Office of the Governor | This Week in New Jersey: July 19, 2019

Governor Murphy Celebrates New Jersey's Unemployment Rate Falling To Lowest Level in Recorded History

Governor Phil Murphy announced that New Jersey’s unemployment rate declined to a historic low of 3.5% in June – its lowest level since state-level records began being kept 43 years ago. New Jersey’s unemployment rate also fell below the national unemployment rate of 3.7%.

The preliminary unemployment numbers for June, released Thursday by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, show total nonfarm wage and salary employment in the state increasing by 10,200 in June to reach a seasonally adjusted level of 4,204,600. Gains were realized in both the private and public sectors of the state’s economy.

“Today, New Jersey is working for more families and more families are working,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s news that New Jersey’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in recorded history shows, clearly, that our efforts to grow our economy the right way are paying real dividends. From creating good-paying jobs to making health care more affordable and accessible to expanding access to education from pre-K through an associate’s degree, we’re focused on building an economy that works for every New Jersey family. Today, we can say confidently that New Jersey is moving in the right direction.”

Governor Murphy, Attorney General Grewal Announce Lawsuit Against IRS

Acting to protect state taxpayers from the Trump Administration’s repeated efforts to unfairly target them, Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury Department.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit seeks to strike down a new IRS rule that would prevent New Jersey residents from obtaining a full federal charitable deduction whenever they contribute to local governments and other qualifying institutions and receive tax credits in return.

The states of New York and Connecticut joined the lawsuit, which Governor Murphy and Attorney General Grewal announced at the South Orange Fire Department.

“This is not a fight we asked for, but it is one we are proud to wage – on behalf of our taxpayers, and the countless others in our fellow states who are realizing now that they are financial collateral damage to the Trump administration’s rank politicization of the tax code,” said Governor Murphy. “We are committed to fighting Washington to end this unfair and unconstitutional tax on New Jersey’s taxpayers.”

Governor Murphy To Lead Economic Trip to India

Governor Phil Murphy will lead a seven-day, six-city economic mission trip to India in September. The delegation will visit six cities, including Delhi, Agra, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Gandhinagar. The focus of the mission is to strengthen economic ties with one of New Jersey’s largest trade and investment partners, cultivate international investment opportunities in the Garden State, and deepen cultural and educational ties between New Jersey and India.

“As India’s role as one of our key partners continues to expand, we want to make sure we maximize the potential of our economic relationship,” said Governor Murphy. “I am excited to make the case for New Jersey as a leading investment choice for Indian companies, creating lasting partnerships and good jobs for our residents. We are proud to be the home of one of America’s most deeply-rooted Indian American communities, and growing our economic partnership will only strengthen those ties.”

Governor Murphy Strengthens New Jersey's Gun Laws By Signing Safety Measures To Protect Residents

Governor Phil Murphy signed a package of commonsense gun safety bills that reaffirm New Jersey’s commitment to institute the strongest gun laws in the nation. The bills, which are part of Gun Safety Package 2.0, follow a series of comprehensive gun safety laws signed by Governor Murphy in 2018.

The four bills signed today will promote smart gun technology, expand the list of crimes that disqualify a person from gun ownership, strengthen anti-gun trafficking laws, and support suicide prevention efforts.

Governor Murphy also highlighted the importance of comprehensive ammunition reform and reinforced his support for a bill requiring identification to buy ammunition and registering sales with the State Police. The bill, which has already passed the Assembly, has yet to be advanced for a vote in the Senate.

“The scourge of gun violence is a pervasive problem that affects our entire nation,” said Governor Murphy. “I am proud to work with our legislators to implement some of the toughest gun laws in the country to protect our residents and make our communities safer for all. We see the results of our work by having among the lowest rates of gun-related deaths nationwide. With every step, New Jersey is proving that commonsense gun safety laws work.”

Governor Murphy, Congressman Norcross, NJDMAVA Lead New Jersey Delegation Military Base Tour

Governor Phil Murphy, Congressman Norcross, and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs led the New Jersey Congressional Delegation on a tour of military installations located in New Jersey.

“Today, the New Jersey Congressional delegation and I had an opportunity to learn how we can deepen our partnership with the military to strengthen both New Jersey and the nation,” said Governor Murphy. “Together, we will continue to ensure that our bases remain strong and are able to pursue new and enhanced missions that will bring continued federal investment into our state. I thank our servicemembers for their dedication to our country and for welcoming us today.”