CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — More than $200 million in state funding is on its way to Camden to help make improvements throughout the city.
“I’m proud that the budget I signed a month ago reaches out a hand to the city of Camden,” said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday.
Murphy detailed how the 2023 state budget sends $180 million dollars to the city for projects includings pedestrian safety improvements, homeless services, and a pilot shuttle bus program to help connect residents with jobs.
“Included in this budget is $5 million for the Camden Housing Fund Initiative to further the development and construction of safe and affordable places for families to call home,” said Murphy.
He explained that in addition to that money, his office was able to direct $24 million from the now-expired fiscal 2022 budget to Camden as well.
“These are vital funds that will help the mayor and City Council to undertake upgrades to City Hall. It will allow for further investments in the [Camden County] Police Department. They will allow the city Department of Public Works to purchase new equipment.”
Related
He adds the funds will also allow the city to make road and sewer improvements, as well as clean up illegal trash dumps.
Murphy explained that the state money is part of a long road of building Camden up.
“None of what we’re doing is flipping a light switch,” he said.
“We’re digging out of some challenging times. You can’t turn that around overnight. I have nothing but sympathy with folks who say, ‘Hey listen, I’ve been here for a long time. I’ve fought and stayed. I’ve love to see more progress,’ but the fact of the matter is, it is unquestionably making progress.”
Related
Murphy said Camden has not reached its end zone for where he wants the city to go, and has parameters for what he would call success in the city’s upward climb.
“I think you want to see continued improvement in all the metrics that we count, public safety, quality of life, education, job creation,” said Murphy.
“It’s a big series of things you can look at,” he added, saying there has been “significant progress already, but we need to see more.”