Democrat,

 

This week, CNBC’s 2023 America’s Top States for Business rankings ranked New Jersey as this year’s Most Improved State, climbing 23 places to No. 19 with improvements in seven of the 10 categories in the CNBC study. 


This ranking comes in light of continuous economic growth, progress, and fiscal responsibility under Governor Murphy’s administration. With our state’s economy growing by 2.6% in the last year, making it the 13th best in the country according to the Commerce Department, we can see why New Jersey is one of the best states in the nation The assessment is also based on the new state budget, signed June 30, that includes an $8.3 billion surplus, sweeping new property tax relief, and the third consecutive full payment of the state’s pension obligation, after years of underfunding that helped lead to 11 debt downgrades under Republican Gov. Chris Christie. 

One of the top priorities for Democrats across New Jersey is building a stronger and fairer economy that works for and benefits everyone. Governor Murphy and his administration have demonstrated a commitment to responsible financial management, balancing the budget, controlling spending, and exploring innovative revenue sources, which has improved confidence among businesses, investors, and residents within our state, creating an environment conducive to economic growth. By striving to build a more accessible and equitable economy that benefits everyone with policies that invest in essential services, such as healthcare, education, affordable housing, and social safety nets, NJ Dems aim to uplift those who are disadvantaged or marginalized and continue the work of creating an inclusive society where all residents have the opportunity to thrive and succeed. 

 

Additionally, this week Congress voted on amendments to the defense funding bill with Republicans, including those from New Jersey, rushing to get extremist conservative policies passed. Rep. Jeff Van Drew's vote to strike $300 million of funding for the war effort in Ukraine, despite New Jersey having the 3rd highest Ukrainian population in the country, is both shortsighted and disrespectful. Rep. Tom Kean’s vote to further restrict reproductive rights and abortion care for those in the military is a troubling attack on the autonomy and well-being of service members. These actions do not reflect the inclusive and compassionate representation that we deserve and show a complete disregard for the needs and values of our state. It is going to be critical that, come November and beyond in 2024, we stand up to these incessant attacks on our rights and vote for representatives that prioritize and defend our fundamental freedoms.

 

This week Governor Murphy hosted the National Governors Association (NGA) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, where he unveiled “Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook,”  a guide on the current state of youth mental health systems, best practices, and implementable, impactful solutions for all states.

 

“America’s youth mental health crisis is a complex issue that transcends both party and geographic lines. Over the past year, we have traveled across the country and spent countless hours meeting with those on the front lines – young people, parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders – to discuss innovative approaches, thoughtful programs, and effective models for addressing youth mental health,” said Governor Murphy. “Together, these form the basis of our Playbook that states, policymakers, and stakeholders can use to strengthen youth mental health across the country. The pages of this Playbook contain examples of successful policies and initiatives that use this all-hands approach to address youth mental health needs, and it is our hope that more states will implement similar policies to help our youth thrive.”

 

The Initiative consists of four pillars that will help states address the needs of youth in crisis today, while ensuring that systems focus on holistically supporting youth mental well-being to help future generations succeed. They are:

  1. Addressing prevention and building resilience by supporting youth with the necessary tools to respond to stressors and challenges, reducing the risk of mental health conditions, and proactively identifying and managing existing conditions to prevent crises. 
  2. Increasing awareness and reducing stigma by promoting awareness of mental health knowledge and resources, and decreasing the social, self, and structural stigma around youth mental health challenges.
  3. Ensuring access and affordability of quality treatment and care by removing the barriers to care, including unaffordable costs, lack of insurance coverage, and a depleted workforce to ensure that high-quality, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant care is accessible to youth in appropriate places, spaces, and timeframes to meet their needs 
  4. Training and supporting caregivers and educators by expanding training and supports so that those caring for and interacting with youth daily have the understanding and tools to identify mental health needs to access relevant supports.

I applaud Governor Murphy's continued commitment to addressing the mental health crisis in our country, particularly among our youth, and doing whatever he can within his power to create long lasting and meaningful change that will have a major impact on not just New Jerseyans, but people all across the country looking for help.

 

In more positive economic news, this week’s CPI report showed inflation falling for the 12th straight month to 3% - reaching its lowest level in over 2 years and further proving that Bidenomics is a winning economic plan for American workers and families.

Here’s a glimpse at how Bidenomics is building the economy from the middle out and bottom up, and bringing down costs for American families:

  • More than 13.2 million jobs have been created, replacing all the jobs lost during the pandemic and creating nearly 4 million more – keeping unemployment under 4% for the longest stretch in over 50 years.
  • More Americans are part of the labor force – the highest share of working-age Americans in the workforce in over 20 years.
  • Wages for the average American worker have risen, with lower wage workers seeing the largest gains.
  • A huge manufacturing boom has spurred more than $503 billion in private sector investments and created over 1.5 million jobs in manufacturing, construction, and research & development.
  • Energy prices are down by more than 16% from their peak after Putin invaded Ukraine.
  • The president’s agenda is lowering prices and saving Americans money on prescription drugs and groceries.

— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.

P.S. Join our Jewish Caucus on Tuesday, July 18 for a virtual general meeting with special guests: Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Senator Vin Gopal, and Assemblyman Gary Schaer!

The Jewish Caucus is also currently accepting endorsement applications for Jewish, and non-Jewish, New Jersey candidates for office. Applications are due by August 1, 2023 with endorsements to be announced on September 1, 2023 via press release and social media.

Please share the application, which you can find by clicking here, with friends and colleagues who may be interested in endorsement. 

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