Policymakers and business leaders gathered Jan. 30 at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s (NJBIA) Public Policy Forum to set an early tone for the state’s next administration, with Gov. Mikie Sherrill using her keynote address to call for closer collaboration with business, streamlined government and a renewed focus on competitiveness.
Speaking just 10 days into her term, Sherrill told the business community that affordability and the ease of doing business in New Jersey would be central priorities.
“I promised the people of New Jersey that I was not going to accept the status quo,” Sherrill said. “We were going to move quickly, to drive costs down, and really to address some of the key problems I had heard from so many people across our state.”
Sherrill said affordability pressures affect both families and employers, pointing specifically to energy costs and regulatory complexity. She acknowledged long-standing complaints from businesses about overlapping requirements across state agencies.
“I always say almost 80 percent of the form you’re filling out is like the next form you have to fill out, but it’s slightly different,” she said. “We heard you.”
Sherrill said her administration is focused on improving coordination across departments so government can “work better for you,” and emphasized the importance of sustained engagement between Trenton and the business community.
“There is a sense that Trenton doesn’t like business,” she said. “What is true is maybe Trenton doesn’t always have the engagement with business that we need to make sure that we’re understanding the benefits that you bring.”
She framed business growth as a public good, tied directly to employment and opportunity.
“Getting small businesses up and running as quickly as possible is really serving the public quite well,” Sherrill said. “That’s jobs and opportunities across our state.”
Sherrill also addressed broader economic challenges, including federal funding uncertainty and threats to major infrastructure projects such as the Gateway Tunnel.
“If we are seeing threats to the Gateway Tunnel project, which could be about 100,000 jobs in our region and about $20 billion worth of further investment in economic growth, that matters,” she said.
Despite those challenges, Sherrill said New Jersey is well positioned to lead, citing its workforce, higher education institutions and innovation hubs.
“What we have here is something that most states don’t,” she said. “We have an incredibly educated workforce. We have connections across the world. We have the ability to be nimble and to chart a path forward.”
Sherrill closed by calling on business leaders to remain engaged with her administration and lawmakers, noting that early executive actions were shaped by input from the business community.
“We do our best work when we’re out across New Jersey, speaking to each and every one of you,” she said. “If we are moving forward with these executive orders and they’re not doing what we think they’re doing, how do we fix it?”
The forum opened with an award presentation recognizing Barbara DeMarco, Lynn M. Nowak, Denise Beckson, Ward Sanders, Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, Assemblyman William Spearman and Sen. Latham Tiver.
A legislative leaders panel followed, moderated by Briana Vannozzi and introduced by NJBIA Chief Economist Christopher Emigholz, with remarks from Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Sen. Vin Gopal, Sen. Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblyman Scharfenberger. The morning program also included a networking break.
The event concluded with a C-suite panel discussion moderated by William Caruso featuring panelists Robert Garrett, Liat Krawczyk, Stephen Sweeney, Bruce Van Saun and William F. Tate IV.
Michele Siekerka, president of NJBIA, described the forum as an important moment for dialogue between business and government.
“It’s critically important that the business community come together so that their voice could be heard and really listened to by our policymakers,” Siekerka said.
She characterized the outlook under the new administration as measured but hopeful.
“Right now I’d say we’re off to cautious optimism,” Siekerka said. “New administration, new energy, new momentum. But we have a lot of work to do.”
