By Regina M. Egea, Garden State InitiativeThere is broad agreement that infrastructure is the lifeblood of New Jersey’s economy. In a recent Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, 70% of residents rate the state’s roads, bridges and tunnels with the highest degree of…

Many people are aware of New Jersey’s $38 billion state budget. But when you add in municipalities, schools, counties and utilities, total government spending in New Jersey skyrockets way past that. In an interview with Jeff Kaszerman, Vice President of…

By Regina EgeaWhile we’ve been hearing a lot about the U.S. debt ceiling lately, reporters and politicians know how difficult it is to convert a looming threat into what it means to an audience as individuals; and, after all, what…

Garden State Initiative on Thursday analyzed the latest employee compensation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and found major differences in compensation costs between the public and private sectors. In particular, GSI said government costs for pensions and medical benefits far…

Gov. Phil Murphy has made much of the fact that New Jersey's average property tax increase in 2019 was the lowest in years. Problem is, simply reducing the rate of increase hasn’t been nearly enough to satisfy most overwrought taxpayers.Worse,…

GSI’s president Regina Egea speaks with Andrew Coen of The Bond Buyer Podcast on a diverse array of topics facing New Jersey including: Governor Murphy’s term in office, the debate over economic incentives, the millionaire’s tax, pension and benefit reform…

For a second time, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed a state budget without the “millionaire’s tax” he has been pitching since his 2017 election. Weary New Jerseyites can’t yet breathe a sigh of relief. But their Legislature—unlike in…