Campaigning Ends, Governing Begins

Report to Members

By Michele N. Siekerka, NJBIA President and CEO On Oct 31, 2025

By the time you read this, the deluge of political campaign ads will (thankfully) be gone, and New Jersey voters will have elected a new governor and General Assembly.

NJBIA congratulates all the winners, and we are energized for the future. In 2026, these newly elected officials will take office, the next governor and cabinet will chart a fresh course, and the 222nd Legislature will begin a two-year legislative session.

Assuming “lame duck” legislators do not inflict too much damage to the business community before January (see At Issue on page 8), we are excited about the potential for meaningful policy direction changes ahead that will grow jobs and our economy, and make New Jersey more affordable for job creators and the people they employ.

NJBIA puts business at the center of our advocacy and actions, and we call on our elected leaders to do the same. This means creating a business climate that allows job creators to invent, innovate, and be catalysts for prosperity. It means prioritizing workforce development strategies and postsecondary partnerships that yield a talented pipeline of employees with in-demand skills employers require.

Creating a pro-growth climate also requires a fairer tax structure, instead of one so burdensome it is reviled as a national outlier. It requires recognition that overregulation and excessive mandates are a drag on economic growth and innovation that discourages startups and pushes job creators to grow businesses in other states.

We’ve already laid the groundwork for the course correction this state needs in 2026. NJBIA’s “Blueprint for a Competitive New Jersey” – a 28-page policy document with 68 actionable solutions – is in the hands of our state’s newly elected leaders, providing a roadmap for the first 100 days of the new administration and the 222nd Legislature to create a cohesive economic policy that attracts, retains and grows businesses.

An immense undertaking always seems difficult until you get it done. For proof of that, look at NJBIA’s recent success working with lawmakers and the governor to boost workforce development and incentivize manufacturing investments. The Next New Jersey Manufacturing Program, enacted in August, created a landmark $500 million tax credit program exclusively for manufacturers to help local companies grow, create jobs, and position New Jersey as a leader in the advanced manufacturing economy.

To read the entire roadmap we’ve given our newly elected officials to build a more competitive New Jersey, go to njbia.org/blueprint. With new leadership and a new direction in 2026, we can make this journey a success, one step at a time.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

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