New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy wants the legislature to move ahead with some of his top priorities.
Murphy says the bill Congress is considering to change the federal tax code will not influence his plans for a tax surcharge on income over a million dollars.
“I think millionaires are going to be just fine, unfortunately, in this bill in Washington. So it doesn’t impact my view of what we should do in New Jersey.”
Murphy says he understands some people who have concerns about another approach to raising revenues, that of legalizing recreational use of marijuana, but he believes it’s the right thing to do.
“What’s the choice? The choice is to decriminalize it what a lot of people want. That leaves the industry in the hands of the bad guys, and it leaves our minors completely exposed.”
Senate President Steve Sweeney wants the legalization bill to be approved within a hundred days after Murphy takes office in January.
Murphy met with members of his Government Technology and Innovation Transition Committee to develop ways of putting his campaign promises into action.
Murphy says it’s one of 14 transition committees he’s kicking off this week.
“We’ve got plus or minus 50 days to go until we get to January 16 and all of these committees matter. This one has a particular deep spot in my heart, given what where we think the opportunity is.”
Murphy says enhancing opportunities for technology innovations can ignite the state’s economy and make government relations with people more effective.