New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called on the state legislature to pass a series of measures aimed at making the state more affordable. The proposals include defraying the costs of abortion and helping people pay off medical debt. Murphy urged the passage of a bill to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion procedures and called for new legislation to help families avoid medical debt. He also called for a bill to create more affordable housing and to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in local school board elections.
The governor became visibly moved when speaking about a coworker who died in a car accident and introduced various measures to streamline affordable housing obligations. Notably, he did not address some of the major issues facing the state, like the arrival of migrants and the NJ Transit budget deficit. In response to Murphy’s speech, Republican Senator Anthony Bucco criticized the governor’s aggressive spending patterns and urged working within the state’s means to improve the quality of life for New Jerseyans.
Murphy’s address largely focused on previous accomplishments during his tenure, such as raising the minimum wage and upgrading the state’s credit rating. The governor also pledged to introduce a new clemency initiative without providing details. Meanwhile, Adam Gordon of Fair Share Housing expressed hope for effective legislation to streamline and strengthen the enforcement of municipalities’ affordable housing obligations, emphasizing the impact on low-income families and people of color. Governor Murphy is expected to discuss these initiatives in further detail during his upcoming radio appearance on WNYC.
Source
Photo credit gothamist.com
