24 — October 2024 — Southern New Jersey — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
S outhern N ew J ersey
Key topics include 2025 NJ budget, offshore wind, and the upcoming presidential election South Jersey leaders gather for SNJDC Sound Off Legislative Conference in Atlantic City
A TLANTIC CITY, NJ — Ken Mosca , NJ External Affairs for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, welcomed a gathering of South Jersey’s esteemed business leaders and prominent elected officials to the Southern New Jer- sey Development Council’s (SNJDC) Sound Off for South Jersey Legislative Conference at Resorts Casino Hotel - an op- portunity to hear the views and plans from State policy makers on issues that impact the South Jersey region. The program began with US Senate Candidate Remarks by Republican candidate Curtis Bashaw . Bashaw, a South Jersey native, highlighted his redevelopment work through- out Cape May for more than 35 years and the economic growth he has brought from his suc- cessful hospitality group Cape Resorts. “I got involved in this race because I believe New Jersey can do better.” Fresh after the House pas- sage of a government spend- ing bill, Congressman Andy Kim , Democratic candidate for US Senate, spoke in a pre- recorded video message. “I’ve tried focusing on what we can deliver to our communi- ties to help them grow”. Kim highlighted the success of the Chips and Sciences Act, which will make the supply chain more resilient, and the need to invest in infrastructure and public transit. Shifting the program to ad- dress the 2025 New Jersey budget, Dr. Brigid Harrison of Montclair State Uni- versity , welcomed a panel of legislators to discuss the economic impacts on South Jersey. The panel of speak- ers included Senator John Burzichelli (LD3), Assem- bly Majority Leader Lou- is Greenwald (LD6), and Assembly Majority Whip Carol Murphy (LD7). “South Jersey is the growth region of the state. Where we are focused is on public transportation funding, infra- structure, the transportation trust fund, and investments in public transit,” said Greenwald. He continued, “what is exciting about the Philadelphia 76er’s opportunity is the commitment that the state of New Jersey is making to them in these areas.” Regarding improving South Jersey’s broadband access, Murphy commented “wire-
Curtis Bashaw
Shown from left: Michael Muller, Dr. Benjamin Dworkin, Marlene Asselta, and Mike DuHaime
Shown from left: Dr. Brigid Harrison, Assembly Majority Whip Carol Murphy, Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, and Senator John Burzichelli
Shown from left: Dr. Benjamin Dworkin, Mike DuHaime, and Michael Muller
swing states. He added, “what it comes down to is can you build real coalitions in commu- nities. We aren’t a swing state, however we align strongly with issues at the forefront of the national conversation, including clean energy and public transit.” On the impact of the presi- dential election on next year’s gubernatorial race, DuHaime said “it absolutely matters which party wins the presi- dential election, but I wouldn’t expect a guaranteed win for either party. If Trump wins, you may see strong Democratic turnout for the election. If Harris wins, Republicans will have a better shot in a state that has become harder to win.” Closing out the event, SNJDC
less cells need to be utilized – places that can’t be reached through the ground. The lon- ger we wait to improve speed, the more we fall behind in op- portunities for smart cities.” Shifting the conversation to renewable energy in the state - already a leader in offshore wind development - Senator John Burzichelli , whose dis- trict includes the Hope Creek generating station and New Jersey Wind Port in Lower Alloways Creek, and EEW’s monopile manufacturing facil- ity in the Port of Paulsboro, stated “We can’t ignore wind and the opportunities to har- ness it for the production of electricity, as well as the need for further investment in nu- clear. We have an opportunity to be a leader in this area – we
have to collectively work to bring this industry to fruition.” A point-counterpoint debate on the upcoming Presidential election then followed, led by Dr. Benjamin Dworkin , director of the Rowan In- stitute for Public Policy and Citizenship . Michael Muller , democratic strate- gist and president of Muller Public Strategies and Mike DuHaim e, republican strate- gist and CEO of MAD Global Strategy Group , delivered sharp insights and analysis on the election and delved into important political topics. Asked what the deciding factor for each candidate in the upcoming Presidential election will be, Muller said “the big difference will be who can control the dialogue in the
president Marlene Asselta said, “Sound Off has earned a reputation as being ‘The Premier Public Policy Event’ in South Jersey. This is the place where policy makers share their views and plans for the region with local business leaders eager to listen.” Founded in 1951, the South - ern New Jersey Development Council (SNJDC) is a non- profit economic development organization representing over 300 mid- to large-sized businesses across the southern eight counties. The SNJDC serves as a unified voice for both the public and private sectors, aiming to influence the trajectory of sustainable development and enhance economic opportunities in Southern New Jersey. MAREJ
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