Friday Facts and Figures is a brief digital newsletter focusing on data points from NJPP reports, research, and policy debates in New Jersey and beyond. Sign up here. COVID-19 Cases: 211,148 | Deaths: 14,373 [New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard] 52 Percent Public schools have reopened across the state, but not all students are having the same back-to-school experience. As of September 13, sightly more than half (52 percent) of New Jersey students are in districts with fully remote programs; roughly one-third (32 percent) are in districts offering hybri ..read more

New Jersey’s recently enacted $32.7 billion budget is an anomaly in many ways given the extraordinary circumstances under which it was crafted. Covering a 9-month period, it relies on borrowing billions of dollars through a federal loan program to avoid deep cuts and stay on track with pension payments. It raises taxes on those who actually prospered during the pandemic 一 the state’s wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations. It advances equity by repealing a racist policy in the state’s cash assistance program and by expanding a tax credit for low-income workers and their famili ..read more

This past month, New Jersey’s public schools reopened for the 2020-21 school year, and not all students are having the same back-to-school experience. As the state continues to limit the spread of COVID-19, some school districts are starting their school year fully remote, some are offering a “hybrid” of in-person and remote instruction, and a few are fully in-person. As a result, the pandemic appears to be surfacing ongoing problems with segregation and school underfunding that translates into unequal access to in-person instruction.[i] As of September 13, most districts settled with the stat ..read more

Friday Facts and Figures is a brief digital newsletter focusing on data points from NJPP reports, research, and policy debates in New Jersey and beyond. Sign up here. COVID-19 Cases: 205,889 | Deaths: 14,340 [New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard] More Than a Dozen If you haven’t heard the news yet, President Donald Trump has tested positive for COVID-19. Hours before President Trump announced his test results, he was in New Jersey for a high-dollar fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster, possibly exposing others — despite knowing that his aide H ..read more

For The Many NJ coalition applaud Governor Murphy and legislative leaders for rejecting austerity and setting a strong foundation for New Jersey’s COVID-19 recovery.  September 29, 2020 – New Jersey’s leading advocates for working families applauded the state budget signed into law earlier today by Governor Phil Murphy. The budget for Fiscal Year 2021 balances revenue shortfalls brought on by COVID-19 with a combination of borrowing and tax increases on the state’s wealthiest residents and biggest corporations. This will allow the state to maintain investments in key programs and service ..read more

Friday Facts and Figures is a brief digital newsletter focusing on data points from NJPP reports, research, and policy debates in New Jersey and beyond. Sign up here. COVID-19 Cases: 201,552 | Deaths: 14,300 [New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard] $32.7 Billion On Thursday, the state legislature passed a $32.7 billion state budget that Governor Murphy is expected to sign, bringing New Jersey one step closer to finally enacting a millionaires tax. The budget deal avoids big cuts to state programs and services (great news!), but it relies on $500 million m ..read more

Last week, the Census Bureau released new data that provide insight into New Jersey residents’ economic security and access to healthcare. The data for 2019 show that, even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many New Jersey households struggled to afford basic needs. Since the onset of the current health and economic crises, even more New Jerseyans have faced hardships, while the difficulties faced by many households who were already struggling have intensified. Racial and Gender Disparities Persisted During Economic Expansion According to newly released data from the 2019 American Community Su ..read more

To read a PDF version of this release, click here. For Immediate Release: Contact: Louis Di Paolo, (201) 417-5049 (cell) or dipaolo@njpp.org September 23, 2020 – New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) announced today that it has hired Jennifer Fekete-Donners as the think-tank’s new Development Director. In this role, Jennifer will direct the organization’s fundraising. “We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer to the NJPP team,” said Brandon McKoy, President of NJPP. “Her breadth and depth of experience are the perfect fit for us and the goals we are looking to achieve, and her commitment to the valu ..read more

As the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the country, access to health care is essential for all residents to lead a healthy life, protect public health, and build an economically and racially just future. While New Jersey outpaces other states in prioritizing access for all, newly released data on health insurance coverage from the United States Census Bureau show that the Garden State still has a long way to go in guaranteeing a healthy and equitable future. New Jersey’s Uninsured Rate Increased for the First Time Since 2013   The number of uninsured New Jersey residents increased in 20 ..read more

Friday Facts and Figures is a brief digital newsletter focusing on data points from NJPP reports, research, and policy debates in New Jersey and beyond. Sign up here. COVID-19 Cases: 198,361 | Deaths: 14,266 [New Jersey Department of Health / COVID-19 Dashboard] $1 Million We did it! After more than a decade of advocacy by grassroots activists, anti-poverty advocates, and policy analysts — including all of your favorite wonks at NJPP — New Jersey is bringing back the millionaires tax! The change to the tax code, announced yesterday by Governor Murphy, Senate ..read more