All 120 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs on November 4. Democrats hold a narrow majority in the Assembly and the state Senate is tied at 20 seats apiece. Republican Senate Co-President John Bennett, Assembly Speaker Albio Sires, and Assembly Republican Leader Paul DiGaetano all touted the issues they hope will make their party successful on Election Day. Unfortunately, one of the scheduled speakers, Democrat Senate Co-President Richard Codey, did not attend.

Speaker Sires said Assembly Democrats had done their best to advance a probusiness agenda, despite the handicap of dealing with one of the most severe fiscal crises since World War II, which has led to three consecutive budget deficits totaling $14 billion. Despite the budget deficit, the fiscal year 2004 budget will include about $2.5 billion in infrastructure funding. Sires said Assembly Democrats also championed the cause of funding for Business Employment Incentive Program payments and will restore $8 million in science and technology grants. He said Democrats also tempered any advancement of paid family leave legislation.

Sires pledged to tackle the thorny issue of healthcare mandates that contribute to the soaring cost of employer-paid health insurance. He pledged to post NJBIA-backed legislation creating a Healthcare Mandates Advisory Commission for an Assembly floor vote on June 23. Such a commission would evaluate the cost and impact of legislatively imposed healthcare mandates before they are voted on.

Assembly Republican Leader Paul DiGaetano, meanwhile, took Democrats to task for the $1.6 billion Corporation Business Tax (CBT) increase enacted last year and for what he called a "decidedly antibusiness agenda in the State House." Not only did employers get hit with a massive tax increase, he said, but Democratic leaders vilified them, implying that business owners were tax cheats and not paying their fair share.

DiGaetano pointed out that companies that are losing money and laying off workers have unfairly been forced to pay more money in taxes. "Without the employers, there is no economy," DiGaetano said. "And that is an idea that has been missing in Trenton." He pledged to work on an economic stimulus package and make government live within its means.

Senate Co-President John Bennett came out swinging. He said it was "painfully clear" that Governor McGreevey had led New Jersey in the wrong direction.

Bennett criticized the Governor for increasing spending during a fiscal crisis, and called his hike in business taxes "foolishly choosing a short-term quick fix over the long-term economic well being of our state." And Bennett said Governor McGreevey has seven new taxes on the table that will fuel what he called "another round of tax and spend budgets," while Republicans wanted to cut spending. "Tax and spend is not part of our plan," he said.

If Republicans seize control of the state Senate, Bennett pledged to allow the CBT increases to expire at the end of 2005. He also promised that no paid family leave bill would pass a Republican-controlled Senate.

"When Republicans do win control, we will hang a new sign on the State House, that by the way is printed and ready to go, simply stating 'New Jersey is open for business,'" Bennett said.

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