Your Voice in Trenton
CCSNJ's work in the public policy area is second to none.
As the South Jersey business community’s voice in Trenton, CCSNJ fights for initiatives that will improve the state's business climate and stop legislation that increases the cost of doing business. Over the years, we have built a solid, credible relationship with our legislators and the Governor and his Cabinet. We put our clout to work for you, representing your concerns in Trenton.
Legislative Updates
Get the latest news and updates on Legislative activity and critical issues impacting business in South Jersey
Advocacy
Read CCSNJ's position statements on critical issues we have actively lobbied on such as: labor mandates, workforce development initiatives, fair taxation policy, industry-specific issues and more
Public Policy Committees
Get Involved in our Public Policy Committees. These meetings offer our members opportunities to meet and hear from the State's legislative officials.
Government Action Reports
220th Legislative Session
The first and second quarter of 2022 proved to be a busy one as the legislature continues to look forward from the pandemic. The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) is grateful to be back speaking with legislators in the halls of Trenton on behalf of our members.
219th Legislative Session
The following is a full summary of the CCSNJ’s work in public policy work over the last two years, including each bill weighed in on, those bills signed into law by Governor Murphy, and the state budget testimony of the two unprecedented budgets passed by the Legislature. We look forward to returning in-person to the State House during the 220th legislative session, currently underway, continuing our relationships with the returning members of the South Jersey Delegation, as well as welcoming its newly elected members.
219th Legislative Session
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, CCSNJ's priorities have shifted to helping our members navigate this crisis, but we wanted to share some of the more non-COVID-19 issues and measures that the CCSNJ has worked on throughout 2020.
218th Legislative Session
The 218th Legislative Session brought a vast amount of activity that impacts the South Jersey business community. As the South Jersey business community’s voice in Trenton, the CCSNJ worked diligently throughout this legislative session to ensure that its members were well-represented on the issues that matter most to members' bottom line and day-to-day business operations.
"The CCSNJ excels at bringing forward our political leaders for direct interaction with small business leaders."
- PETER FUREY
New Jersey Farm Bureau
Legislative Updates
Board Council Reports
The Chamber’s Board Council on Government Spending Reports are the product of the efforts and expertise of our Board level committee of industry experts. The focus was on efficiency, not on cutting or eliminating programs. Our Board Council has developed 100 recommendations, which conservatively could save State government, and therefore taxpayers, approximately $1 billion. The Chamber has worked closely with state government officials to implement the recommendations contained in these reports, share our ideas, recommendations and expertise.
Meeting the Challenge: Saving Taxpayer Dollars By Adopting Best Business Practices, Phase I
The New Jersey State government is vast, complex and responsible for a wide variety of activities. In recent years, the State government budget has been difficult to balance, and policymakers have adopted a range of financial management strategies to do so. We at the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey have been consistent in urging policymakers to look to the private sector for ideas on how to economize while still fulfilling public needs in a responsible fashion. Certainly, the public and taxpayers benefit
when government can work smarter and spend smarter.With this report, the Chamber provides some specific suggestions of private sector cost control approaches that could be implemented in the State government to cut costs. In some respects, certain State government activities have no private sector analog, but, in other cases, there are some significant commonalities. We have called attention to some of those areas of state government operations where private sector examples could be helpful in finding a better way - and a more economical way - to manage.
Meeting the Challenge: Saving Taxpayer Dollars By Adopting Best Business Practices, Phase II
This is the second annual publication of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey's Board Council on Responsible Government Spending. The Council's charge is to offer specific recommendations to policymakers on how to reduce or control New Jersey State government expenditures by using approaches that have been developed in the private sector. The Board Council is a five year commitment of the Chamber.
The ideas on the following pages have been developed through the leadership of the Chamber's Board of Directors. Drawn from experts at Chamber member companies, three subcommittees were formed to identify and discuss specific cost control ideas. The disciplines, techniques, knowledge, and insights that these private sector experts utilize every day to keep their companies competitive have been applied to specific areas of State government operations and cost centers.
Meeting the Challenge: Saving Taxpayer Dollars By Adopting Best Business Practices, Phase III
This is the third in a series of reports prepared by the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey's Board Council on Responsible Government Spending focusing on potential New Jersey state government cost reductions. The first report, issued in May 2005, identified 43 cost control opportunities in the areas of public employee health benefits, fleet management, procurement practices, property management, space utilization, and information technology compatibility. The second report, issued in June 2006, presented 34 recommendations in the areas of state government employee benefits, energy utilization, distribution logistics, and cooperative purchasing.
This series of reports is intended to recommend how private sector practices can be used to reduce and contain state government expenditures and improve operational efficiency. In the preparation of these reports, we have asked Chamber member companies to share their best practices that have made them more competitive by reducing expenses and becoming more efficient. Our intent is to provide these ideas, developed and
tested in the private sector, to New Jersey's policymakers, which in turn can assist them in a responsible resolution to our state government's far too chronic financial problems.
The New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEW JOBS) is a nonpartisan organization whose trustees promote a probusiness climate in New Jersey by endorsing and supporting legislative candidates who actively support economic growth, the creation of private-sector jobs, and the lowering of business costs.
NEW JOBS is the State’s largest and most influential ideological business political action committee. Other interest groups put their backing behind candidates who understand their specific issues. We do the same in supporting candidates for New Jersey Legislature that protect and defend business.
Your Feedback is Important to Us!
For any Government-related comments, questions or suggestions please contact:
Hilary Chebra
Manager, Government Affairs, CCSNJ