By Matt Rooney
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The N.J. Chamber of Commerce is once again siding with the New Jersey politicians who stifle… commerce?
Welcome to New Jersey, folks.
Where belonging to Club Trenton, and everything that goes along with it, supersedes all other rational, moral and in this case self-respect considerations.
SaveJersey.com has been covering this angle for months. The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce – led by Tom “Gas Tax” Bracken – continuously sides with the state’s Democrat establishment and turns a blind eye to the Murphy Democrats’ affinity for high taxes and borrowing-fueled spending. Raising the gas tax, opposing federal tax cuts, trashing Republicans (like Tom MacArthur) who speak up in opposition to business-killing policies… it’s almost funny!
It’s sort of like a herd of cows endorsing McDonald’s.
Still can’t believe it? Well, just today, Bracken’s organization (which is tantamount to an N.J. Democrat Super PAC these days) came out swinging against Texas’s governor for pointing out the obvious in a dueling newspaper editorial exchange with Phil Murphy: that his state is more business-friendly than New Jersey.
“We know the governor is advocating for a stronger and fairer New Jersey, but equally as important, he is fighting for our state,” said Bracken in a statement. “His timely and strong response to Texas Gov. Abbott’s unwarranted solicitation of our citizens and businesses was needed and was delivered. Thank you governor for your leadership.”
Unwarranted, Tom?
Leadership?
Really???
Study after study finds New Jersey sitting at the wrong end of the rankings as one of America’s MOST hostile states to business. Unaffordability + taxes + regulations = highest-in-the-nation outward migration of taxpayers. We lost the baby food giant Gerber this week. But rather than use its voice to criticize job-killing new Murphy era proposals, like billions in proposed tax hikes, a business surcharge tax and a legally incomprehensible equal pay law, or crying foul now that the sales tax trim advocated by the Chamber in exchange for a gas tax hike appears to be on the verge of repeal, the Chamber reserves its ire and feigned righteous indignation for anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to question the status quo.
How exactly is backing more of the same demonstrative of “leadership”?
Isn’t speaking out at this critical juncture in our fiscally-troubled state’s history the most WARRANTED priority of all?
For an organization purportedly concerned with helping commerce?
Since the Chamber clearly disagrees, I say it’s time to rename the N.J. Chamber of Commerce since, again, its overlords clearly have no interest in saving New Jersey or doing anything to aid the people who make commerce happen.
Thinking “the Vichy Chamber”…?
We’ll come up with something.
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