Chamber chief hopes for return to bipartisanship as federal Sandy aid arrives

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Bracken said today he is hopeful the Sandy rebuilding funds now headed to the state will help reinvigorate the bipartisan cooperation in Trenton that was interrupted by both Sandy and the presidential campaign, and help move the state forward to continue action on initiatives to help businesses.”We had a lot of good stuff going, a lot of cooperation — tax reform, education reform, pension reform,” Bracken told a meeting of the MidJersey Chamber of Commerce at the Westin, in Princeton. “We had businesses coming into the state, and a lot of positive confidence among the business community. We need to pick that ball up and push that forward again, and pick up where we left off before those two events happened.”
He said there are a lot of positive efforts in play, like the $1.8 billion in federal Sandy dollars that will help rebuild homes and businesses. “There will be an immediate boom to the New Jersey economy, with the construction of homes and businesses, and that will be a pretty good economic boost,” he said.
And he said the Legislature is close to passing a reorganization of the incentive programs administered through the Economic Development Authority, a move he supports.
“They will be broadened to make more companies eligible for incentives. And we have very low interest rates and banks wanting to lend. We have everything in place to use the Sandy kick-start to move everything forward.”
Bracken gave an update on Chambers United, a new coalition of the 141 chambers in New Jersey created last year, whose goal he said is to speak up in Trenton with a united voice on business issues.
In the past, “we have had fragmented voices: different chambers, all different organizations,” he said. “Why not try to consolidate in a loose coalition and have them come together with issues and have a seat at the table with the Legislature and the administration?”
He said Chambers United will soon be heard in Trenton, testifying before the Legislature on the state budget and on legislation that affects business.