Phil Murphy in 2021 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Budget & Economy:
COVID: Grants and loans to nearly 55,000 small businesses
The pandemic has slammed small businesses across America, so, our economic focus has been squarely where it should be -- on helping our hard-hit small businesses and encouraging new ones to grow. Through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority,
nearly 55,000 small businesses -- by the way, many of them owned by women, people of color, and veterans -- have received a truly lifesaving grant or a loan, and some of our nascent startups have received guarantees for vital new capital.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Budget & Economy:
Largest investment in infrastructure in New Jersey history
We are leaving for the next generation a rail system wholly different than the one we inherited. We are making historic investments in our roads and bridges. We are reimagining our airports and seaports. We are embarking on the largest infrastructure
investment program in the history of our state. These transformative investments will reap tremendous returns for our economy, create good-paying jobs, and attract innovative companies to the state that want a world-class infrastructure system.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Crime:
Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes
We're making our justice system more transparent and fair not just for our sake, but to make New Jersey a national model for positive transformation in policing and ending racial inequities.
I also remain committed to eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug and property crimes -- these reforms are long-overdue.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Families & Children:
Make New Jersey safest place to deliver and raise babies
We haven't lost sight of the maternal and infant health crisis that threatened the lives of our mothers and babies -- especially mothers and babies of color--long before the COVID-19 pandemic.
No mother should ever endure the pain of losing her baby and no child should ever feel the deep loss of growing up without a mother. We are determined to make New Jersey the safest place in the nation to deliver and raise a baby.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Families & Children:
Committed to more robust child-care support system
We cannot afford to miss out on the contributions of half our population. Harnessing the full economic power of all of our people requires providing real affordable options for child care that work for all
families. We remain committed to easing the burden of working parents, especially moms, and creating an even more robust child-care support system.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Principles & Values:
New Jerseyans need to know government has their backs
This commitment to transparency and honesty must be a standard we set across the whole of government. Just as we can't go back to economic policies that put the wealthy and the well-connected first, we can't lean on the broken politics that puts
special interests first.I was proud to propose the first comprehensive set of ethics reforms in a decade, with bipartisan support, and I remain committed to them. New Jerseyans need to know -- not just believe -- that their government has their backs.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
On Technology:
We're closing the digital divide for schoolchildren
The digital divide was real long before COVID hit our state. In 2021, no child should be denied access to all the educational opportunities of the online world. An estimated 230,000-plus students -- almost entirely from disadvantaged households--lacked
either the laptops or internet accessibility, or both, for remote learning. So we got to work closing that digital divide, and, today, 95% of those students have the tools they need, and we're close to getting the outstanding gap to zero.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to New Jersey legislature
Jan 12, 2021
Page last updated: Feb 24, 2022