New Jersey governor proposes youth voting and reasonably priced housing in handle

• New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy introduced a number of new measures throughout his state of the state handle on Tuesday.
• The proposed measures embody permitting teenagers to vote at school board elections, decreasing medical debt, increasing reasonably priced housing and launching a synthetic intelligence “moonshot.”
• The annual speech marks the start of the legislative yr and precedes the governor’s price range handle.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday introduced a collection of recent measures he needs the newly expanded Democrat-led Legislature to undertake, together with permitting 16-year-olds to vote at school board elections, decreasing medical debt, increasing reasonably priced housing and launching a synthetic intelligence “moonshot.”

Murphy delivered his sixth state of the state handle earlier than a joint legislative session within the ornate Meeting chamber where Democrats picked up six seats within the November election. Murphy additionally reiterated calls he is made since his reelection in 2021 to additional ease property taxes and develop free pre-Okay, among the many measures that he says make the state “stronger and fairer.”

“From day 1, the vision has been to grow New Jersey from the bottom up and the middle out,” Murphy mentioned.

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The annual speech kicks off the legislative yr and will probably be adopted in just a few weeks by the governor’s price range handle, the place he’ll specify how he needs lawmakers to allot the state’s revenue for the yr.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks to reporters after signing a invoice in Paulsboro, N.J., Thursday, July 6, 2023. Murphy on Tuesday introduced a collection of recent measures he needs the newly expanded Democrat-led Legislature to undertake, together with permitting 16-year-olds to vote at school board elections. (AP Picture/Wayne Parry, File)

The 2-term governor concentrated closely on his and fellow Democrats’ efforts to assist rein in property taxes, among the many highest within the nation, all a part of an effort that Murphy mentioned makes the state “the best place anywhere to raise a family.”

Republicans, who’re within the minority within the Legislature, mentioned they’d work with the governor to make the state extra reasonably priced, however balked at lots of his particular proposals. Taxes are nonetheless too excessive, they mentioned, regardless of the governor’s give attention to affordability.

“Our tax burden is still the highest in the nation, and the tax hurdles we put in front of the businesses are still the highest in the nation,” mentioned Republican Sen. Declan O’Scanlon.

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Murphy’s latest proposals embody a name for letting 16- and 17-year-olds vote at school board elections. A handful of cities and cities across the nation, together with California, Maryland and Vermont have related allowances, in line with the Nationwide Youth Rights Affiliation.

“Encouraging our young neighbors to engage with democracy is really about encouraging them to become lifelong voters,” he mentioned.

In an emotional highpoint, Murphy’s voice quavered as he mentioned he would identify a package deal of payments to scale back medical debt after Louisa Carman, a 25-year-old member of his employees who was killed in a automotive accident on New Yr’s Day.

“In the wealthiest nation in the world, nobody should have to worry about being able to afford critical health care services or a lifesaving medical procedure,” he mentioned.

The state has lengthy struggled with the way to implement reasonably priced housing necessities, presently being managed via the courts. He known as on legislators to ship him a invoice to make it simpler to construct such housing, although it’s unclear precisely what that measure would appear to be.

He additionally known as on the state’s “top minds” to pioneer synthetic intelligence know-how, and laid out a form of welcome mat for companies engaged on AI.

“Our state government will be a catalyst for bringing together innovators and leaders to invest in research and development,” he mentioned.

A left-leaning former monetary govt, Murphy got here into workplace contrasting himself together with his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie, who’s within the midst of his second run for the GOP nomination for president.

Murphy has steered the state in a distinct path: The place Christie clashed with labor leaders, Murphy on Tuesday hailed the state’s expanded unionized workforce. Christie vetoed funding for abortion services, which Murphy has restored — and the listing goes on.

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Murphy has signed gun management payments into regulation, and touted them in his speech Tuesday, highlighting the state’s report drop in gun deaths. He is signed into regulation tax hikes on the rich, overseen the institution of a leisure marijuana trade, and signed a invoice to enact a $15 an hour minimal wage, which took impact this yr.

Whereas Murphy delivered on a variety of marketing campaign guarantees, thanks largely to Democrats who management the Legislature, a 2023 vow to rewrite the state’s Prohibition-era liquor license system stays unfulfilled.

Murphy additionally didn’t point out the state’s involvement in taking on the Paterson police division or give an replace on a promise to shut the state’s ladies’s jail, which the governor mentioned final yr was partially underway.