On Sept. 21, Rider University hosted the New Jersey gubernatorial debate between Mikie Sherrill (D) and Jack Ciattarelli (R). The town hall-style debate, the largest in-person debate in state history, gave voters the chance to hear the candidates spar on affordability, taxes and small-business issues. While business was not the central focus, several exchanges stood out for business owners.
The debate was moderated by Laura Jones of On New Jersey, with questions from the audience as well as David Wildstein of the New Jersey Globe, Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, and Sophie Nieto-Muñoz of the New Jersey Monitor.
On affordability
Ciattarelli pointed to rising state spending as a driver of New Jersey’s affordability crisis. “We know that our state budget it took 238 years to get to $36 billion, and in eight years, it’s gone from $36 to $59 billion. And yet none of that investment is made to make life more affordable,” he said. He proposed tax-free retirement income for seniors, freezing property taxes at age 70, deductions for seniors, caps for first-time homeowners and tax-free income for recent graduates. “I will be very responsible and surgically reduce the size and cost of our state government to afford a tax cut for individuals and businesses,” he said.
Sherrill argued her opponent’s record undercuts his promises. “I’ve been laser-focused on driving down costs for New Jerseyans. Jack, on the other hand, has voted at every single level of government to raise your taxes,” she said. “That’s why I’m going to get into office and make sure I’m lowering them by sharing services and school administrative costs in municipal courts and continuing to hammer home the way in which we can support seniors … I’ll continue to lower your cost, and Jack’s going to raise them at every level.”
On sales tax
Ciattarelli rejected raising the sales tax, instead calling for reductions to income and property taxes. “Those are the most burdensome taxes we pay,” he said, pointing to Pennsylvania’s lower rates. “Public safety, public education, overdevelopment, and the worst place in the country to do business. That’s why we are where we are today.”
Sherrill pushed back sharply. “Sixty-four years, and for over half that time, he’s been raising taxes on all of us. You know, I can see why your career as a CPA was so short-lived, because your math just doesn’t add up, Jack,” she said. “I’m not going to commit to anything right now, because I’m not just going to tell you what you want to hear. … I’m going to be fiscally responsible with your money. I’m going to drive down your costs at every level, and I’m going to make sure your kids have great opportunities here in the state of New Jersey.”
On small business
Ciattarelli emphasized his family’s background in small business. “It has a soft spot in my heart, because Ciattarellis were all small business owners,” he said. He pledged to exempt the first $100,000 of income and payroll from taxes and eliminate taxes on the sale of family-owned businesses. “Watch entrepreneurship take off in New Jersey,” he said.
Sherrill highlighted regulatory reform. “I’m going to help small businesses. This is so key, and when I talk about cutting through red tape and permitting issues, a lot of this is related to small businesses,” she said. Sharing the story of a restaurant owner facing repeated permitting delays, she called for more transparency and efficiency. “That’s why I talk about having a dashboard … having a fast-track center that you can go to have help back and forth on your permit,” she said. “But a lot of this is going to be a culture change in Trenton, as we have a ‘get to yes’ culture, instead of a ‘gotcha’ culture.”
As the campaign advances, N.J. businesses are watching closely to see which candidate transforms these proposals into real policies—those that will shape taxes, costs and Jersey’s business future.
