Letter to the Editor: Gov. Christie Has Failed to Bring Jobs to N.J.

There is a reason Governor Christie is not touting the "NJ Comeback" in his speech tonight.  Governor Christie's policies have failed to bring jobs back to NJ after the recession, and conditions for the middle class continue to worsen. 

Under his leadership, New Jersey was one of only six states last year with an economy that did not grow.  Our unemployment rate is 9.8% - the fourth highest in the nation, and the highest rate for the state since 1977.  

As a small business owner, I know it is impossible to grow and create new jobs when the middle class is hurting- the strength of small businesses like mine is tied to a strong middle class.  When the middle class suffers, small businesses suffer, too.  We thrive when our communities thrive.  Christie’s policies — such as his veto of the millionaires tax and giveaways to large corporations — benefit the top 1% and do nothing for the middle class. 

Since Christie took office, he has granted more than $1.57 billion in tax credits to large corporations. His giveaways included a $900 million payday for 15 companies in exchange for just 2,364 jobs over the next decade. 

How many of the those jobs are actually the work of small businesses like mine?  Not enough.  The bottom line is that Christie’s corporate welfare does nothing for small businesses like mine, but serves up a big helping of future debt to New Jersey taxpayers, and worse, his agenda is eroding the middle class.

Kelly Conklin,

Owner of Foley-Waite Associates, Bloomfield, NJ

Member of New Jersey Main Street Alliance