One by one, the five honored lawmakers delivered the same refrain: New Jersey must do more to support its business community.
To be fair, they were speaking to a room full of business leaders gathered at EisnerAmper in Iselin for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s biennial Legislators of the Year Awards. But their remarks carried added weight — for one simple reason: many of them are business owners themselves.
“As a business owner for over 40 years, I understand the problems every business faces in New Jersey,” said Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-Edison), citing the state’s thicket of rules, regulations, and red tape.
“This state is extremely tough on businesses.”
Sen. Vincent Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Twp.) echoed the sentiment.
“When you’re a business owner, you’re making decisions that affect employees’ lives,” he said. “It forces you to think: Are you going to bring another person on? Are you going to make health care changes?”
These are the daily dilemmas faced by the business leaders in the room. The bigger question: How does the Legislature help solve them?
Ensuring business has a seat at the table was a common refrain. The bigger ask: a table of their own.
Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Hillsborough) revived a long-standing Chamber priority: restoring the Department of Commerce.
“It’s been a long but steady push to bring a true Commerce department back into state government,” he said. “We’re getting closer and closer and closer.”
His remarks drew applause from Gil Medina, Chair of the Chamber and former Commerce Secretary under Gov. Whitman. Medina, now EVP at CBRE, knows the stakes. The department was eliminated in 2008 under Gov. Jon Corzine.
On this night, Medina underscored the power of bipartisan partnership.
“The fact that all of you joined us here shows that you value the Chamber as an agent for economic growth,” he said. “We provide a unified voice for the business community—one that amplifies the message that we need both economic progress and quality of life. We can’t have one without the other.”
State Chamber CEO Tom Bracken agreed.
“We have friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” he said. “We’re going to push hard — as we’ve done for years — to keep the focus on New Jersey’s economy.
Unless the Legislature gets behind what we’re promoting, it’s going to be a real struggle.”
It was the kind of talk the Chamber has long hoped to hear. Whether it translates into policy — or a more business-friendly stance — remains to be seen.
The Nov. 4 election will be the first test.
Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli has made restoring the Department of Commerce a central plank of his campaign.
Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill has spoken about reducing government inefficiency but remains noncommittal on reviving the department.
The Legislature — and the business community — await the outcome.
With that, a look at the honorees:
Legislator of the Year
- Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D)
- Sen. Vincent Polistina (R)
- Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D)
- Assemblyman William Spearman (D)
- Assemblyman Robert Clifton (R)
Business Advocates of the Year
- Lisa Chowansky, President, HC Constructors Inc. and First Vice Chair, N.J. Chamber Board of Directors
- Jacquelyn Suarez, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Alliance Partner of the Year
- Chris Phelan, President, Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce
