New Providence Business and Professional Association Relate Concerns to Kean, Bramnick and Munoz

Representatives of the 21st Legislative District, Senator Tom Kean, Assemblyman John Bramnick, and Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, came together to speak at Thursday night’s Legislative Forum, held at the NJ Sharing Network on Central Ave.

The Forum was hosted by the New Providence Business and Professional Association, whose mission, according to their website, is to support and give back to the New Providence community by providing funding and operating community events in order to drive local customers to businesses in the town. The representatives were introduced by NPBPA President Gary Kapner.

The effects of recent legislation on business quickly arose as a hot issue for Kean, Bramnick, and Munoz.  

“People have looked to Trenton over the course of the last couple decades, and they’ve been frustrated because they’ve seen that there haven’t been real solutions promoted,” said Kean. “And I think what you’re seeing, with the competition in Trenton now, is we are willing to tackle the big things. We’re willing to understand first and foremost that we need to create jobs and opportunities for people.”

Kean stated that conversations are taking place in Trenton that address issues like pension and arbitration reform, education, and responsible spending cuts that will create more opportunities for New Jerseyans. 

“These are the important tasks that we’re working on right now, making sure that in these very difficult economic times that we reduce the red tape, that we make sure that we focus on efficiency, and in all aspects of life that we’re focusing first and foremost on excellence, on achievement, on outcomes, and making sure that the government responds to the needs of today.”

Assemblyman John Bramnick followed Senator Kean’s speech, relating his disappointment in the price increases he has seen living as long as he has in New Jersey.

“When you grow up in a small business, and you watch, over the years, how the taxes increase, how the regulations increase, and how the competition increases, you can understand why it’s so difficult to be a small business,” Bramnick said. “Our job in Trenton is to try to lighten the load on you, so you stay here. My hats off to you who have stayed. Now hopefully, we’ll give you some hope!”

Bramnick said he’d been fighting the idea that New Jersey can increase the standard of living by continuing to tax, spend, and burden business, and offered to address the individual concerns of community members.

“We are under utilized,” he said. “Call us, hopefully we can make those calls to help you.”

Asemblywoman Munoz took the stand after Bramnick’s speech, also to defend small business.

“Things are really changing down in Trenton with our new governor, and things have to change,” Munoz said. “We know that without the viability of the small businesses in the state, [New Jersey] is in really big trouble.”

Munoz referenced an author who stated that without a vibrant private sector, the public sector cannot be sustained.

“You tax the private sector to provide services, but if you keep whittling away at the private sector to the point that you cannot no longer sustain the private sector, it will collapse,” she said. “They say if you build it, they will come. Well, if you tax them, they will leave!”  

Munoz then declared that she, Kean, and Bramnick were all on the side of small businesses, and ready to listen to the concerns of the over 50 business owners and a handful of local officials who were in attendance and prepared to voice their concerns.

Two residents were concerned with the heavy taxes imposed upon the rich in New Jersey, and stated that there should be no punishment for success.

Many more residents, while generally in favor of the idea of municipal consolidation, were concerned with the best way to go about sharing services.

Bramnick stated that although it was usually mutually beneficial to consolidate, “Municipal consolidation is not a magic wand,” and, “the last place consolidation will take place is in schools.”

Other issues raised by the community included Superintendent salary caps, and the inclusion of practical topics in public schools. 

The salary cap is a difficult issue according to Kean, who said that the forces of government mandates were pushing against the rights of the community to make their own decisions.

On the topic of education reform, he stated, “We’re making a movement towards introducing practical classes. We need to look at student progress and seek out patterns to find weaknesses. Students who are consistently failing will have the opportunity to attend private schools, charter schools, or other public schools.”

In closing, Kean made sure to note that he was committed to the issues raised by community residents.

“Giving more money doesn’t mean better employees or students,” he said. “Throwing money at a problem doesn’t always fix it.”