Senate Continues To Move In Bipartisan Manner To Create Jobs, Assist Nj Businesses

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which would create the “Grow New Jersey” program to provide tax incentives for New Jersey-based companies which maintain existing employment levels and create new jobs was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today by a unanimous vote of 12-0.

“Joblessness is reaching near-epidemic levels in the Garden State, and private investors are not making the capital investments which would help pull us out of economic crisis and put New Jersey residents back to work,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “This bill is designed to reinvigorate our economy, creating an incentive program similar to the State’s successful BEIP (Business Employment Incentive Program) and BRRAG (Business Retention and Relocation Grant) programs focused on keeping New Jersey businesses in-State and creating new jobs for our hard-hit workforce. The ‘Grow New Jersey’ program is another tool to make New Jersey more business-friendly and encourage private investors to commit to the Garden State.”

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which would create the “Grow New Jersey” program to provide tax incentives for New Jersey-based companies which maintain existing employment levels and create new jobs was approved by the Senate yesterday by a vote of 38-0.

“Unemployed New Jersey residents need job opportunities, and this bill would go a long way to invigorate our economy, encouraging businesses to create jobs and grow the economy,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. “At a time when the State is facing record-high unemployment and capital investment has come to a standstill, we need to make a calculated investment to incentivize job growth and expand our economic recovery. The ‘Grow New Jersey’ program stands to be one of our most valuable economic recovery tools, and I urge the Governor to sign this measure as soon as it reaches his desk.”

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which creates the “Grow New Jersey” program to provide tax incentives for companies which maintain existing employment levels and create new jobs in New Jersey was signed into law today by Governor Christie.

“While we’re finally starting to see a federal rebound from record high unemployment, we have to do more in New Jersey to ensure that, as we recover nationally, that New Jersey residents have opportunities to get out of joblessness and into well-paying jobs,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union, who fought to have job creation – and not just job retention – included in the bill to move New Jersey’s economic recovery forward. “The Grow New Jersey tax credit represents an innovative approach to spur economic activity and recovery, and will encourage businesses to expand in the Garden State. This is the latest tool to help reshape our State’s economic climate and expand our job market, and I look forward to seeing the Grow New Jersey tax credit program in action.”

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which would create the “Grow New Jersey” program to provide tax incentives for New Jersey-based companies which maintain existing employment levels and create new jobs was approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee today by a vote of 7-0.

“With New Jersey’s unemployment rate at over 9 percent and capital investment in the State stagnating, we have to encourage employers to put New Jerseyans back to work,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union, and the Chairman of the Senate Economic Growth Committee. “This bill would create a tax credit program, similar to the successful BEIP (Business Employment Incentive Program) and BRRAG (Business Retention and Relocation Grant) programs, in order to specifically encourage businesses to stay in New Jersey and expand our workforce. I’m confident that the ‘Grow New Jersey’ program will be another tool to help incentivize businesses to invest in the Garden State.”

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak which would create the “Grow New Jersey” program to provide tax incentives for companies which maintain existing employment levels and create new jobs in New Jersey received final approval in both the State Senate and the General Assembly today.

“With the latest unemployment figures released today, although we’ve made modest gains, we have to do more to cut into the 9.1 percent unemployment rate which is hanging over the State of New Jersey like a shroud,” said Senator Lesniak, D-Union, who fought to have job creation – and not just job retention – included in the bill to move New Jersey’s economic recovery forward. “The Grow New Jersey tax credit program represents an innovative approach to spur economic activity and encourage business owners to create the jobs that unemployed New Jerseyans need. In conjunction with other business incentive programs like NJ BEIP (Business Employment Incentive Program), the tax increment financing law, and the new Urban Transit Hub program, we’re finally creating an economic climate which encourages business growth rather than discourages it.”

TRENTON – Committed to getting the state’s economy moving again, the Senate today cleared several pieces of legislation out of committee that will spur job creation and help small businesses grow in New Jersey.

“The economy is, without question, the number one issue we must be focusing on right now,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “Today was just the beginning. We will be working over the coming weeks and months on both already existing and newly developed ideas to get our economy moving again. Many of the bills we worked on today and will be working on in the future have sponsors from both sides of the aisle. While strangely we have yet to hear anything from the governor on the state’s most pressing issue, I certainly hope he will join us in this effort.”