TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his state of the state address Tuesday, highlighting his accomplishments from the past year and sharing plans for 2023.
Murphy said his goal has always been to build a stronger and fairer state. He believes it’s on the right track as businesses are moving to New Jersey while new industries like wind energy and cannabis expand every day.
“We have done so much to make New Jersey the best state in the nation to live, to work, to raise a family, but we can be even better,” he said. “Through our burgeoning Jersey pride and our continuing hard work, we know our shared future is bright.”
Murphy said he was proud of what lawmakers have done by raising the minimum wage to $14 an hour, offering property tax relief through the ANCHOR program, as well as passing new gun laws, codifying abortion rights and improvements to the criminal justice system, among other things.
“Regardless of whether our names are followed with a D or a R, this is work to which we are all committed,” he said.
One of the things Murphy said he wants to fix this year is the tangled mess of liquor licenses and special permits for breweries and wineries, which date back to the prohibition era. That system has drawn plenty of criticism, and Murphy wants lawmakers in Trenton to work with him.
“I ask you all for your partnership in rewriting our liquor license laws to make them not just modern but fair,” he said. “This won’t be easy, folks, but it’s worth it.”
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Currently, towns can issue one new liquor license per 3,000 residents. Murphy wants to reduce the ratio and eventually phase out the limit. Bars and restaurants that have paid a hefty fee for a liquor license would get tax credits under this proposal.
“Expanding the number of available liquor licenses will not only keep our favorite local restaurants healthy, it will also keep our economy healthy,” he said.
Murphy also said the state couldn’t be more excited to host World Cup soccer matches in 2026, as it’s an opportunity to show the world what New Jersey has to offer.
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Republicans issued a rebuttal to Murphy’s address. They said during his time as governor, the state budget increased by $16 billion and New Jersey raised taxes dozens of times.
Assembly minority leader John DiMaio, who previously served as budget officer, said the state is not affordable and families continue to struggle with bills and with putting food on the table. He pointed to census data as proof, as the state had a net loss of 25,000 residents from 2021 to 2022.