Between the Lines
NJ State Budget Annual “Extras”
Learn more about the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars within the NJ state budget awarded to local governments and nonprofit organizations without any public process or merit-based criteria.
LATEST WORK
Gov. Tom Kean Leadership Award Gala
June 5, 2026
The Governor Thomas H. Kean Leadership Award Gala, hosted by The Garden State Initiative (GSI), will be held at Battello…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Labor Market Continued to Improve in April
May 21, 2026
Unemployment rate moved down to 4.8%--its fourth straight drop. Job count rose 5,600, though numbers of sectors shed jobs, and…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey’s Labor Market Improved in March
April 30, 2026
Unemployment rate fell to 4.9%--first time under 5% since January 2025. 5,800 increase in jobs. The news on New Jersey’s…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Labor Market: February Job Loss Erases Recent Gains; Unemployment Rate Dropped Slightly
April 17, 2026
Job count fell 10,300 in February, more than offsetting December and January increases. Unemployment rate dipped to 5.1% due to…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey’s GDP and Income Ended 2025 on a (Relatively) High Note
April 9, 2026
Q4 growth in both GDP and Personal Income better than the nation’s, though gains in both lagged for 2025 as…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Labor Market: Modest Gains Following Downward Revisions
April 7, 2026
Unemployment rate edged down to 5.2% in January; job count up more than 10,000 the last two months. Estimates of…
GSI Annual Policy Forum
March 17, 2026
Join GSI & industry experts for a discussion on several of the most pressing issues facing New Jersey, including taxes,…
RELEASE: New GSI Report Finds 450% Increase in Number of Legislative Earmarks, Averaging $240 Annually per New Jersey Household
March 9, 2026
The Garden State Initiative released a new report today highlighting how Trenton’s legislative earmarks are driving up costs for New…
Garden State Initiative Report: New GSI Report Finds 450% Increase in Number of Legislative Earmarks, Averaging $240 Annually per New Jersey Household
March 9, 2026
The Garden State Initiative released a new report today highlighting how Trenton’s legislative earmarks are driving up costs for New…
Garden State Initiative Report: How to Achieve a Fairer, More Transparent School Funding Formula in New Jersey
February 24, 2026
A new report released by the Garden State Initiative, finds that while New Jersey spends more on K-12 education than…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey GDP and Income Growth Relatively Low Last Summer
January 23, 2026
Real GDP growth rate of 3.4% well under national pace of 4.4% and most neighbors. Personal income growth rate 3.0%…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Labor Market: Unemployment Rate Stayed High in December, but Job Gains Reversed Recent Losses
January 22, 2026
State’s unemployment rate unchanged at 5.4% Job increase of 5,700 brought the count to a new peak. New Jersey’s labor…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Labor Market: Unemployment Rises, Job Count Drifts Down
January 8, 2026
November’s 5.4% unemployment rate second highest in the nation. October-November 5,300 job loss eliminated about half of September’s increase. One…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey Unemployment Rate was 5.2% in September, but Job Count Rose
December 11, 2025
September unemployment rate was the highest since January 2022. Job increase of 10,900 was the best since February. Total number…
We want affordable, reliable energy. Our next governor should rethink N.J.’s plan
October 29, 2025
After electric bills rose 17 to 20% in New Jersey this summer, energy affordability emerged as the top issue in this year’s statewide election.…
Garden State Initiative Report: Independent Contractor Rules Threaten New Jersey’s Small Businesses and Jobs: Lessons from California’s Failed Approach
October 24, 2025
A new analysis from the Garden State Initiative warns that a proposed rule from the New Jersey Department of Labor…
RELEASE: GSI Warns Proposed Labor Rule Would Harm Independent Workers and Repeat California’s Mistakes
October 24, 2025
Calls for Smarter, Flexible Policies to Protect Economic Opportunity The Garden State Initiative (GSI) today cautioned that a proposed rule…
Garden State Initiative Report: Have Mount Laurel Obligations Made New Jersey Housing More Affordable?
October 8, 2025
A new study examining nearly four decades of New Jersey’s affordable housing policies finds that the state’s Mount Laurel obligations,…
New Jersey’s affordability crisis must be the top priority for our next governor
September 30, 2025
New Jersey has become unaffordable for far too many. Families and seniors are leaving, college graduates aren’t coming back, electric…
GSI Analysis: New Jersey’s GDP and Personal Income
September 26, 2025
Output and income growth trailed nation in Q2 after relatively better performance in Q1. New Jersey’s GDP grew at 2.8%…
Latest Podcast
Find us on Twitter