New Jersey’s economy needs to be opened up safely and soon, the state’s Legislative leaders said Thursday during the New Jersey State Bar Association 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting program, “What’s Next? The Changing Priorities in a Post-Pandemic Legislature.”
Carolyn V. Chang moderated a panel composed of Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, Senate Republican Leader Thomas Kean Jr. and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick.
Kean said the Legislature’s first priority is to keep people safe. “Now we’ve got to focus on the next step. We’ve got to make sure we can grow this economy in a strong and safe way,” he said.
Consistency in the type of businesses that are allowed to open will important, the legislators said.
“Our economy is best when people have disposable income and are spending money,” Coughlin said
Sweeney said he has been talking to industries, nursing homes and developmental centers about how to safely move forward. He said money is still available in relief programs to help New Jersey businesses.
Bramnick noted that the state is facing an “economic nightmare.” Government needs to become leaner than it’s ever been, and should not rely on a tax increase federal grants to close funding gaps, he said.
The Legislature needs to hold hearings to get information from experts and to debate issues in public to determine how and when businesses should open, Bramnick said.
“This is way too complicated. It’s not like anyone has the answers,” he said.