Phil Murphy
Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American financier, diplomat, and politician serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States ambassador to Germa ...
became the
56th Governor of New Jersey
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...
on January 16, 2018. He won re-election in 2021, becoming the first Democrat since
Brendan Byrne
Brendan Thomas Byrne (April 1, 1924 – January 4, 2018) was an American politician, statesman, and prosecutor, serving as the 47th governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982.
A member of the Democratic Party, Byrne started his career as a privat ...
in 1977 to do so. His first term, overshadowed by the
Covid-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, has been characterized as establishing the already
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
-leaning state as one of the nation's most
progressive.
Election, transition, and inauguration
Murphy
Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland.
Origins and variants
The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
, a Democrat, was elected on November 7, 2017, in the
New Jersey gubernatorial election. His election made New Jersey the seventh state in the US where control of the legislative and executive branches fell to Democrats. His transition team comprised over 500 persons who produced 14 reports with recommendations. He was sworn in at the
Trenton War Memorial
Trenton and Mercer County War Memorial-Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Building, known as the Trenton War Memorial, is located in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. The building was built in 1930 and was added to the National Reg ...
on January 16, 2018, for a term of four years. An inaugural ball was held at
MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. Opened in 2010 to replace Giants Stadium, it serves as the home for the New York Giants an ...
in the
Meadowlands. In March 2019, the state of New Jersey has approved a recall petition effort to collect 1.5 million signatures to force Murphy to a recall election. In November 2021, Murphy was re-elected for a second term, the first Democratic Governor of New Jersey to win re-election since
Brendan Byrne
Brendan Thomas Byrne (April 1, 1924 – January 4, 2018) was an American politician, statesman, and prosecutor, serving as the 47th governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982.
A member of the Democratic Party, Byrne started his career as a privat ...
in
1977
Events January
* January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...
.
Cabinet
As of 2018, there were 24 cabinet positions within the executive branch of the
Government of New Jersey
The government of the State of New Jersey is separated into three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The powers of the State of New Jersey are vested by the Constitution of New Jersey, enacted in 1947, in a bicameral st ...
. Most cabinet nominees need to be confirmed by the
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
before assuming their respective positions.
Murphy had announced most nominations prior to his inauguration; some nominees have held their positions in prior administrations.
[ In August 2018, Murphy created the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology, naming ]Beth Simone Noveck
Beth Simone Noveck (born 1971) is New Jersey's first chief innovation officer, at Northeastern University where she directs the Burnes Center for Social Change, the Governance Lab and its MacArthur Research Network on Opening Governance. She is ...
as Chief Innovation Officer
A Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) or Chief Technology Innovation Officer (CTIO) is a person in a company who is primarily responsible for managing the process of innovation and change management in an organization, as well as being in some cases th ...
. Women make up more than 50% of the cabinet.
Environment and energy
![Governor of New Jersey meeting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Governor_of_New_Jersey_meeting.jpg)
RGGI and Paris Accord
On November 29, 2011, New Jersey withdrew from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, pronounced "Reggie") is the first mandatory market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the United States. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, ...
, effective January 1, 2012. Murphy has said he would sign legislation to re-join.
On January 29, 2018, Murphy signed an executive order reinstating New Jersey back into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, pronounced "Reggie") is the first mandatory market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the United States. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, ...
.
In February 2018 he signed legislation committing New Jersey to the Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, Climate change a ...
.
In February 2022 he announced the state would use $70 of funding from RGGI to support electrification of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Energy Master Plan
In June 2019 Murphy revealed a draft Energy Master Plan, which envisions New Jersey as being 100% reliant on sustainable energy
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as greenh ...
by 2050.
Clean energy
In February 2022 he signed an executive order setting a goal of having 100% clean electricity by 2035, moving the target 15 year earlier.
Fracking, offshore drilling, and PennEast Pipeline
Murphy is planning to make permanent a temporary ban on fracking
Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of bedrock formations by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the high-pressure injection of "frack ...
in the state that has been in place since 2010.
The Trump administration has proposed opening almost all federal waters to offshore drilling
Offshore drilling is a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled below the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently extract petroleum that lies in rock formations beneath the seabed. Most commonly, the te ...
, including off the coast of the Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Po ...
, and dividing them into sections and auctioning leases to oil companies. The Murphy administration has joined 11 other East Coast states in expressing concern that the plan disregards "vital state interests, economies, and resources".
The Murphy administration opposes the condemnation state owned properties to construct the PennEast Pipeline.
Wind power
In January 2018, Murphy signed an executive order to revive subsidies for wind power in the state. In September 2018, the state began to solicit bids for projects off-shore.
In June 2019, the state awarded a contract for Ocean Wind
Ocean Wind is a proposed utility-scale offshore wind farm to be located on the Outer Continental Shelf approximately off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is being developed by Ørsted US Offshore Wind in conjunction with Public Service ...
, a windfarm 15 miles off Atlantic City.
Clean Water Rule
In February 2018, NJ joined nine other states in suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
for suspending the Clean Water Rule
The Clean Water Rule is a 2015 regulation published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to clarify water resource management in the United States under a provision of the Cl ...
New power plant
In October 2019, Murphy officially opposed construction of a new power plant in New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeastern New Jersey in the United States, a few miles to the west of N ...
in North Bergen
North Bergen is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 63,361. The township was founded in 1843. It was much diminished in territory by a ...
.
Plastics
Murphy supports strict regulation on the use of single-use plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam. A ban came into effect in 2020.
Transportation
New Jersey Transit
Following campaign promises to improve both infrastructure and the safety record of New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...
, the state-run public transportation agency, Murphy requested, in January 2018, resignation letters from approximately 20 senior staff members, and signed an executive order calling for a complete audit. Kevin S. Corbett was appointed director of the agency in January 2018.
In December 2018, Murphy signed into law new legislation which would overhaul the way NJT is managed.
In 2019, Murphy proposed using NJ Transit stations and surrounding land to develop more transit-oriented development
In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between ...
& urban transit hub commercial, residence, and recreational communities.
Gateway Project
Murphy supports the Gateway Project
The Gateway Program (originally Gateway Project) is the planned phased expansion and renovation of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line between Newark, New Jersey and New York City, New York. The right-of-way runs between Newark Penn Station ...
, which would expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, a ...
(NEC) rail line between Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
and New York Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station, also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station, is the main inter-city rail, intercity railroad station in New York City and the List of busiest railway stations in North America, busiest transportation facilit ...
.
Port Authority Bus Terminal
Murphy supports the development of solutions of problems created by the aging, overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving abo ...
.
Vehicle electrification
In February 2022 he announced that New Jersey would begin rulemaking to follow California's standard of all new car sales being electric vehicles by 2035.
Health and public safety
Opioid crisis
In February, the New Jersey Attorney General announced the newly formed Office of the New Jersey Coordinator for Addiction Response and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES) within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
The New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that focuses on protection of the lives and property of New Jersey residents and visitors. The department operates under the supervision of ...
, statewide initiative to combat the opioid crisis
The opioid epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, is the rapid increase in the overuse, misuse/abuse, and overdose deaths attributed either in part or in whole to the class of drugs opiates/opioids since the 1990s. It includes the sign ...
. The administration considering making Narcan
Naloxone, sold under the brand names Narcan (4 mg) and Kloxxado (8 mg) among others, is a medication used to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids. It is commonly used to counter decreased breathing in opioid overdose. Effects begin within ...
, used to reverse the effects of and overdose, available for free.
Reproductive services funding
In February 2018, Murphy signed his first piece of legislation, the restoration of $7.5 million annual funding for Planned Parenthood
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...
, which had been cut early in the Christie administration. In 2020 funding reached $9.5 million.
Firearm regulation
Murphy has said he would support strengthening regulation of firearms in New Jersey.[ The mandate established in the Childproof Handgun Law may be re-visited. A memorandum of agreement with other Northeast states allows New Jersey to share info on weapons in a database. As of February 2018, new laws regarding firearms were negotiated in the ]New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
. Several passed the Assembly, but have not advanced in the Senate.
In April 2018, Murphy signed an executive order for the state to issue online reports online about gun crimes including location, number of killed or injured, type of weapon, and state in which involved guns originated.
In June 2018, Murphy signed six new laws regulating gun ownership. In October federal courts upheld a rule limiting ammunition to 10-round cartridges.
In October 2018, Murphy signed into law a ban on "ghost guns" and 3-D printable guns
In April 2019, Murphy proposed increasing firearms fees, which have not been adjusted since the 1960s.
Health insurance mandate
Effective January 1, 2018, all New Jersey residents are required by law to have health insurance. The administration intends to preserve most protections provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presi ...
(so-called Obamacare), should that federal program be overturned or de-funded. In January 2020, Murphy signed legislation which align with policies of the ACA.
Emergency housing assistance
In February 2019, Murphy vetoed a law that had overwhelmingly passed in the State Legislature to provide emergency housing assistance. The bill would have covered those who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. A person or family could receive this assistance only once (in seven years) for one 12-month period, with a possible six-month extension. The bill sought to let a person or family become eligible for the housing aid again after seven years had passed.
Aid in dying
On April 13, 2019, Gov. Murphy signed a law allowing terminally ill New Jerseyans with less than six months to live to end their lives with the assistance of a doctor. It became effective August 1, 2019.
Coronavirus pandemic
The first case of the coronavirus was reported on March 5, 2020, when a 32-year-old man from Fort Lee, Bergen County, tested positive. Murphy ordered a near 'lockdown' on March 23 at 9 pm via executive order. As of April 11, 2020 he had signed 24 executive orders to deal with the pandemic. April 28 saw the highest number of deaths in the state. Murphy met with President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
on April 30, 2020, to discuss how to proceed. On May 4 he ordered that schools remain closed for the duration of the school year. In May 2020 interview Murphy said with regard to loosening restrictions in the state: “But here is the reality: Public health creates economic health. It is not the other way around. And if we transpose those steps or if we jump the gun irresponsibly, we throw — based on any amount of evidence — gasoline on the fire and it gets a lot worse. Never mind from a public health standpoint, the economic health gets a lot worse.” As of May 15, 2020, the state counted 10,000 deaths. Approval rating for Murphy rose for his handling of the crisis. On June 24, the state imposed self-quarantine restrictions on persons arriving from other U.S states where corona cases were spiking.
At the end of June 2020, Murphy reversed his decision to allow for indoor dining (part of the 2nd phase of the state's re-opening) after dramatic spikes in cases in other states and behaviour by "knuckleheads" in some restaurants. He implemented a 14-day quarantine for those visiting from 'high-risk' states. The July 7, 2020 primary election was conducted mostly by mail and was seen as an experiment for the November election. On July 8, Murphy signed an executive order mandating the use of face masks outdoors (with exceptions) where social distancing was not possible. The state has released persons held in both state and county prisons to reduce deaths by the COVID-19. In early August Murphy paused or rescinded certain aspects of the phased 'reopening' of New Jersey after cases in the state increased after a period of decline. In mid-August Murphy announced that the November 2020 election would be hybrid, with "mostly" mail-in balloting.
The Murphy Administration presided over the issuance by the New Jersey Government of $1.2 million in fines to Atilis Gym, a gym that defied Governor Murphy's Covid shutdown policies.
On June 5, 2021 Murphy signed an executive order ending the public health emergency, while retaining some executive privileges and restrictions.
Social rights
Marijuana
Cannabis in New Jersey
Cannabis in New Jersey is legal for both medical use and recreational use. An amendment to the state constitution legalizing cannabis became effective on January 1, 2021, and enabling legislation and related bills were signed into law by govern ...
is legal for possession and use in both medical and recreational cases, but recreational distribution remains illegal. Murphy promised to legalize recreational marijuana
Recreational drug use indicates the use of one or more psychoactive drugs to induce an altered state of consciousness either for pleasure or for some other casual purpose or pastime by modifying the perceptions and emotions of the user. When a ...
within the first 100 days of his administration. Despite a Democratic super majority in the New Jersey Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...
and State Senate
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...
, there has been opposition within his own party as well as some Republicans, thus casting doubt on the passage of such legislation. Some legislators have proposed broader decriminalization instead of legalization. A bill allowing for both recreational marijuana (for users over twenty-one years) and an expansion of medical marijuana was presented to the NJ Senate in June, 2018. In February 2019, it was announced that Murphy and New Legislature had agreed to tax marijuana sales by weight, rather than with a sales tax. Legalization would also allow for expungement
In the common law legal system, an expungement proceeding is a type of lawsuit in which a first time offender of a prior criminal conviction seeks that the records of that earlier process be sealed or destroyed, making the records nonexistent o ...
for previous arrests. Support for legalization by New Jersey residents is polled at above 50%.
Sixty municipalities in the state have passed resolutions to ban the sale within their respective borders. A vote on the bill to legalize was withdrawn on March 25, 2019, when it appeared there was not enough support to pass it.
The amount in the possession of the previously convicted eligible for expungement remains contentious. With the unlikelihood of legalization, further decriminalization is being considered. The issue was taken up as a referendum and was passed by voters in November 2020.
On Monday, February 22, 2021, Murphy signed three bills into law legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana. The legislation creates a regulated marijuana industry and addresses the disproportionate arrests of people of color over marijuana possession. He said: “As of this moment, New Jersey’s broken and indefensible marijuana laws, which permanently stained the records of many residents and short-circuited their futures, and which disproportionately hurt communities of color and failed the meaning of justice at every level, social or otherwise, are no more.” Numerous municipalities have restricted the sale of marijuana within them.
Employee rights
Murphy has said he would support legislation to close the gender pay gap
The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are working. Women are generally found to be paid less than men. There are two distinct numbers regarding the pay gap: non-adjusted ...
and increase the minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...
to $15 per hour. His first official action as governor was an executive order to support equal pay for women in the state government. In April 2018 he signed legislation making it illegal to pay a woman less than a man for the same job unless there is viable reason. In May 2018, Murphy signed into law legislation requiring that all employees be entitled to pay sick leave based on the previous year's number of worked hours. In January 2019 he worked with legislative leaders to reach an agreement to raise the minimum wage in 2019 to $10 per hour and to $15 per hour by 2024. Murphy signed the bill in February 2019 with the first wage hike to take effect by July 1, 2019 with the wage going up to $10 an hour. A law effective January 1, 2020 made it illegal to ask for previous salary histories.
Immigrants
Murphy has said that he would make the state more welcoming for its undocumented immigrant population. He has said he is committed to creating an Office of Immigrant Protection, to assist those facing deportation with legal assistance. The administration is seeking funds for law enforcement being withheld by the Trump administration for what it claims are sanctuary cities. New guidelines for how local police interact with ICE and immigrants became a source of contention for federal authorities. It has been challenged by some county governments.
In April 2018, Murphy signed a bill to let unauthorized immigrants who are residents of New Jersey apply for college financial aid.
On December 19, 2018 Murphy signed legislation paving the way for immigrants to receive drivers license without necessarily revealing their immigration status.
Minimum age for legal marriage
On June 22, 2018, Murphy signed a law raising the legal age for marriage in New Jersey to eighteen.
Automatic voter registration
In March 2018, Murphy signed legislation which automatically registers all those who apply for a driver's license or state ID to vote.
Third gender birth certificates
In July 2018 Murphy signed into law legislation to allow for third gender
Third gender is a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither man nor woman. It is also a social category present in societies that recognize three or more genders. The term ''third'' is usually ...
birth certificates, including the designation "X", which became effective January 2019.
Limitations on solitary confinement
In June 2019, Murphy signed a law severely restricting the use of solitary confinement in New Jersey prisons.
Statute of limitations on sexual abuse
In May 2019, Murphy signed legislation expanded the time period during which victims of sexual abuse can sue their alleged abusers and affiliated organizations.
Economy and taxation
Federal tax deductions and municipal charitable funds
The Murphy administration faces severe fiscal challenges with the reduction of allowable deductions for federal taxes. He supports the creation of municipal charitable funds in lieu of taxation. The state has adopted regulations allowing New Jersey's municipalities, counties, and school districts to accept some real estate taxes as charitable donations to help residents get around a $10,000 limit on state and local tax deductions under the 2018 federal tax overhaul. New Jersey sued the federal government when the IRS dis-allowed the regulation. A federal judge dismissed the case, saying that New Jersey and three other states had not proved that it was unconstitutional.
Millionaires tax and sales tax changes
Murphy's proposed 2018 budget included various new sources of revenue, a return to sales tax rate of 7% (3.5% on UEZ areas), including ride sharing services and home sharing services, and closing corporate tax loop-holes.
Murphy has said he would consider increasing the so-called "millionaires' tax", increasing the rate of taxation for high-income (over $1 million) households in order to increase state revenue. Murphy proposed returning the sales tax 7%, which was reduced to 6.625% in 2018.
In June 2018, Murphy signed a law extending reduced sales tax in many of New Jersey's cities. In June 2018, Murphy and the New Jersey Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...
agreed to a last-minute deal in which income over $5 million and corporate tax would be raised, while the sales tax would remain the same. In 2019, Murphy again promoted a "millionaires' tax" as part of the state budget, suggesting that legislation be put before the New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
. In September 2020, Murphy and legislators agreed increase tax on incomes over $1 million, by 2%, and give $500 tax rebate to families earning under $150,000.
EDA tax incentives and investigation
In January 2018, Governor Phil Murphy
Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American financier, diplomat, and politician serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States ambassador to Germa ...
signed an executive order to initiate an audit of the tax incentive
A tax incentive is an aspect of a government's taxation policy designed to incentivize or encourage a particular economic activity by reducing tax payments.
Tax incentives can have both positive and negative impacts on an economy. Among the posit ...
s made to businesses by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) is an independent government entity in the U.S. state of New Jersey dedicated to broadening and expanding the state's economic base.
The EDA creates public-private partnerships to provide access ...
(EDA), saying that oversight of the programs was insufficient and had not been properly regulated. The audit, released in January 2019, found the EDA may have “improperly awarded, miscalculated, overstated and overpaid” tax credits. The task force created to investigate has been challenged in a court case by some of the recipients of the incentives, including board member George Norcross
George E. Norcross III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organizer and power broker in southern New Jersey.
Norcross is executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, an insurance brokerage firm. He is c ...
. Norcross has filed lawsuit against Murphy and has asked for a restraining to halt the investigation. That was denied.
It was found that at least 12 companies had not fulfilled their incentive requirements. Former governor Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Christie, who was born in Ne ...
, under whose administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...
many deals were made, called the investigation a charade. Murphy and the state legislation disagreed on how to re-vamp the incentive program.
State-owned bank
Murphy has proposed establishing a state-owned bank, which would hold public funds normally kept in commercial banks and be used for economic stimulus. In November 2019 he signed an executive order to create it. Some members of the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
have said they will not support the initiative.
Baby bond
In August 2020, Murphy proposed creating a $1,000 "baby bond" for New Jersey's children, which would be payable with interest at the age of eighteen. It was ultimately dropped from budget proposals.
Education
Murphy has ordered a comprehensive review of the way charter schools in the state operate.
Several members of Murphy's transition team and others filed a lawsuit on May 17, 2018 to desegregate the public schools. '' Latino Action Network v. New Jersey'' is a lawsuit
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
claims that the State of New Jersey provides separate and unequal schools to minority children in violation of their constitutional rights.
Sports betting
Murphy supports the legalization of sports betting—the placing of bets on professional and college sports matches. Following a ruling from the United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
that eliminated restrictions, New Jersey created legislation to permit it, which Murphy signed into law on June 11, 2018.
Investigation into hiring practices
Role of First Lady
Tammy Murphy, the First Lady of New Jersey, is not elected and draws no state salary but is very involved in the administration.
In April 2018, Murphy was criticized for reportedly spending $13,000 of taxpayer money to create an office for his wife. Governor Murphy's spokesperson has defended the expenditures, arguing that Murphy's wife has taken a prominent enough role to warrant the office. Democratic state Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald suggested that Tammy Murphy should be given an official title to reduce confusion.
Department of Education
Murphy first faced questions about his hiring practices when he selected Marcellus Jackson as an aide in the Department of Education. Jackson had served prison time for taking bribes as a councilman in Passaic County and thus was not allowed to hold public positions. Murphy stood by Jackson, but Jackson was forced to resign.
On October 15, 2018, an independent investigation into Murphy's hiring of former Schools Development Authority Chief of Staff Al Alvarez was commissioned. The next day, the New Jersey Legislature announced it would form an investigative panel regarding Murphy's hiring decisions. In June 2019 35 employees of the Schools Development Authority were fired after it was determined that the director appointed by Murphy had hired those connected to her.
Murphy also faces questions about Al Alvarez, who was accused of sexual assault by Katie Brennan, now chief of staff at the state's housing agency. Brennan alleged that Alvarez sexually assaulted her in April 2017, after a gathering of Murphy campaign staffers at a bar in Jersey City. Alvarez had offered to drive Brennan home and asked to go inside Brennan's home to use the bathroom. Once inside, Alvarez allegedly sexually assaulted her. Brennan claims she kicked Alvarez off and locked herself in a bathroom.
Brennan claims she brought her allegations to the Murphy camp three times. The first time was when she alerted the transition team after Murphy won the election in November 2017 while working for the transition team. Brennan again brought the complaint in March 2018 to Matt Platkin, chief counsel to the governor, who referred the matter to an ethics official in the governor's office. Brennan emailed Murphy and his wife on June 1, 2018, saying she wanted to discuss a "sensitive matter." No discussion ever occurred, but Brennan said a campaign attorney told her Alvarez would no longer have a state government job. Alvarez stayed at his job for about four months after Brennan was told he would be out. A legislative report as highly critical of how Murphy's team handle the matter. Alvarez claims defamation.
New Jersey Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging the ...
Justice Peter Verniero will lead an independent investigation into a "systemic review of the hiring and vetting practices of the governor-elect’s transition office." Additionally, New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney will form a six-member, bipartisan committee to investigate the handling of sexual assault allegations against Alvarez, among other issues.
"Murphy midterm" elections
In the November 2019 election, referred to as the "Murphy midterm", the 1st Legislative District, traditionally a Republican stronghold, elected Republicans changing the composition of the New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
.
Time out-of-state
Murphy spent 95 days out of state in 2019.
See also
* Governorship of Chris Christie
Chris Christie took office as the 55th Governor of New Jersey on January 19, 2010, and began his second term on January 21, 2014, and left office on January 16, 2018.
Electoral history
Cabinet
Finances and budget 2010 New Jersey budget
...
References
External links
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*
{{Portal bar, New Jersey, Biography
Murphy
Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland.
Origins and variants
The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
2010s in New Jersey
2020s in New Jersey
2018 establishments in New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey