the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Senator Steven Oroho said Governor Phil Murphy should start listening to the concerns and recommendations of the New Jersey business community as it attempts to drive the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve joined the business community in urging Governor Murphy to be transparent about his decision-making process to make it possible for the small businesses, Main Street shops, and industries that employ millions of New Jerseyans to lead our economic recovery,” said Oroho (R-24). “If New Jersey is to minimize the amount of harm to our working families as we head towards reopening, the governor needs to start listening to the serious concerns raised by their employers.”
According to an April 29 report from Fitch Ratings, which relied on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and reported by NBIZ, New Jersey gained back just half the jobs it lost during COVID, lagging nationally and falling behind other states in the region like Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Republican candidates across the state have been courting then small business vote. Senate candidate Jean Stanfield and Assembly candidates Mike Torrissi, Jr. and Brandon Umba launched a small business tour in Mount Holly and Lumberton aimed at visiting and listening to local business owners impacted by the Murphy-Addiego lockdown, which has resulted in one-third of all New Jersey businesses being forced to close.
Republican legislative candidates in the 16th district, Mike Pappas, Vinny Panico and Joe Lukac released a joint statement declaring that now is the time to elect small business advocates to public office:
“Assemblymen Zwicker, Freiman and Mayor Jaffer are politicians that are part of the problem. They dumped 100% of the pain of the pandemic on the shoulders of the private sector and in particular small business. Now, their tax, spend and borrow first, ask questions later mentality is compounding the problem and stymieing recovery. We need elected leaders that will advocate for small business and foster and nurture their needs in this critical time. We are running because we have the experience and commitment to make that happen.”