New Jersey has a great deal to be proud of – and an equally important opportunity in front of us.
According to WalletHub’s 2026 Best States to Live In report, New Jersey ranks as the No. 2 best state to live in America, finishing just behind Idaho. That recognition speaks to many of the strengths we know well: our outstanding schools, talented workforce, quality communities, strategic location and the many assets that make New Jersey an exceptional place to live, work and raise a family.
But another recent ranking tells a very different – and concerning – story.
Jobs for America's Graduates New Jersey (JAG NJ), a program administered by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Foundation, received multiple national awards recognizing its success in preparing New Jersey students for college, careers and life.
The honors were presented on July 13 during the Jobs for America's Graduates EDGE Conference in Long Beach, California, where JAG affiliates from across the country gathered to celebrate excellence and share best practices.
For the fifth consecutive year, JAG NJ earned the prestigious ‘6-of-6 Award’ for meeting or exceeding all six of JAG National's core performance metrics. Four programs also met all five national performance benchmarks for non-senior JAG participants, grades 10-11.
These Exceptional Women Will Receive the NJ Chamber's 'Women of Inspiration’ Awards
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce announced today that it will honor 10 exceptional women who have used talent and hard work to create economic opportunities and help make New Jersey a better place to live and work. The women will be recognized at the 2026 Women of Inspiration Awards Reception, on Oct. 22, at The National Conference Center in East Windsor.
In a recent column, BINJE Editor Tom Bergeron wrote that with the FIFA World Cup behind us and the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget now signed into law, it’s time for New Jersey to shift its focus to what will ultimately determine our state’s long-term success: building a stronger, more competitive economy.
I couldn’t agree more.
We cannot afford to accept the status quo. The choices we make today will determine whether New Jersey becomes more competitive and prosperous – or continues to fall behind other states.
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce congratulates everyone who helped make the FIFA World Cup a tremendous success in New Jersey. From Gov. Mikie Sherrill and her administration to former Gov. Phil Murphy and his team, whose efforts helped bring the tournament to our state, this achievement was years in the making.
We also commend NJ Transit for safely and efficiently transporting more than 320,000 riders to and from FIFA matches, as well as the team at MetLife Stadium, local and regional chambers of commerce, public safety officials, volunteers and the many businesses that welcomed visitors from around the world.
Today's CNBC's 2026 America's Top States for Business rankings reinforce what the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce has long been saying: New Jersey must make economic competitiveness and support for the business community a top priority.
We are disappointed that New Jersey slipped in the overall rankings from 30th to 31st as a state for doing business. Even more troubling, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut all ranked ahead of New Jersey. Those are the very states we compete with every day for jobs, investment and economic growth. We cannot afford to continue falling behind our regional neighbors.
With Gov. Mikie Sherrill's signing of New Jersey's record-setting $60.7 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget, another budget cycle has come to a close. It’s now time to look ahead and begin to focus on the state’s most pressing need: strengthening our economy. Attention should turn to advancing policies that encourage investment, promote growth and improve New Jersey's long-term competitiveness, all of which have been virtually ignored for way too long.
Supporting economic growth and the business community was not a central focus of this budget. New Jersey’s employers – those who create jobs, drive investment, and fuel our state's economy – were given minimal support.
New Jersey stands at an economic crossroads.
Nearly every week, troubling economic reports, business surveys, and corporate announcements signal that the state is losing ground in competitiveness. Declining corporate tax revenues, companies expanding elsewhere, growing pessimism among financial professionals, and struggling small businesses are all warning signs that cannot be ignored.
The good news is that solutions exist. New Jersey needs more thoughtful, pragmatic, pro-business legislation that encourages investment, supports employers, keeps jobs and economic opportunity here at home, and improves our overall business friendly ranking.
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors this month elected a new board member: Eileen Mannion, vice president, public policy-state & local government affairs at Verizon.
Mannion, a graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law and Monmouth University, has spent the past 22 years in government affairs at Verizon. Prior to joining the company, she served as deputy counsel to the New Jersey Assembly and as an assistant counsel in the Governor’s Counsel’s Office. She is also a longtime volunteer with Unite for Her, a nonprofit organization that connects women affected by breast and ovarian cancer with integrative therapies and wellness resources.
For years, I have been saying the same thing: making New Jersey more economically competitive must be the top priority of both the governor and the Legislature.
Some may think I sound like a broken record. That's okay. The message remains the same because the challenge remains the same.
Today, however, the urgency feels greater than ever – and the business community has been patient long enough.