJPP was already the premier think tank in New Jersey, but under Brandon’s leadership the organization is now the North Star and leading voice on issues of racial justice,” said Marcia Marley, NJPP Board Chair and President of BlueWaveNJ. “While no transition is easy, NJPP is stronger than ever before thanks to Brandon’s leadership. Though we are sad to see him go, we are thrilled to see his hard work validated and excited to work with him in his new role.”

Brandon McKoy has worked at NJPP for more than seven years and has served as the organization’s President since 2019. Under Brandon’s leadership, NJPP:

  • Played a critical role in advancing policies that benefit millions of New Jersey residents every day, including the $15 minimum wage, millionaires tax, driver’s license expansion, all kids health coverage, marijuana legalization, and expansions to the social safety net and tax credits for working families.
  • Doubled its full-time staff, allowing the organization to expand its research into education, criminal and legal systems, climate, transit, and child care.
  • Expanded its budget by more than 75 percent and built a healthy financial reserve by engaging with local and national funders who are deeply invested in pursuing racial equity.
  • Rebranded with a new logo, visual identity, and website that makes the organization’s research more accessible.

 

NJPP will celebrate Brandon’s tenure with the organization on October 21, 2021 at Progress 2021: Honoring Brandon McKoy. Reservations and sponsorships are available here.

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New Jersey Policy Perspective Expands Research Team

Posted on by NJPP Staff

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) announced today three additions to the organization’s policy team. The Trenton-based think-tank has hired Peter Chen as a Senior Policy Analyst to research child and family policy, Marleina Ubel as a State Policy Fellow to research alternatives to policing, and Kimberly Thomson as the 2021 Kathleen Crotty Fellow to research universal basic income.

“Peter is one of the sharpest policy minds in the state,” said Brandon McKoy, President of NJPP. “His vision, talent, and rock-solid analyses will take NJPP to new heights as we expand our work in child care, early education, and family policy. We’re incredibly fortunate to have Peter join the NJPP team.”

Peter Chen, Esq. has worked on child and family policy in New Jersey since 2014, writing reports on and advocating for childhood lead poisoning prevention, summer meals, reducing chronic absenteeism, and more. Prior to NJPP, Peter was Policy Counsel at Advocates for Children of New Jersey, where he also served as a Skadden Fellow from 2014-16. Most recently, he coordinated New Jersey’s nonprofit campaign for a complete count of the 2020 Census. Peter received his JD from Yale Law School and his BA from Indiana University-Bloomington.

“I am thrilled to be joining this dedicated team of experts and advocates,” said Peter Chen. “NJPP is the state’s premier think tank; I look forward to helping them advance policies that support children and families in every corner of the state.”

NJPP also welcomed Marleina Ubel as a State Policy Fellow for 2021 through 2023. The fellowship, coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, places recent graduate school graduates in state-based policy organizations across the country.

Marleina, a dedicated researcher and advocate for underrepresented groups, was most recently the 2020-2021 Kathleen Crotty Fellow for NJPP where she researched the state budget and alternatives to policing. She will continue this work in her new role with the organization. Marleina began her undergraduate work at Valencia College, earned her BA in Philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received her MSW in Management and Policy at Rutgers University.

“NJPP has been fighting for economic and social justice with research and policy advocacy since its inception,” said Marleina Ubel. “It is a great privilege to continue working with NJPP.”

Additionally, NJPP hired Kimberly Thomson as the organization’s 2021 Kathleen Crotty Fellow. The Crotty Fellowship honors the legacy of NJPP’s late board chair by giving the next generation of New Jersey policy leaders an intensive, paid summer experience in policy analysis.

Kim began her career in clinical genetics, providing counseling services to both prenatal and pediatric patients. With a desire to expand her focus to population health, she recently completed a master’s degree in Public Health Policy and Administration at Montclair State University. Since graduating, she has worked in the policy office of the All of Us genomics research program at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Kim’s professional interests include the role of public policy in addressing social determinants of health to reduce health inequities and disparities.

“I am excited to join the NJPP team,” said Kimberly Thomson. “As a public health professional, I welcome the opportunity to research policy solutions that promote the health and well-being of all New Jerseyans”

Kim’s first day with NJPP was June 1, Peter’s first day was July 1, and Marleina officially starts as State Policy Fellow on August 2.

“Now is the time for bold policy solutions to meet the moment and address the racial disparities that the pandemic laid bare,” said McKoy. “I am excited to have Marleina and Kim join us as we research transformational policies that advance racial and economic justice for all.”

Founded in 1997, NJPP is a “think and do” tank, driving policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based independent research, analysis, and advocacy.

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New Poll: Most New Jersey Voters Support Union Rights, Abolishing “The Line,” and Investing in Alternatives to Policing

Posted on by NJPP Staff

June 22, 2021  – New Jersey voters strongly support workers’ rights to unionize, reforming New Jersey’s primary ballot design, and investing in alternatives to policing, according to a new public opinion poll by Data for Progress and New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP).

With the governorship and full Legislature up for election this fall, the findings of this poll show that New Jersey voters want to see their state lawmakers pursue an ambitious and progressive policy agenda that will build a state that is stronger, kinder, and fairer to all its residents.

“It’s clear that New Jersey voters are done with ‘business as usual’ and are ready to see our state transformed for the better,” said Brandon McKoy, President of New Jersey Policy Perspective. “Voters want lawmakers to make real, tangible change when it comes to supporting workers, making our democracy stronger, and our communities safer. Now it’s time for lawmakers to deliver.”

The poll finds that more than 6 in 10 New Jersey voters are aware of the “county line” on New Jersey’s primary ballots, with a majority of voters saying they support removing the line from primary ballots. As NJPP has previously reported, New Jersey is the only state in the country to organize its primary ballots this way. The line provides a structural advantage to candidates endorsed by county political parties, disenfranchising voters and allowing party insiders to pick election winners.

The poll finds that at least 7 out of 10 Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters support the right of workers to unionize. Additionally, 6 in 10 voters support reallocating resources used by law enforcement towards social and community based services, such as mental health support and violence prevention programs.

“As we emerge from this pandemic, New Jersey voters are keenly aware that simply returning to the status quo will not suffice,” said Brian Burton, Senior Analyst at Data for Progress. “This poll shows that the opportunity is ripe to enact ambitious changes in the Garden State.”

Key findings include:

  • Union rights are broadly popular, with strong bipartisan support. In total, 78 percent of voters support the right of workers to unionize, while only 18 oppose. By party affiliation, 88 percent of Democrats support union rights, as do 72 percent of independent/unaffiliated voters and 70 percent of Republicans.
  • A majority of New Jersey voters are familiar with the “county line” on the state’s primary ballots. In total, 61 percent of voters are familiar with the line, including 65 percent of Democrats, 55 percent of independents/unaffiliated voters, and 62 percent of Republicans reporting being somewhat or very familiar with the practice.
  • There is broad, bipartisan support for changing the structure of New Jersey’s primary ballots so they look like those used in every other state. In total, 54 percent of voters support getting rid of the line, including 57 percent of Democrats, 57 percent of independents/unaffiliated voters, and a plurality of Republican voters at 47 percent.
  • A majority of Democrats and independent/unaffiliated voters support investments in alternatives to policing. In total, 60 percent of voters support reallocating resources used by law enforcement towards community-based social and mental health programs, including 83 percent of Democrats, 51 percent of independents/unaffiliated voters, and 34 percent of Republicans.

 

From April 12 to 24, 2021, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 2,058 likely voters in New Jersey using SMS and web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points.

The full poll results can be viewed here:
https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2021/6/22/new-jersey-bold-progressive-change

 

New Jersey Policy Perspective Hires Digital Communications Manager

Posted on by NJPP Staff

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) announced today that it has hired Erica Boland as the think-tank’s new Digital Communications Manager. In this role, Erica will be responsible for the development and daily execution of NJPP’s web, social media, and video strategy.

“We are thrilled to have Erica join the NJPP team,” said Brandon McKoy, President of NJPP. “Her professional experience, creative thinking, and commitment to our mission creates a skillset that uniquely satisfies NJPP’s needs as we work to amplify our policy analysis and reach new audiences.”

Erica is a veteran communications and creative professional, with over ten years of experience working in the private and public sectors. She is a skilled graphic designer and communicator with expertise in digital design and marketing.

Prior to joining NJPP, Erica worked for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, where she led and executed digital campaigns promoting programs and events that benefit New Jersey residents. Erica has also worked as a graphic designer and art director for private marketing agencies designing websites, email campaigns, and social media campaigns. Erica graduated from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University with her Bachelor’s of Science in Art Education.

“I’m proud and honored to join such a brilliant team of leaders dedicated to racial equity and economic justice,” said NJPP Digital Communications Manager Erica Boland. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to utilize my skills and join NJPP in promoting policy solutions that help build a strong, equitable future for New Jersey.”

Erica’s first day with NJPP was May 24.

Founded in 1997, NJPP is a “think and do” tank, driving policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based independent research, analysis, and advocacy.

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