New Jersey Policy Perspective produces independent research and analysis on policy solutions to advance social, economic, and racial justice. From data-driven reports to policy briefs and explainers, we work to provide lawmakers, legislative staff, advocates, community leaders, and reporters with the facts and figures behind the most pressing policy issues facing the Garden State.

The Statue of Justice blindefolded and holding scales on a stack of brown books with judge's gavel in the background.
Blog

Holistic Public Defense Would Make New Jersey Safer and Save Millions

October 19, 2026 • Marleina Ubel • Public Safety
New Jersey can lead the nation by making its public defense system a driver of community safety, equity, and economic stability. The key is to address the root causes that pull people into the legal system. And it would take only a modest investment with generous returns. Expanding [...]
Photo of a cafeteria serving line filled with trays of hot food that are neatly arranged under the protective glass shield.
Blog

Meals as Fuel: Federal Cuts Put Free School Lunch at Risk for New Jersey Kids

October 15, 2026 • Tonanziht Aguas • Economic Justice
Every student deserves the nourishment that helps them show up ready to learn each day. National School Lunch Week is a reminder that school meals keep students focused, healthy, and engaged in the classroom. But recent federal changes to key safety net programs could put free and reduced-price [...]
Report

Medicaid Work Requirements: Barriers by Design

September 15, 2026 • Brittany Holom-Trundy • Health
New federally mandated work requirements threaten to rip health coverage away via eligibility obstacles, and burdensome paperwork and reporting requirements.
Blog•Explainer

NJ FamilyCare 101: How Medicaid Works in New Jersey

September 9, 2026 • Jennifer Spiegel • Health
As federal cuts threaten access to care, New Jersey leaders must strengthen Medicaid so residents can get the health care they need.
Blog

New Jersey’s Medicaid Fee Raises Money, Not Coverage

August 5, 2026 • Brittany Holom-Trundy • Health
Health care costs continue to rise, and shifting federal policies threaten long-standing access to coverage. New Jerseyans are calling on the state government to protect their health care. Federal cuts to Medicaid mean hundreds of thousands of residents are expected to lose coverage, and billions of dollars that [...]
Testimony

Proposed Medicaid Work Rule Puts Coverage for the Medically Frail at Risk

July 30, 2026 • Jennifer Spiegel • Health
Dear Administrator Oz: New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Interim Final Rule implementing Medicaid community engagement requirements under H.R. 1. Specifically, NJPP urges CMS to broaden its definition of medical frailty and preserve states’ ability [...]
Blog

New Jersey Makes Data Brokers Pay for Collecting Your Information

July 23, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
The digital economy relies heavily on collecting personal data. This requires new tools to regulate the practice and new methods to compensate states when companies collect their residents’ data. Companies popularly known as “data brokers” operate invisibly, collecting and buying consumer data and then aggregating and selling it [...]
Report

A Solid First Budget, but New Jersey Still Needs Revenue That Lasts

July 16, 2026 • Tonanziht Aguas • Tax and Budget
Gov. Sherrill made real progress on the deficit, but the toughest choices are waiting for next year.
Testimony

Proposed Medicaid Per-Employee Fee Puts Workers at Risk

June 28, 2026 • Jennifer Spiegel • Health
Testimony from NJPP Policy Analyst Jennifer Spiegel providing guidance on how to protect health care for New Jersey's workers.
Testimony

Closing Loophole on Alternative Business Losses for High-Income Individuals Will Save NJ $120 Million Annually

June 28, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
New law will shut down deduction for incomes over $1 million, affecting less than 1 percent of tax filers.
Testimony

Temporary Closure of Corporate “Net Operating Loss” Tax Loophole Will Save State Hundreds of Millions

June 28, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
Permanent changes to corporate tax code are needed to prevent revenue loss when net operating loss suspension ends.
Testimony

Expanded Child Tax Credit Will Help Hundreds of Thousands of Families Afford Cost of Raising Kids in NJ

June 28, 2026 • Peter Chen • Economic Justice, Tax and Budget
A 25 percent increase in the CTC will put hundreds of dollars directly into family pockets and should be made permanent.
Testimony

Governor Sherrill’s First Budget Takes Real Steps Towards Closing Deficit While Helping New Jerseyans Meet Costs

June 28, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
More needs to be done to raise revenues to protect affordability for working families in the fiscal year 2027 budget.
Testimony

Cutting Off Data Center Subsidies Is the Right Move for New Jersey

June 23, 2026 • Peter Chen • Climate, Tax and Budget
Testimony from NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen in support of ending tax subsidies for data centers driving up costs for New Jerseyans.
Report

A Smarter Stay NJ: The Governor’s Changes Are a Good Start

June 9, 2026 • Peter Chen • Economic Justice, Tax and Budget
Gov. Sherrill’s proposed changes would steer relief toward the seniors who need it most, but lawmakers should go further to fix the program’s deeper flaws.
Report

Lossmaxxing: Time To Crack Down on Paper Losses and Restore Corporate Tax Accountability

May 21, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
New Jersey’s net-operating-loss deduction cost the state $1.2 billion in 2023, with most of the benefit flowing to fewer than 1,000 large corporations.
Report

Not As Easy As ABC: How NJ Can Recover More Than $120 Million From a Tax Break for the Wealthy

May 19, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
New Jersey can recover much-needed revenue by closing a loophole for wealthy businesses, leaving most New Jerseyans unaffected.
A photo of a hand stacking coins next to money in a glass jar.
Blog

A Wealth of Revenue: How Taxing Wealth Proceeds Can Help Balance New Jersey’s Budget

May 5, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
Adopting a wealth proceeds tax based on federal law could raise more than $1.1 billion to help balance New Jersey’s state budget, while affecting only a small share of the state’s wealthiest households. New Jersey policymakers could direct those funds toward education, health care, and other investments families [...]
Blog

Families Still Pay Millions to Stay Connected to Loved Ones in Prison

April 28, 2026 • Marleina Ubel • Economic Justice
A phone call home can mean everything for the thousands of people incarcerated in New Jersey’s prisons and jails. Staying connected improves mental health, strengthens family ties, and helps people prepare for a successful return to their communities. But for many, these calls come at a high and [...]
Report

A Safety Net in Retreat: An Obstacle Course Known as TANF

April 23, 2026 • Tonanziht Aguas • Economic Justice, Tax and Budget
New Jersey's top cash assistance program is long overdue for reform so it can reach the families it was designed to serve.
Blog•Explainer

TANF Explained: New Jersey’s Safety Net Steadily Falls Short

April 21, 2026 • Tonanziht Aguas • Economic Justice
New Jersey’s main cash assistance program for families hasn’t kept pace with the cost of living for decades.
Mother, Little girl, and pediatrician in a doctor's office while the patient looks at a band-aid on her arm.
Blog

Who Pays for a Per-Employee Medicaid Fee?

April 7, 2026 • Peter Chen • Economic Justice, Health
A fee tied to individual employees’ health coverage will encourage employers to find loopholes and harm workers. That’s the core problem with Governor Mikie Sherrill’s proposal to charge large employers based on how many of their workers are enrolled in NJ FamilyCare, the state’s Medicaid program. In her [...]
Report

Fool’s Gold: The Hidden Costs of AI Data Centers for New Jersey

March 31, 2026 • Alex Ambrose • Climate, Tax and Budget
Communities deserve guardrails on expansion before the damage is done.
Report

How Gov. Sherrill’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Measures Up

March 11, 2026 • Tonanziht Aguas • Tax and Budget
NJPP's research team evaluates whether Governor Murphy's final budget proposal sufficiently advances economic, social, and racial justice.
Report

What to Look for in the New Jersey Budget for Fiscal Year 2027

March 3, 2026 • Peter Chen • Tax and Budget
Ahead of Governor Sherrill's first budget address, here are key benchmarks to evaluate whether the budget sufficiently addresses fiscal challenges while aligning with the values of expanding opportunity for all.

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