Topic Category: General

Murphy’s Words Shine But Shadows Remain

Posted on by Nicole Rodriguez

Today, Governor Phil Murphy delivered his seventh annual State of the State address, focusing on economic security and opportunity for all New Jerseyans in his final year as governor, ahead of a new federal administration. While the speech highlighted significant progress in creating a stronger, fairer economy for all, it missed critical opportunities to address the needs of New Jersey’s immigrant communities, bolster anti-poverty programs, and propose solutions for raising revenues to pay for vital public programs and services. In response to the address, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released the following statement.

Nicole Rodriguez, President, NJPP:

“Governor Murphy’s address offered hope to many New Jersey families. His focus on financial security, universal pre-K, full-day kindergarten, paid parental leave for state employees, and clean energy initiatives reflects the forward-thinking leadership our state needs at this moment in history.

“However, the speech left critical issues unaddressed. Many New Jerseyans remain deeply concerned about the future under the Trump Administration, particularly as immigrant communities face the looming threats of mass deportation and family separation. Despite their vital contributions to the state’s economy and cultural fabric, these communities were notably absent from the governor’s agenda. They deserve strong and vocal advocacy from our leaders to ensure their safety and well-being.

“At the same time, the governor’s proposals on preserving access to health care, helping families afford groceries and rent, and meeting pension obligations reflect the state’s capacity to safeguard its residents. These initiatives are a step in the right direction, but they must be matched by a broader vision that includes all New Jerseyans.

“To truly meet the needs of its residents, New Jersey must ensure adequate funding for essential services like quality schools, reliable public transportation, and safety net programs. Achieving this requires bold, progressive tax reforms that equitably generate the revenue necessary to support these vital programs. We encourage lawmakers to prioritize these reforms, protect all families who rely on public services, and uphold the state’s commitment to justice and equity for everyone.”

###

New Jersey Department of Human Services Can Secure Support for Residents Ahead of Uncertain Federal Policy Landscape

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

Good afternoon, Commissioner and DHS team. Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony on the FY 2026 budget for the Department of Human Services. My name is Dr. Brittany Holom-Trundy, and I am a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). NJPP is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution that focuses on policies that can improve the lives of low- and middle-income people, strengthen our state’s economy, and enhance the quality of life in New Jersey.

With a looming uncertain federal policy landscape, the state’s Department of Human Services provides a critical channel for support for individuals and families. Now more than ever is a time for the state to cement its commitment to that support and ensure that all Garden State families are protected, regardless of possible federal changes. To do this, the Department should prioritize policies that will help to lessen and eliminate daily uncertainty that many working families, immigrants, and low-income residents currently face and may be threatened with in coming years.

In order to provide families with unwavering support, here are five priorities for the Department to consider for next fiscal year.

1. Protect Cover All Kids

Possible federal cuts to programs like Medicaid mean that the state needs to fully commit to keeping all children covered with quality, affordable health insurance through the Cover All Kids program. The Department already uses state funds to cover kids enrolled through the program’s expansion to all children regardless of immigration status, and maintaining that guarantee is crucial. Keeping that connection with immigrant communities at such a fraught time will also require improved and increased outreach efforts, as well as stronger privacy protections. Additionally, if federal reductions cut funding that helps to cover those kids who were already eligible with federal matching, the state must increase its own funding to ensure that no kids become uninsured even if the state must shift funds to fill new gaps.

 

NJPP urges DHS to ensure that the expansion remains fully funded in FY 2026, that outreach efforts are strengthened, and that privacy considerations are fully protected. This means making sure that state funds continue to cover the over 42,000 newly eligible, enrolled children, and accommodating any further increases in that number (approximately $156 million). It also means increasing funding for outreach efforts, as well as funding any improvements to the privacy protections needed to safely maintain the enrollment of immigrant children.

2. Expand Affordable Health Insurance Options

In addition to possible cuts to programs like Medicaid, other looming possibilities with federal transitions are threats to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), its protections, and its affordable options for low- to middle-income families. To ensure that the progress toward universal coverage over the past decade is not lost, the state must step up to safeguard the ACA’s advancements and lead in providing further coverage options.

By investing in affordable and quality health insurance options, the state can limit the financial impact of federal cuts to services and preserve public health for the Garden State. To do this, NJPP encourages DHS to set the budget so that it can (1) build the final bridges for uninsured children by funding a buy-in option for the children who are not income-eligible for NJ FamilyCare (NJFC) and yet do not qualify for GetCovered NJ coverage due to immigration status; and (2) establish and fund a public option open to all residents, regardless of immigration status or age.

3. Meet Economic Needs with Reforms to Anti-Poverty Programs

Despite the intense coverage on economic issues during and after the federal election, the reality is that the long-running anti-poverty programs funded by the federal government and states remain woefully neglected. Even with low-income residents facing daily economic insecurity, the main programs helping to lift families out of deep poverty — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and, in New Jersey, the full collection of programs under the umbrella of Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) — remain outdated and subject to the punitive stereotypes of 1990s welfare reform. Federal changes may also threaten the existence of these programs. NJPP encourages the Department to consider how to protect the WFNJ programs from federal cuts and make them work for the state’s poorest families.

By investing at least $46 million, the Department can begin the process of gradually increasing the WFNJ monthly grant amount to at least 50 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) over the next three years, starting with a baseline increase to 34% of the FPL in the first year. Maintaining current Emergency Assistance funding is also crucial. Finally, additional funds can help to improve off-ramps, reduce work hour requirements to better meet families’ realities, eliminate barriers for immigrants, and ensure that children and parents are lifted out of deep poverty.

4. Defend, Shield, and Support New Jersey’s Immigrant Communities

Potential federal policy changes threaten the safety and security of New Jersey’s diverse immigrant communities. More urgently than ever, the state needs to step up to protect Garden State immigrant families, providing them the empathy and enthusiasm that all families who call the state home are afforded.

To adequately respond to and prepare for possible federal actions, the Department should ensure that funding is available to codify the Office of New Americans and to support and strengthen the continuation of services like the Deportation Detention Defense Initiative, legal services for unaccompanied minors, and fee waivers and assistance for refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, any further funding needed to improve language access across all programs will be a vital commitment at a time when communication will become key to protection.

5. Support Quality Child Care Options in the Face of Increased Demand

As offices push for employees to return to commuting and in-person only setups, more and more families are having to make tough decisions about how to best care for their children during the work day. Having affordable, quality child care options that fit into a working family’s budget and meet the true cost of child care helps to build economic security and guarantee a more stable future for families and the state. At the same time, a quality child care system provides wages that fairly value the importance of child care providers’ work and ensures that they are able to cover their living expenses.

NJPP urges the Department to take action to make sure that child care wages keep up with demand. Additionally, DHS should adjust child care subsidy rates to meet the needs of workers and families.

In order to continue to fund all of these vital services, NJPP urges the administration to consider a range of revenue raisers that can be found in our latest report.[1] 

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

End Notes

[1] New Jersey Policy Perspective, Fair and Square: Changing New Jersey’s Tax Code to Promote Equity and Fiscal Responsibility, 2024. https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/fair-and-square-changing-new-jerseys-tax-code-to-promote-equity-and-fiscal-responsibility/

Outdated and Ineffective: Why New Jersey Needs to Update Its Top Anti-Poverty Program

Posted on by Brittany Holom-Trundy

New Jersey’s economy has changed in many ways since the 1990s, but the state’s premier social safety net program has remained largely the same. Designed to support families with little to no income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) has not kept up with the rising cost of living or the evolving needs of families with children.

The program maintains outdated administrative barriers that prevent many families from receiving assistance when they need it most.[i] For the families that do qualify, the monthly grant amount remains far too low to cover basic necessities or protect against the harms of deep poverty. By updating the state’s TANF program and raising benefit levels to reflect today’s economic realities, New Jersey can help families build a more stable future for themselves, their children, and their communities.

Supporting families as they navigate financial challenges has far-reaching benefits in both the short- and long-term. Beyond the immediate relief of helping families put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, having a stable household income increases the likelihood of children succeeding in school, pursuing higher education, and finding good-paying jobs as adults.[ii]

A stronger, more effective safety net would also help address systemic economic disparities across the state. Due to the legacy of policies that prevented people from fully participating in the economy based on their race or gender, women, Black, and Hispanic/Latinx residents of New Jersey have disproportionately lower incomes and are the least likely to afford rising costs in housing, transportation, health care, and other essential needs.[iii]

To address rising costs, deep-seeded inequities, and ensure that TANF fulfills its intended purpose, New Jersey must raise the monthly grant amount to at least 50 percent of the federal poverty level. Additionally, grant amounts should be adjusted for inflation so the program remains an effective safety net in future years. These reforms would promote stronger families and more resilient communities where everyone has the resources they need and deserve.

TANF Grant Amounts Fall Short in Today’s Economy

Targeted to families with the lowest incomes, New Jersey’s TANF program falls significantly short of meeting even the most basic needs, let alone enabling families to break the cycle of poverty and become self-sufficient. The current TANF grant only amounts to half of what the federal government considers “deep poverty,” which is 50 percent of the federal poverty level.[iv] Put another way, the current TANF grant in New Jersey is equal to only one-fourth of the federal government’s threshold for living in poverty. It’s worth noting that these are nationwide metrics that do not account for geographic differences in the cost of living, so this significantly undercounts the number of people living in poverty in states like New Jersey, where costs are higher.

For a family of three, the TANF monthly grant provides a maximum of $559 per month – only about $6,708 per year.[v] This is more than $6,000 below the deep poverty level.[vi] When accounting for the actual cost of living in New Jersey, a single parent with two children needs roughly $86,759 per year in order to meet their basic needs.[vii] Even excluding child care costs, a single parent with two children needs almost $63,000 per year, more than twice the federal poverty level for a family of three, to cover bills.[viii]

TANF Benefits Fall Far Below Deep Poverty Levels

New Jersey’s low TANF amount has little purchasing power in today’s economy, especially compared to when the program was created. Since 1998, New Jersey’s TANF grant has lost approximately 30 percent of its value.[ix] As a result, the assistance that a family receives each month — which used to cover the average cost of groceries with enough left over to help pay other bills and living expenses like rent — now barely covers the average cost for the month’s groceries.

New Jersey's TANF Benefits Have Lost 30 Percent of Their Value Since 1998

Without adjusting for inflation each year, families living in poverty receiving TANF cannot keep up with rising living costs to meet basic needs. Additionally, as this minimal support diminishes over time, the burden of the onerous and time-intensive application process makes it more likely that eligible families may never even apply.[x]

It’s Time to Provide Families with Enough Support to Build Their Futures

After nearly three decades, it’s time to finally update New Jersey’s TANF program so it’s a more effective safety net for families when they fall on hard times. While the program requires broader reforms to lower administrative barriers to access and eligibility, raising the grant amount is an easy and logical first step. The program’s current grant amounts are far too low, putting the health and well-being of low-income families at risk, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty out of their reach. The lack of financial assistance exacerbates housing insecurity, intensifies food insecurity, and limits access to essential health care services.[xi] Consequently, children growing up in poverty face greater challenges in school, hindering their prospects for a prosperous future and perpetuating intergenerational cycles of poverty.[xii]

In confronting the harms of deep poverty as costs continue to rise, policymakers must recognize the urgency of updating the state’s TANF program: Each day of delay for families can make a life-changing difference. By increasing the TANF grant amount, New Jersey can reaffirm its commitment to a stronger and fairer society where families have the resources necessary to overcome financial hardship and build a stable future.

End Notes

[i] While this report focuses on TANF monthly grant levels and how they are insufficient in helping families escape deep poverty, there are numerous administrative reforms needed to reduce barriers to assistance and eligibility. These include smoothing the off-ramps so that individuals do not face such steep cliffs for assistance, lowering administrative barriers to applications and documentation for the program, improving eligibility levels to better match today’s economic realities, and more. These reforms are further discussed in New Jersey Policy Perspective’s 2020 report, Promoting Equal Opportunities for Children Living in Poverty, https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/promoting-equal-opportunities-for-children-living-in-poverty/, as well as in testimony provided by New Jersey Policy Perspective to the New Jersey Legislature. These testimonies can be found on the NJPP website, such as: https://www.njpp.org/publications/testimony/its-time-for-new-jersey-to-fix-workfirst-nj-to-better-support-low-income-families/

[ii] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Economic Security Programs Help Low-Income Children Succeed Over Long Term, Many Studies Find, 2017. https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/economic-security-programs-help-low-income-children-succeed-over

[iii] Rutgers University – New Jersey State Policy Lab and the Center for Women and Work, Who Experienced the Greatest Financial Burden from Inflation in New Jersey? An Examination of Spending, Earnings, and Employment, 2023. https://policylab.rutgers.edu/report-release-who-experienced-the-greatest-financial-burden-from-inflation-in-nj/

[iv] UC Davis Center for Poverty & Inequality Research, What is “Deep Poverty”?, 2022. https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/faq/what-deep-poverty; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Priorities, Chart Book: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) at 26, 2022. https://www.cbpp.org/research/family-income-support/temporary-assistance-for-needy-families-tanf-at-26

[v] NJPP Analysis of data in Attachment B of: New Jersey Department of Human Services — Division of Family Development, New Jersey State Plan for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), FFY 2021-FFY 2023, 2020. https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/workfirstnj/tanf_2021_23_st_plan.pdf

[vi] NJPP Analysis of Attachment B of: New Jersey Department of Human Services — Division of Family Development, New Jersey State Plan for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), FFY 2024-FFY 2026, 2023. https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/providers/grants/public/publicnoticefiles/Draft%20New%20Jersey%20State%20Plan%20for%20Temporary%20Assistance%20for%20Needy%20Families%20(TANF)%20FFY%202024%20-%20FFY%202026.pdf; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines, https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines

[vii] It is important to note that this assumes approximately the same costs for the goods and services in terms of their portion of the bills since the original report, as it is only updated to account for inflation. Note that the pandemic led to a significant increase in prices and, for some services and goods, a significant change that far outpaced that of inflation. This means that these true poverty level estimates are likely conservative estimates. Sources for calculation: NJPP Analysis of Legal Services of New Jersey, True Poverty: What It Takes to Avoid Poverty and Deprivation in the Garden State, 2021, pg. 23. https://proxy.lsnj.org/rcenter/GetPublicDocument/00b5ccde-9b51-48de-abe3-55dd767a685a; Legal Services of New Jersey, New Jersey True Poverty Tracker: A Poverty Benchmarks Report Series, 2022. https://proxy.lsnj.org/rcenter/GetPublicDocument/380358ae-ad82-43a2-8e35-cd243030dbbc.

[viii] NJPP Analysis of data from the Federal Poverty Levels (https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines) and Legal Services of New Jersey, True Poverty: What It Takes to Avoid Poverty and Deprivation in the Garden State, 2021, pg. 28. https://proxy.lsnj.org/rcenter/GetPublicDocument/00b5ccde-9b51-48de-abe3-55dd767a685a

[ix] NJPP Analysis of New Jersey state budgets and Department of Human Services report on grant amounts and inflation rates.

[x] Urban Institute, Few Families Receive the TANF Cash Assistance They’re Eligible For, 2023. https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/few-families-receive-tanf-cash-assistance-theyre-eligible

[xi] There are numerous studies and reports showing the connections between poverty and various outcomes, as well as how the effects of each issue are intertwined. See for example: Institute for Research on Poverty, Unaffordable America: Poverty, Housing, And Eviction, 2015. https://www.irp.wisc.edu/resource/unaffordable-america-poverty-housing-and-eviction/; Feeding America, Food Insecurity among Overall (all ages) Population in New Jersey, 2023. https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2021/overall/new-jersey; Health Affairs, Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help, 2018. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20180817.901935/; Health Affairs, Economic Well-Being And Health: The Role Of Income Support Programs In Promoting Health And Advancing Health Equity, 2022. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00846; New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey’s Most Vulnerable Communities: A Zip Code Analysis of Social Gaps and Their Impact on Health, 2019. https://www.njha.com/media/578105/CHART-NJ-Most-Vulnerable-Communities.pdf; Center for Budget and Policy Priorites, Chart Book: Housing and Health Problems Are Intertwined. So Are Their Solutions, 2022. https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/housing-and-health-problems-are-intertwined-so-are-their-solutions

[xii] For a summary of these effects, please see: The Center for Law and Social Policy, The Enduring Effects of Childhood Poverty, 2023. https://www.clasp.org/blog/the-enduring-effects-of-childhood-poverty/

Friday Facts and Figures: October 13, 2023

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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130,000

Roughly 130,000 low-income New Jersey residents lost their Medicaid coverage over the summer after federal public health emergency protections ended and states were allowed to resume Medicaid terminations. Of note, the vast majority of terminations were for procedural reasons, meaning many of these residents likely still qualify for Medicaid but lost their coverage anyway due to issues with the application. “You have to remember that many of these families enrolled in Medicaid for the first time during the pandemic, so they have never navigated this renewal process before,” said NJPP’s Brittany Holom-Trundy. If you or someone you know needs help enrolling in NJ FamilyCare, New Jersey Citizen Action offers free health care enrollment assistance. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

Never

Commuters rallied in Newark this week to urge Governor Murphy and state lawmakers to fully fund NJ Transit instead of cutting service and increasing fares. Riders shared their experiences on NJ Transit, highlighting how chronic underfunding has resulted in unreliable service: “My daughter has had her pay docked, she’s lost hours at work because the bus is late and she gets to work late,” said Carla Cortes of Passaic County and a member of Make the Road New Jersey. NJPP’s Alex Ambrose also spoke at the rally to point out that NJ Transit, in addition to being severely underfunded, has never had a dedicated source of state funding, unlike every other comparable transit agency in the country. [NorthJersey.com / Colleen Wilson]

Double

Earlier this week, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop unveiled a new plan to double affordable housing production across the state as part of his gubernatorial campaign platform. The plan calls for removing barriers to affordable housing production, enforcing and exceeding the standards outlined in the state’s Fair Housing Act, promoting transit oriented development, a state-wide right to counsel in eviction proceedings, and more. “When you talk about affordability in New Jersey, most campaigns talk about taxes,” Mayor Fulop said. “And the reality is that the conversation around affordability is much more complicated than that – and housing is a key part of that.” [NJ Globe / Ricky Suta]

Over-the-Counter

In just a few months, New Jersey will join 30 other states in making birth control available over-the-counter without a prescription. The change is made possible by legislation signed by Governor Murphy earlier this year, and sales can begin as early as spring once new rules are finalized. Big shout out to Senator Shirley Turner (D-Mercer) for championing this issue and sponsoring this legislation five times since 2015, and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer) for sponsoring the bill in the Assembly. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFillipo]

ICYMI

Join us on Wednesday in Montclair as we discuss ways to push back on corporate power. We have a great lineup of speakers and panelists, including Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, and New Jersey Working Families Director Antoinette Miles. The event is free but space is limited, so register now to reserve a spot! [NJPP / Progress 2023]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Jasmine, a proud (and warm) member of the NJPP extended family! Jasmine lives in Arlington, Virginia with her mom, Maggie, her dad, Ryan, and her sister, Chickpea. I’m not sure Maggie knows that we’re featuring Jasmine here, but Alex shared this picture in the NJPP Slack channel and it’s too good to not share with you all. Meow!

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Friday Facts and Figures: October 6, 2023

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

1,700

The nurses strike at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital heads into day 65 as contract negotiations ended on Friday without a deal. The 1,700 nurses are seeking safe staffing ratios that would require at least one nurse for every five patients. Over the last year alone, nurses at the hospital filed 400 complaints for understaffed and unsafe shifts. “We still want safe staffing, and that’s exactly what we’re on strike for. We want a contract today. We want to settle this and be done. We want to take good care of our patients,” said Renee Bacany, United Steelworkers Local 4-200’s chief shop steward. “But we need to do that with safe staffing.” [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

$20

Speaking of strikes … After years of advocacy and organizing — including 450 strikes in the last two years alone — fast food workers in California will see their minimum wage rise to $20 an hour next year thanks to new legislation signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. The law also creates a Fast Food Council that has the power to increase the minimum wage for the industry every year through 2029 so it keeps up with inflation. [AP News / Adam Beam]

13

Now for some exciting health care news: New Jersey’s Department of Health has approved thirteen new harm reduction centers, effectively doubling the number of sites in the state. Until this year, only seven harm reduction centers operated in the state; now, thanks to harm reduction expansion legislation signed into law in 2022, harm reduction centers operate in 12 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. “These approvals represent the continued progress our state is making in reducing the harmful effects of drugs on the lives of countless New Jerseyans,” said Governor Phil Murphy. [Office of the Governor]

Refused

On Tuesday, the Atlantic County commissioners refused to discuss or vote on a resolution urging lawmakers to rescind New Jersey’s sanctuary state. The resolution, which died after no one on the board seconded a motion to consider it, drew widespread and immediate pushback from immigrants’ rights advocates and residents across the county who packed the chamber to testify against it. “Stop playing games with our community; enough is enough,” said Cristian Moreno-Rodriguez, executive director of El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City. “I hate that you wasted our afternoon for an anti-immigrant and xenophobic resolution.” [The Press of Atlantic City / Michelle Brunetti Post]

ICYMI

Earlier this week we announced our keynote speaker for Progress 2023: Analilia Mejia, Co-Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy! Analilia is seriously one of the best organizers and policy advocates out there, and we’re thrilled to have her join us on October 18 at Montclair State University. Register now for this free event by clicking the link, and keep an eye out for more updates on our panel of speakers in the coming week. [NJPP / Progress 2023]

TikToks of NJPP

This past week was both Week of Respect and Banned Book Week — which was fitting given that many of the books at risk of being banned are ones that highlight the experiences of people across different races, genders, and sexualities. Watch the video to learn more, and let our friends at the ACLU of New Jersey know if you’re seeing book bans happening in your community. [NJPP]

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Friday Facts and Figures: September 29, 2023

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
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$1 Billion

With NJ Transit facing an unprecedented budget crisis, former Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg joined NJPP earlier this week to urge lawmakers to fully fund the transit agency by extending a modest tax on the most profitable corporations in the world. Without this new funding, NJ Transit will have to close a $1 billion deficit through drastic service cuts and fare hikes that would hurt commuters and the broader economy. So, how did we get here? NJ Transit has been underfunded for decades, is the only agency of its kind in the country without dedicated state funding, and relies on fare box revenues much more than comparable transit systems, according to a new NJPP report released Wednesday. “All those corporations paying the [corporate surcharge] have managed to thrive and do very well in New Jersey,” said Senator Weinberg. “We can extend the [corporate surcharge] without harming anyone and help riders.” [NJ.com / Larry Higgs and NorthJersey.com / Colleen Wilson]

7

Now for some good transit news: NJ Transit will take over several private bus routes in Essex and Hudson Counties that were slated to discontinue in just a few weeks. The agency is adding six new lines and extending a seventh line to replace routes discontinued by O.N.E. and A&C. This is a big win for commuters who would have been stranded without these bus lines; it also highlights the urgent need for lawmakers to fully fund NJ Transit, or else riders across the state will similarly risk losing their bus and train service to budget cuts. [Gothamist / Michelle Bocanegra and Catalina Gonella]

25,000

Temperatures in New Jersey are expected to rise by more than 5 degrees by 2050, yet the state does not have any heat safety standards for workers — including the roughly 25,000 farmworkers who put the Garden in Garden State. This year is expected to be the hottest on record, and environmental experts expect heat-related deaths to double over the next three decades and temperatures continue to rise. This underscores the urgency of worker protections like paid heat breaks and access to shade during excessively hot days, especially for a workforce excluded from basic labor protections, including the right to form a union. [NJ Spotlight News / Michael Sol Warren and Karen Yi]

$15.13

New Jersey’s minimum wage will rise to $15.13 next year — but this much-anticipated milestone is a mixed bag, as NJPP’s Peter Chen explained to ROI-NJ. “This minimum wage increase is the well-deserved and historic culmination of decades of organizing and tireless efforts by low-wage workers, labor unions and advocacy groups throughout New Jersey,” Peter said. But recent spikes in inflation, as well as carve outs in the law, have wiped out potential gains for workers as the minimum wage is still out of sync with the state’s cost of living. “In 2019 dollars, a $15 wage today is only worth $12.30,” Peter added. [ROI-NJ]

ICYMI

Some news from last week (and proof that Twitter is real life): The Murphy administration stopped a Gloucester County school district from penalizing students with school lunch debt. After the new school policy was first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, NJPP’s Peter Chen pointed out on Twitter that this was a clear violation of New Jersey’s Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights, and the state stepped in shortly after. More on this below. [NJ Spotlight News / Hannah Gross]

TikToks of NJPP

In a new TikTok, NJPP’s Erica Boland breaks down what happened with school lunches in Deptford, the backlash on social media, and why children should not be punished or shamed for something out of their control. [NJPP]

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Friday Facts and Figures: September 15, 2023

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

12.4 Percent

The Census released new data this week and … it’s not great. The big finding: Child poverty in the United States more than doubled over the last year, from 5 percent to 12.4 percent. How did this happen? As federal pandemic assistance programs expired, most notably the expanded Child Tax Credit, millions of families no longer had the resources to afford their most basic needs. This is proof that child poverty is a policy choice, and we have solutions proven to work. All we’re lacking is the political will. “It’s clear from the federal data that if you give families money, they can reduce child poverty,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen in a televised interview with NJ Spotlight News. [NJ Spotlight News / Brianna Vannozzi]

$96,346

Also in the Census data: New Jersey households have the highest median income of any state in the country at $96,346 — roughly $21,000 higher than the national average. This *should* dispel unsubstantiated claims that high-income families are fleeing the state, but we know it probably won’t since we’re talking about real data here and not just vibes and surveys from random moving companies. [NJ.com / Katie Kausch]

70 Percent

Women and people of color are vastly underrepresented in New Jersey government, according to new data released by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Men account for more than 70 percent of all officeholders — with white men alone holding 56 percent of positions at the congressional, state, and county levels. The disparities are far worse at the local level, where in municipalities with more than 30,000 residents, a whopping 87 percent of mayors are men, and 67 percent are white men. Just spitballing here, but maybe our system of having political party chairs (who are mostly white men) pick candidates instead of voters isn’t the best way to find the most representative candidates for office. [NJ Globe / David Wildstein]

Outdated

New Jersey’s school funding levels are based on outdated learning goals and have not kept up with new, more rigorous standards for students, according to an NJPP report released this week. The state’s school funding formula was enacted in 2009, but standards have changed since — and the formula hasn’t. The report finds that in order for all students to have the resources they need to meet higher learning standards, New Jersey’s school funding formula will need small but significant tweaks so students, especially in high-poverty districts, have a fair shot at success. “This is a new generation of kids facing new and different challenges,” said report co-author Bruce D. Baker. “The school funding formula needs to adapt to these changes.” [NJ.com / Tina Kelley]

ICYMI

Police in New Jersey have fatally shot at least nine people this year — including the tragic shooting of Andrew Washington in Jersey City last month while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Still, calls for police reform, non-police mental health responses, and community led violence intervention programs have stalled in Trenton. [NJ Spotlight News / Colleen O’Dea]

TikToks of NJPP

A few years ago, New Jersey had roughly 90,000 uninsured children without health insurance — but not anymore! Senior Policy Analyst Brittany Holom-Trundy breaks down the success of the Cover All Kids program and how it’s bringing New Jersey closer to having every child insured. [NJPP]

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All Students Benefit From a Strong and Inclusive Equity Code

Posted on by Nicole Rodriguez

Good Afternoon, Board Members,

I am Nicole Rodriguez, President of the New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP), a nonpartisan research institution focused on state-level policies that advance economic, social, and racial justice.

Our stated mission at NJPP is to ensure all of New Jersey’s residents enjoy lives of dignity, opportunity, and economic security.[i] This includes our state’s students; over the past several years, we have centered our education policy work on ensuring that all children in our state have equitable access to high-quality, well-resourced schools and a broad, rich, and rigorous curriculum.

It is because we are concerned for all of New Jersey’s students that we come here today to support the Department of Education’s proposed amendments to what is commonly known as the “Equity Code.”[ii]

The proposed amendments define equity as “… all students have the opportunity to master the goals of the curriculum in an educational environment that is fair, just, and impartial to all individuals.”

This is a critical time for New Jersey to focus on educational equity. The pandemic and the return to in-person schooling have increased stress on our students. As we reported in 2022, nearly three-quarters of public schools in the Northeast reported an increase in students seeking mental health services since the start of the pandemic.[iii] Getting all students the support they need in school must be a top priority.

Even before the pandemic, a group of students remained especially vulnerable: transgender students. These students require more than mental health supports; they need teachers who are trained in supporting them; school communities that are welcoming, inclusive, and safe; a curriculum, particularly in sexual health, that addresses their needs; and opportunities to learn and grow similar to those we aspire to provide to all of New Jersey’s students.

The challenges and hostilities faced by all LGBTQIA+ students have been well documented.[iv] We should remember, however, that transgender students face specific risks. A recent survey found nearly three-fourths of transgender students felt unsafe at school based on their gender.[v] Another survey conducted in 20 states, including New Jersey, found that 64 percent of middle school students and 67 percent of high school students “…felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more that they stopped doing some of their usual activities.”[vi] A review of the research shows “…upward of 40 percent of all trans individuals consider or attempt suicide during adolescence or young adulthood.”[vii]

These disturbing facts should be a wake-up call for all policymakers in the state. Unfortunately, it appears that policies designed to bolster the rights of transgender children have, instead, been used to stoke unjustified fears of an attack on parental rights, furthering transphobia and bias against LGBTQIA+ students.

There is nothing in the proposed amendments that would abrogate the rights of parents; to the contrary, a strong Equity Code focused on fairness and justice for all students —including transgender students—supports the right of all parents, as guaranteed by the New Jersey Constitution, to give our children access to a thorough and efficient system of public schools.

Both federal and state law support the proposed amendments to the Equity Code. New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD) clearly states schools cannot discriminate against transgender students based on their gender or gender expression.[viii] Title IX guidance from the United States Education Department states there cannot be discrimination against transgender students when classes are separated by sex.[ix] The proposed amendments, therefore, do little more than codify what is already in state and federal law.

In sum, the proposed amendments to the Equity Code will help guide policymakers in making New Jersey’s schools more just and fairer. Of course, these amendments are only a first step: action must follow. We believe it is important to follow the recommendations of the New Jersey Task Force on Transgender Equality,[x] particularly regarding the collection and publication of data on transgender and other LGBTQIA+ students, to ensure that districts are taking the steps necessary to implement the amended Equity Code in their schools.

We applaud the Department of Education’s commitment to equity and look forward to seeing the amended code implemented in our schools. Thank you.

End Notes

[i] New Jersey Policy Perspective; Our Work and Impact https://www.njpp.org/about/our-work-impact/

[ii] Proposed Readoption with Amendments at N.J.A.C. 6A:7, Managing for Equality and Equity in Education.

https://www.nj.gov/education/sboe/meetings/agenda/2023/August/public/5e1_Chapter_7_Managing_for_Equality_and_Equity_in_Education.pdf

[iii] Weber, M. (2022). New Jersey’s Black Students Suffer a Decline in Access to School Mental Health Staff. New Jersey Policy Perspective. https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/new-jerseys-black-students-suffer-a-decline-in-access-to-school-mental-health-staff/#_edn2

[iv] Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., & Menard, L. (2022). The 2021 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN. https://www.glsen.org/research/2021-national-school-climate-survey

[v] Ibid., p. 85.

[vi] Youth Truth (2022) Insights From the Student Experience, Part I: Emotional and Mental Health. https://youthtruthsurvey.org/emh/

[vii] Ashley Austin, Shelley L. Craig, Sandra D’Souza, and Lauren B. McInroy (2020) Suicidality Among Transgender Youth: Elucidating the Role of Interpersonal Risk Factors, Journal of Interpersonal Violence 2020 37:5-6, NP2696-NP2718.

[viii] New Jersey Law Against Discrimination N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. https://www.nj.gov/oag/dcr/downloads/NJ-Law-Against-Discrimination-Most-Updated.pdf

[ix] United State Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights: Questions and Answers on Title IX and Single-Sex Elementary and Secondary Classes and Extracurricular Activities (p. 25).

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/faqs-title-ix-single-sex-201412.pdf

[x] New Jersey Transgender Equality Task Force. (2019) Report and Recommendations

Addressing Discrimination Against Transgender New Jerseyans. https://www.gardenstateequality.org/our-work/resources/

Friday Facts and Figures: August 18

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

10,267

The number of New Jersey residents who are homeless has surpassed 10,000 for the first time since 2015, according to a new report by Monarch Housing Associates. The study cites a lack of affordable housing, rent increases, and an end to the moratorium on evictions during the pandemic as the main drivers of the rise in homelessness. These numbers not only underscore the severity of the housing crisis but the stark racial disparities in wealth and income: While Black residents represent a mere 12 percent of New Jersey’s total population, they account for 47 percent of those identified as homeless. To be clear, this degree of homelessness is a policy choice, and lawmakers could be doing much more to solve it. [NJ Spotlight News / Genesis Obando]

86,000

More than 86,000 previously uninsured children now have high-quality health insurance thanks to New Jersey’s Cover All Kids initiative, including more than 24,000 children who are undocumented or whose residency status is in flux. Signed into law in 2021, Cover All Kids removed barriers to health insurance so no child is uninsured. The law expanded eligibility for NJ FamilyCare (the state’s Medicaid program), improved the enrollment process, and expanded outreach efforts to eligible families. “It’s really profound and hard to understate how big of a change this is,” said Dr. Douglas Bishop of Zufall Health. [NJ Spotlight News / Lilo Stainton]

6

Now for some not so great health news: Earlier this week, Governor Murphy signed legislation that doubles the time hospitals can involuntarily commit patients experiencing a mental health crisis, from three days to six. The bill quickly advanced through the Legislature during the final weeks of budget season despite opposition from mental health professionals and advocates for civil and disability rights. “For us, it’s always essential that policy is evidence-based, but I think that’s especially true when people’s personal freedom is at risk,” said Ami Kachalia of the ACLU of New Jersey, noting the lack of evidence to support this change. [NJ Monitor / Dana DiFilippo]

Free

Big shoutout to Massachusetts, where the latest state budget will make school lunch free for all K-12 students! How’d they do it? With revenue from their new millionaires’ tax, which will raise $1 billion annually. But wait, there’s more. Revenue from the new tax will also make community college free for students 25 and older, increase the number of child care slots for low-income families, help expand pre-K across the state, and fund improvements to transit infrastructure. Let’s hope New Jersey lawmakers see this and rethink the $1 billion tax cut they want to give to big corporations like Amazon at the end of the calendar year. [NPR / Ayana Archie]

ICYMI

New Jersey’s community solar pilot program is now permanent, following a unanimous vote by the state’s Board of Public Utilities earlier this week. The program funds large solar projects on rooftops and other areas, and then makes that clean energy available to low- and moderate-income households (including renters) who would not be able to install solar panels on their own. More on this below. [NJ Spotlight News / Tom Johnson]

Pets of NJPP

Speaking of community solar — NJPP’s latest TikTok features Alex Ambrose touring a new community solar project in Piscataway. Check it out! [NJPP]

Check out our latest videos and follow us on TikTok.

Have a fact or figure for us? Tweet it to @NJPolicy. 

Friday Facts and Figures: August 11, 2023

Posted on by Louis DiPaolo

Friday Facts and Figures is a weekly newsletter with data points, analysis, and commentary on the biggest policy debates in New Jersey and beyond.
Sign up here.

66 Percent

Turns out increasing state funding for NJ Transit is not only good public policy but incredibly popular with residents across the state. According to a new poll by Rutgers-Eagleton, two out of three residents (66 percent) want lawmakers to increase state aid to NJ Transit, and nearly four out of five residents (78 percent) oppose service cuts. Without more state aid, NJ Transit faces a nearly $1 billion shortfall in two years. As of now, state lawmakers have no plans to increase funding for the transit agency, and Murphy administration officials have stated they will explore service cuts and fare hikes before considering more state aid. Keep in mind, NJ Transit is the largest transit agency of its kind in the country without a dedicated source of funding. [NJ.com / Larry Higgs]

3

There are three major red flags in the latest state budget that threaten New Jersey’s finances and the future of critical public services (including NJ Transit). A new report by the NJPP team finds that: the current budget spends $1.5 billion more than the state is collecting in tax revenue, new tax cuts and credits will erode revenue collections in future years, and major programs and services face looming shortfalls with federal pandemic aid about to expire. “This is unsustainable and will lead to serious shortfalls and hard decisions in the years to come,” said NJPP’s Peter Chen. [Patch / Eric Kiefer]

Misinformation

When it comes to clean energy policy, fossil fuel funded groups and right wing politicians are polluting the facts with misinformation, so let’s get it straight: No, no one is coming to take your gas stove. What’s really happening? The state wants to give residents financial incentives (read: money) to replace their gas stove with an electric one. That’s it. “There has been a lot of misinformation and, yes, fearmongering out there, and I want to put an end to it once and for all,” said Joseph Fiordaliso, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. [Gothamist / Nancy Solomon]

10

We just wrote last week about how sales tax holidays are costly gimmicks that don’t help families that need it the most. But for the second year in a row, New Jersey is offering a 10-day tax holiday on school supplies, resulting in an estimated $32.7 million revenue loss for the state — funds that could be used to provide meaningful and targeted relief to households with the lowest incomes. While the sales tax holiday may sound like it’ll help working families keep up with rising costs, it disproportionately benefits wealthier households with better flexibility to shift purchases. [NJ Spotlight News / John Reitmeyer]

ICYMI

There are a lot of friendly faces on this year’s Insider 100: Policymakers Power List — including NJPP President Nicole Rodriguez and NJPP Board Chair Marcia Marley! Big shout out to all of the advocates and policy experts recognized here. [Insider NJ]

Pets of NJPP

Meet Loki, Karlito Almeda’s adorable Siamese cat! Loki acts more like a dog than a cat, according to Karlito. Case in point: He hates seafood and would much prefer some chicken or steak. Meow … or is it woof?

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