Morris County Chamber of Commerce
  • JOIN
    • Become a Member
    • Premier Membership
    • Membership Inquiry
    • The Value of Membership >
      • Grow Your Business
      • Build Your Brand
      • Professional Development & Education
      • Government Advocacy
      • Community Outreach & Volunteering
    • New Member Survey
  • About
    • Chamber Team
    • Our Mission
    • Our President
    • Board of Directors
    • Morris Business Cabinet
    • President's Circle
    • Ambassadors Council
    • What Members Are Saying >
      • Share a Testimonial
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Forums & Committees >
      • Business Development Forum
      • Business Strategy Exchange
      • Health & Wellness Forum
      • Human Resources Committee
      • Not For Profit Roundtable >
        • Nonprofit Donations
      • Real Estate Forum
      • Sustainability Forum
      • Tech Trends
      • Women in Business Program
      • Young Professionals Forum
      • Monthly Agenda Submission Form
    • Code of Conduct & COVID Policy
  • Membership
    • Member Benefits
    • Member to Member Deals
    • Member Exchange Online Community
    • Member Marketing Opportunities
    • Grand Opening Support
    • Conference Room Usage
    • Member Referral Bonus
    • Connect to Morris Job Bank
  • Events
    • Chamber Event Calendar
    • Member Events Calendar
    • Signature Events & Programs
    • NFP Nominations 2023
    • Not For Profit Conference Scholarship App
    • Golf Committee Volunteers
    • Golf Donations 2023
    • Submit an Event Idea
  • Directory
    • Searchable Business Directory
    • Member Spotlights
    • Nonprofit Organizations >
      • Not for Profit Spotlight
    • Legal Resources >
      • Employment Law
      • Commercial Services
      • Business Representation
      • General Legal
    • Enhance Your Directory Listing
  • News & Info
    • Certificate of Origin
    • Business Resources
    • Chamber Magazines
    • News Around the Chamber >
      • Around the Chamber Archive
      • Submit a Press Release
      • Submit a Neighbors Helping Neighbors Story
    • MCCC Blog >
      • Contribute to Our Blog
    • MCTV Let's Talk
    • Actionable Advice Video Library
  • Programs
    • Economic Development Corp
    • EDC Business Counseling
    • Public Policy Series
    • Leadership Morris >
      • Leadership Morris FAQs
      • Leadership Morris Application
      • Leadership Morris Program
      • Leadership Morris Alumni Council
      • Renew LMAA Membership
    • Women In Business >
      • Women in Business Mastermind
      • Women in Business Executive Round Table
      • Women in Golf Program
    • Entrepreneur Round Table
    • Intern Morris >
      • Available Internships
      • Hiring An Intern?
      • Hire an MCVSD Intern
    • Thrive Morris
  • Member Portal

MCCC Blog

Click Here to submit an article for our blog. 
Note: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

SWEENEY, KEAN BRINGCIVILITY TO MORRIS COUNTY

8/1/2019

 
Picture
In the antithesis of today’s hyper-partisan political acrimony of Washington, New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. (R-21) sat down together for an amicable discussion of the issues at the 2019 Legislative Luncheon hosted by the Morris County Chamber of Commerce at the Park Savoy in Florham Park. Sweeney and Kean clearly like each other and agreed as often as not during the hour-long discussion moderated by Alan Zakin of Alan Zakin Associates and chairman of the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. Both agreed New Jersey is in fiscal trouble and cited various solutions. “We need to rescue the state from (its) financial crisis,” Sweeney said, citing unsustainable public pension and health care obligations and over-taxation of businesses. “The state has problems and if we don’t solve them quickly we’ll lose our edge…To achieve anything important, we have to work together.” Kean agreed. “People are risking a lot to stay in New Jersey,” he said. “People are working a lot of hours, sometimes working two jobs…Families are being torn apart because kids can’t afford to stay in New Jersey.” The question-and-answer format allowed members of the audience to delve into areas of concern to them. Sweeney and Kean were asked how to ease property ​taxes in New Jersey and about shared services. Both agreed the 2 percent cap was a good start and had achieved real progress.

Kean called for a restructuring of the school funding formula to create tax stability but stopped short of embracing shared services as a solution, noting regional education does not always work because people want more say in their kids’ education. Sweeney disagreed. “I think county government plays a key role in facilitating shared services,” he said, noting that small school districts pay 17 percent more for education than larger districts. The problem, he added, is resistance. “You don’t want a shared police department. You don’t want a regional school district…It’s called home rule and people like it.” However, by fixing the state’s pension plan, New Jersey could save $3 billion per year, $2 billion at the local level, and all those savings could go toward property tax relief, Sweeney added. Sweeney and Kean were asked about increased funding for New Jersey Transit and both agreed it was necessary. “We need to make it possible for people to get to work,” Kean said. Sweeney called for improved communication to commuters and better contingency plans to help them modify their plans. When asked about legalized marijuana and the impact on employers, neither senator seemed enthused with the plan even though it would bring additional revenues. Kean claimed other states with legalized 
marijuana showed increased cost demands on the health care and education systems and no drop in black market sales and said reducing the cost of government was better than raising revenue this way. Sweeney said employers’ rights, for example on testing, would always prevail, although legalized medical marijuana adds other issues. He also pointed to a 29 percent drop in opioid use in Colorado as a favorable outcome of legalized marijuana.

He predicted it would eventually take place in New Jersey and wanted it done statutorily to maintain control over the process. The senators parted ways on the issue of the state’s minimum wage increase and its impact on businesses. “We had some concerns and we’re going to watch it to make sure we don’t lose too many jobs,” Sweeney said, citing exemptions, a circuit breaker in the case of a recession and a rolled out approach. Kean countered the exemptions were simply delayed and that the Murphy administration had failed to consider the impact of the increase on the cost of operating state government. When asked about rising health care costs for employers, Kean said no issue had generated more calls to his office than this one and called for tort reform and continued coverage for pre-existing conditions. Sweeney lamented the approach of President Trump and the Republicans in Washington of simply attacking the Affordable Care Act rather than looking for solutions. “Rather than trying to fix what was wrong, they tried to destroy it,” he said. “And they made things worse.”

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019

    Categories

    All
    Around The Chamber
    Business Advice
    Business Development
    Business Edge Magazine
    Chamber News
    Coaching
    Entrepreneurs
    Events
    Finance
    Government Affairs
    Health & Wellness
    IT
    Leadership Morris
    Legal
    Manufacturing
    Marketing
    Message From The President
    Nonprofit
    Real Estate
    Sales Strategy
    Seniors
    Strategic Planning
    Women In Business

    RSS Feed

    Please Note: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.
Picture
JOIN Us   |   CONTACT Us  |  LEARN About Membership  |  REGISTER for Events  |  FIND a Member Business  |  READ our Magazines  |  LEAD Morris |  FAQ

Picture
325 Columbia Turnpike, ​​Suite 101
Florham Park, NJ 07932 

​973.539.3882 | CONTACT US | ​MAP
If you plan to stop by, it's best to make an appointment to ensure that someone will be available for you.
The Power of Connection!  Your membership connects you to valuable resources, opportunities for business growth and rewarding relationships with members across the region, in-person and virtually. And you don't need to be based in Morris County to join!  Your membership investment provides a stable foundation that enables us to serve the people who power Morris County's businesses and community.
STAY CONNECTED: ​SIGN UP FOR UPDATES!
Socialize with Us!
Site Map

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Picture
TOURISM BUREAU
Picture
PROUD MEMBER OF
Picture
PROUD MEMBER OF
Picture
PROUD MEMBER OF
Picture
PROUD MEMBER OF
Picture
PROUD MEMBER OF
Picture

©2023 Morris County Chamber of Commerce  |  A 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization
  • JOIN
    • Become a Member
    • Premier Membership
    • Membership Inquiry
    • The Value of Membership >
      • Grow Your Business
      • Build Your Brand
      • Professional Development & Education
      • Government Advocacy
      • Community Outreach & Volunteering
    • New Member Survey
  • About
    • Chamber Team
    • Our Mission
    • Our President
    • Board of Directors
    • Morris Business Cabinet
    • President's Circle
    • Ambassadors Council
    • What Members Are Saying >
      • Share a Testimonial
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Forums & Committees >
      • Business Development Forum
      • Business Strategy Exchange
      • Health & Wellness Forum
      • Human Resources Committee
      • Not For Profit Roundtable >
        • Nonprofit Donations
      • Real Estate Forum
      • Sustainability Forum
      • Tech Trends
      • Women in Business Program
      • Young Professionals Forum
      • Monthly Agenda Submission Form
    • Code of Conduct & COVID Policy
  • Membership
    • Member Benefits
    • Member to Member Deals
    • Member Exchange Online Community
    • Member Marketing Opportunities
    • Grand Opening Support
    • Conference Room Usage
    • Member Referral Bonus
    • Connect to Morris Job Bank
  • Events
    • Chamber Event Calendar
    • Member Events Calendar
    • Signature Events & Programs
    • NFP Nominations 2023
    • Not For Profit Conference Scholarship App
    • Golf Committee Volunteers
    • Golf Donations 2023
    • Submit an Event Idea
  • Directory
    • Searchable Business Directory
    • Member Spotlights
    • Nonprofit Organizations >
      • Not for Profit Spotlight
    • Legal Resources >
      • Employment Law
      • Commercial Services
      • Business Representation
      • General Legal
    • Enhance Your Directory Listing
  • News & Info
    • Certificate of Origin
    • Business Resources
    • Chamber Magazines
    • News Around the Chamber >
      • Around the Chamber Archive
      • Submit a Press Release
      • Submit a Neighbors Helping Neighbors Story
    • MCCC Blog >
      • Contribute to Our Blog
    • MCTV Let's Talk
    • Actionable Advice Video Library
  • Programs
    • Economic Development Corp
    • EDC Business Counseling
    • Public Policy Series
    • Leadership Morris >
      • Leadership Morris FAQs
      • Leadership Morris Application
      • Leadership Morris Program
      • Leadership Morris Alumni Council
      • Renew LMAA Membership
    • Women In Business >
      • Women in Business Mastermind
      • Women in Business Executive Round Table
      • Women in Golf Program
    • Entrepreneur Round Table
    • Intern Morris >
      • Available Internships
      • Hiring An Intern?
      • Hire an MCVSD Intern
    • Thrive Morris
  • Member Portal