The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program sponsored the state of the state of manufacturing in Trenton on Monday and 50 percent of the attendees said they had been approached to move their manufacturing businesses from New Jersey to another state.

New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-3rd District, commenced the bipartisan manufacturing caucus and gave a keynote speech as a representative of the government. “A trade is not a bad thing to do,” Sweeney said. “I support stackable credits because not everyone has to do go to college. “

Sweeney said as a state we are in trouble financially. He believes we need to change the tide in New Jersey and said we pay more money in health care than any state in the country. “We can save hundreds of millions of dollars by switching from gold to platinum,” Sweeney stated.

“It is going to take big bold things to fix this state,” Sweeney said. “I am asking our businesses leaders to help change the state. … The only things holding us back are mistakes that were made in the past.”

Sweeney cautioned that small school districts spend greater than 17 percent more than larger school districts. He advocated for consolidating 600 school districts into 300 districts “to save millions of dollars.”

Sweeney said that New Jersey is losing college graduates because they cannot afford to live in New Jersey.

Regarding marijuana, Sweeney said he smoked it once, ate pizza, and fell asleep.

More from the 2019 NJMEP State of the State of Manufacturing:

• Manufacturing connections: Reduce over-regulations, lower the cost of doing business
• NJMEP state of the state: Skilled workforce key, but high taxes hurt
• Manufacturing challenges examined: Minimum wage, attracting skilled employees
• EDA chief: New Jersey innovation economy includes investment in manufacturing
• Manufacturing apprenticeships and workforce development take center stage at NJMEP event
• Sherrill: NJMEP produces return on investment of 14.5 to 1