Gov. Phil Murphy (D) lauded his eight-year tenure during his final State of the State Address, highlighting helping small businesses, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing back against President Donald Trump (R), and much more.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“Together we have built a New Jersey that is fairer and stronger than ever before,” Murphy declared. He asserted that his administration has made great progress he has made since taking office in 2018.
He went as far as to say that the “the needs of the people were being put aside” when his predecessor, Gov. Chris Christie (R), was in office.
Murphy also touted progress made in the economy, including raising the minimum wage, to applause.
“We created more good-paying jobs than have ever existed,” Murphy declared, later celebrating a millionaire’s tax approved by the legislature and signed into law – which did not lead to an exodus by wealthy residents despite claims to the contrary.
“We have more millionaires in New Jersey than ever before … We reduced our state’s prison population to its lowest in decades and brought homicides … to record lows,” the outgoing governor added one week of Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s (D) swearing in.
Murphy noted the great difficulty of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, which included 35,000 people in the state who lost their lives as a result of it.
He expressed gratitude towards first responders during this portion of his speech, which drew a to a standing ovation in the Statehouse..
Murphy also reiterated their efforts against Trump during both of his non-consecutive terms.
“I will always remember January 6, 2021. And not just because it was a day when a literal mob stormed and assaulted the citadel of our nation’s democracy. It was also a day when we lost an American hero, and one of New Jersey’s very own, United States Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick,” he explained before introducing Sicknick’s brother to applause.
He also claimed this administration “set the national standard” for ensuring that elections are fair and accessible.
“From expanding early in-person voting, to restoring voting rights to more than 80,000 people on probation or parole, to establishing automatic voter registration, we have helped a record number of eligible voters turn out to cast their ballots.”
Later, Murphy lamented the U.S. Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade with its anti-abortion Dobbs decision and what that meant here in the Garden State.
“We have firmly established New Jersey as a safe haven for reproductive
freedom. We have made contraception available to women without a prescription, even women who are not from New Jersey,” he explained.
Murphy said they increased funding for Planned Parenthood family planning services after Christie slashed it. He also lamented wars in Ukraine and the Middle East during his time in office, later exclaiming “we have seen it all.”
He also recalled working with former President Joe Biden (D) to make progress on the Portal North Bridge repairs.
“Our fundamental rights are never up for debate in New Jersey: New Jersey is your home. We have always supported you, and we always will!” Murphy declared about immigrants to applause.
He also touted progress made on minimizing medical debt.
“New Jersey is ready to compete and win in the economies of tomorrow,” the governor declared.
Murphy also pointed to progress with persuading Hollywood to build movie and TV studios in New Jersey.
“In Bayonne, we are constructing the largest movie studio in North America,” he exclaimed referring to 1888 Studios, who made a deal with Paramount for the space and held a groundbreaking last month, as HCV first reported.
“By virtually every metric, our economy is on the move,” he added.
Murphy continued they have fully funded schools and infrastructure across the state, as well as contributing to state credit upgrades, noting that the opposite occurred under Christie.
As the conclusion of his just over an hour-long speech drew near, Murphy celebrated improvements to NJ Transit, spoke highly of Sherrill, and expressed that the 2026 World Cup should give every resident a great sense of Jersey pride.
Thanks for nothing.