From handling New Jersey’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to his oversight of state finances and the economy, Gov. Phil Murphy used Tuesday’s State of the State address to list a string of achievements from his eight years in office.
Murphy, a two-term Democrat, delivered the ceremonial speech to a joint session of the Legislature inside the State House in Trenton, as well as a gallery filled with spectators.
It came in the final full week of Murphy’s tenure, which will end early next week when he gives way to Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, a fellow Democrat who is a newcomer to state government.
Here are some of the key highlights and takeaways from Murphy’s roughly hourlong speech and the reaction afterward:
On state finances:
“It took eight years of diligent, disciplined leadership — by a lot of us, by the way — to get our fiscal house in order and to build a state that is trusted again. But folks, if we lose our focus, all of the progress we made could be wiped away.”
“This isn’t about me. And it isn’t about you. It’s about New Jersey. So, to my colleagues to my left, I say this: Fiscal responsibility is not an option — it is an obligation. The need to spend within our means, while also paying our long overdue bills, has never been more urgent.
“And to my colleagues to my right, I say this: Fiscal responsibility also means paying up where it counts.”
On the state economy:
“From building out entirely new industries, like AI or fintech, to enacting nation-leading laws to mitigate the risks of new tools and technologies, the future of our state is taking shape in a big way. By virtually every metric, our economy is on the move. We have cultivated the most talented workforce on the planet. And our innovation ecosystem is second-to-none.”
On New Jersey Transit:
“Fixing NJ Transit has yet to kill me . . . but it is an undertaking that will outlast my time as governor. As our state’s commuters will be quick to tell you, the agency is not perfect. But it is also light years ahead of where it was.”
“From improving reliability to replacing every single outdated bus and rail car in NJ Transit’s fleet by 2031. . . we have set in motion a renaissance for the nation’s third-largest public transit system. So, it is no longer a question of ‘if’ we will fix NJ Transit — it is simply a matter of when these improvements will all come online.”
On the COVID-19 response: “We followed the science at every turn. We made hard, but necessary, decisions. And we turned down the noise of disinformation, and instead, amplified the voices of the doctors and public health professionals who were trained to lead us through this unprecedented crisis.”
On his legacy:
“New Jersey is stronger and fairer, and that is the legacy.”
Here’s how key lawmakers reacted:
Senate Republican Whip Michael Testa (R-Cumberland):
“I’ve continuously heard Gov. Murphy talk about a stronger and fairer New Jersey, and I’ve only seen New Jersey get weaker and poorer. I would challenge Gov. Murphy, who is New Jersey stronger and fairer for? I bet you if you were to ask so many people, in a very Ronald Reaganesque way, do you feel stronger and fairer than you were eight years ago, the majority of New Jerseyans would say certainly not.”
Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex):
“Over the last eight years, the Legislature and the Murphy Administration have worked hand in hand to uplift New Jersey’s children and families in every community. Even amid a global pandemic, economic challenges, and federal uncertainty, that partnership delivered meaningful progress for New Jerseyans at every stage of life.”
