Statement

Rush to Approve $14 Billion in Corporate Tax Breaks is a Stunning Disappointment

There is broad consensus that subsidizing corporations is an irresponsible and wasteful use of taxpayer dollars, but that isn't stopping New Jersey.

By

Published on Dec 21, 2020 in Tax and Budget

Earlier today, the New Jersey Senate and Assembly voted to approve more than $14 billion in corporate tax breaks. This vote follows two years of task force hearings and investigative reporting that showed how costly and ineffective the state’s previous corporate tax incentive programs were. The 300-plus page bill, A4/S3295, was made public less than a week ago and was fast-tracked through the Legislature. In response to today’s vote, New Jersey Policy Perspective releases the following statement. 
 

Brandon McKoy, President, NJPP:

“The rush to approve more than $14 billion in corporate tax breaks is a stunning disappointment, especially at a moment of tremendous suffering and economic uncertainty for so many families. There is broad consensus that subsidizing corporations is an irresponsible and wasteful use of taxpayer dollars, whether it’s research from institutions across the ideological spectrum, independent investigative reporting, or even Governor Murphy’s own tax incentive task force. The bill passed by the Legislature today ignores all of that and instead doubles down on the failed trickle-down policies of the past, with an overall price tag that eclipses that of the infamous 2013 Economic Opportunity Act.

“We acknowledge that this legislation contains important labor protections along with critical provisions for oversight, program assessment, and accountability. Checks and balances are plentiful in this proposal, but the sheer size of it rests on the erroneous assumption that corporate tax subsidies significantly persuade businesses to relocate to New Jersey. The Garden State used to spend approximately $100 million dollars annually on these programs, and comparable states continue to operate at that level. A program of this size goes beyond merely “competing” and represents total fiscal irresponsibility.

“The implementation of this bill bucks the previously stated positions of this administration and is rightly being lampooned by state and national experts alike. In his 2019 State of the State Address, Governor Murphy remarked that it “simply put, is nuts” for the state to forgo more than $1 billion a year in corporate tax subsidies. We agreed with that statement then, and we agree with it now. Over the next several years, New Jersey will be forgoing billions more in revenue while grappling with increased need for education and transit investments, paying back billions in borrowed funds, and maintaining vital services and support for workers, families, and small businesses.

“Now, the same justifications that were used to pass the 2013 Economic Opportunity Act are being used to legitimize this bill. And just as those reasons turned out to be wrong, so will those being used today. The best way to stimulate an economy is by supporting proven sectors of economic growth like education, public transportation, and the development of safe and affordable homes. Expecting investments to trickle down from corporations to communities is a proven failure, a proven waste of taxpayer dollars, and it must end.”

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) is a nonpartisan think tank that drives policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based, independent research, analysis, and advocacy.
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Author

  • Brandon McKoy, President, is the chief executive of NJPP and leads the organization's efforts in shaping policy debates to advance economic justice for the many, not a chosen few. Prior to being named President of NJPP in February 2019, Brandon served as NJPP's Director of Government and Public Affairs, where he designed and implemented the organization's outreach, advocacy, and government relations activities. He also produces timely, credible and accessible research and analysis on issues including, but not limited to, economic security, the social safety net and economic opportunity.

    Brandon’s research interests include: state tax policy, the minimum wage, paid sick leave, the earned income tax credit, urban planning and criminal justice.

    Before joining NJPP in August 2014 as a national fellow under the State Priorities Partnership’s and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ state policy fellowship program, Brandon worked as a Program Associate at The Fund for New Jersey, where he assisted in grantmaking on public policy issues that particularly affect low-income and minority populations in New Jersey. He also worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA at HANDS, Inc., a community development corporation in New Jersey, where he worked to mitigate the negative impact of foreclosures and increase citizen participation in local decision-making.

    Brandon formerly served as the Deputy Chapter Director of New Leaders Council – New Jersey and is an alumnus of the 2013 fellows class. He currently serves on the board of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, Shelterforce and the I Am Trenton Community Foundation. He received a MA in City & Regional Planning and Policy Development from Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and holds a BS degree in Social Psychology from The College of New Jersey.

    Email: mckoy (at) njpp.org | Phone: 609-393-1145 ext. 14


    Follow Brandon on Twitter
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