That new car electric vehicle mandate — the one that said the state would only sell new EVs by 2035? The one that seemed to be divorced from reality of supply and infrastructure? It’s not going to happen. At least, that’s the way state Sen. Paul Sarlo sees it. Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), the influential Senate deputy majority leader and longtime chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, told the crowd at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s annual Public Policy Forum that such a goal is not realistic or logistically possible. Read more from ROI-NJ: Murphy: On CBT surc ..read more

It’s the type of plot you might find in a movie. Steve Gorelick, the executive director of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, was on hand earlier this spring when the state launched Film Ready New Jersey. Gorelick, of course, seemingly has been film-ready his entire life. The executive director for more than three decades, Gorelick has seen New Jersey rise to become one of the most coveted location spots in the country. And, with the added incentives the state now has available, that will only grow. Gorelick, who has seen it all, now will see it from the movie seats. He a ..read more

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority launched a new $4 million pilot program earlier this year that provides free e-commerce and digital marketing consulting services to New Jersey small businesses. Known as the Small Business E-Commerce Support Program, since its launch, the NJEDA has connected 152 small businesses to consulting firms, representing over $1.1 million in assistance. To date, 76% of the funding has supported minority-owned small businesses. The program aims to help small businesses adapt to the growing e-commerce economy, which has boomed since the pandemic. “Under ..read more

Renee Oliver, the niece of the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, announced Monday that the family is creating an organization to honor her legacy and carry forward her mission of supporting the underserved. The ultimate goal of the Sheila Y. Oliver Civic Association is simple: To find and nurture the next Sheila Oliver. Leaders, Renee Oliver said, who put community first. “This is why it’s so important to keep her legacy and name alive,” she said. “There may be a 20-something-year-old girl out there who is interested in being in government but is not aware of who Sheila Oliver is — or the great wom ..read more

Sean Pattwell will leave his role as the executive director of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to pursue other opportunities, three people with knowledge of the situation told ROI-NJ. The sources requested anonymity due to the fluid nature of the situation. It is unclear when Pattwell will leave — likely by the end of the year, one source said — or where he may be headed, though he is expected to rejoin the private sector. CRDA already has begun having discussions about his replacement, who ultimately will be appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy. Pattwell started in his role ..read more

A new $20 million pilot program to support rising real estate developers was approved last week by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority board. The Emerging Developer Fund will help developers gain access to capital and build additional capacity to expand their existing portfolio. “Rising developers must be part of the process as we strengthen and build up underserved New Jersey communities,” Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way said. “The NJEDA’s Emerging Developers Fund is in line with Gov. Phil Murphy’s vision for a more accessible and equitable economy and a stronger Garden State.” The Emerging De ..read more

The state’s decision to mandate that no new gas-powered cars be purchased in New Jersey by the year 2035 — with targeted annual mandates of electric vehicle sales starting in 2026 — was cheered by numerous environmental groups. Ray Cantor, the deputy chief government affairs officer at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, felt otherwise. Ray Cantor. (File photo) Cantor and others have led an effort against the idea — saying it will be bad for business — to no avail. “Over the past 10 weeks, nearly 10,000 letters were sent to members of New Jersey’s Legislature asking them to ste ..read more

Don’t be confused, it wasn’t a policy speech — and it certainly wasn’t part of the language of a bill in the state Senate. But Senate President Nick Scutari did recently suggest something that more and more people are talking about: Increasing the use of nuclear energy to fill the future energy needs of the state. Scutari (D-Clark), speaking to NJ Spotlight News’ David Cruz for a segment on “Reporters Roundtable,” said small modular reactors — which are much smaller than the traditional nuclear reactors — are something the state should consider. Scutari said it’s part of a holistic approach on ..read more

An open letter that calls upon members of the Rutgers University community “to stand against the murderous regime of Hamas and to recognize the right of both the Palestinian people and the Israeli people to live in safety within secure borders” has been signed by hundreds of faculty members and staffers at Rutgers. The letter, which had been signed by nearly 200 people as of Monday morning, also asks that the university administration “create a comprehensive plan to address antisemitism specifically, and we ask our colleagues to commit to fostering open, honest inquiry, free of hate and demoni ..read more

To be sure, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Bracken is vehemently against bringing back a 2.5% surcharge on the Corporate Business Tax to pay for the New Jersey Transit budget shortfall — a plan that is getting some attention. But it’s not just because Bracken is against taxes. Bracken is bothered by the concept of using the business community to solve the problems of another entity. “To me, it’s like congestion pricing,” he said. “There’s a problem with the subway system in New York, so they said, ‘Let’s get the New Jersey commuters to pay for it.’” Bracken said it’s analogous. “The Co ..read more