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Gov. Phil Murphy announced the membership of his Restart and Recovery Commission to “provide guidance to the Governor for reopening the New Jersey economy in a way that is consistent with the state’s public health efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The list of names for the 16 private-sector members of the Commission includes business CEOs, higher education leaders, labor union officials, and ex-federal appointees from past Democratic administrations. These include the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, a past administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and a previous secretary of Homeland Security. These are able individuals of significant accomplishment.
What the list does not include is anyone who lived or worked in the state’s southern counties or has ever been associated with the Jersey Shore and its seasonal tourist-driven economy. The only possible exception to that statement is Denise Morrison, former president and chief executive officer of Campbell Soup, who spent seven years at the company’s Camden headquarters long after manufacturing moved out of the city, in 1991. Hers was an atypical job in the South Jersey economy.
The impressive list of names on the governor’s panel of experts includes no representatives of lodging and hospitality, no one from the retail services industry, no one with experience in K-12 education made the list, but a teachers’ union official did, no experts with experience in the state’s $45 billion tourism sector, and no one who understands the unique demands of a seasonal economy.
In Cape May County, a $6.5 billion seasonal economy spins off over $541 million in tax revenues. We are host to over 50% of the state’s second homes. Our county outpaces all others in the state in food and beverage, retail, recreation and rental income supporting almost 30,000 direct tourism jobs. Yet, our entire region does not warrant a seat on the commission.
If one maps the work experience of the private-sector members of the commission to the geographic location of the economic sectors represented, once again, the picture that results is of a region left to restart and recover by itself. It is even possible that without representation on the commission, the region will still have to abide by state-wide parameters set by a commission with experience focused on the north and with a deep concern for economic sectors dominated by pharmaceutical, financial services, and life science companies.
The five state officials appointed to the commission ex-officio include no member of the legislature, no representative of the Republican Party, no representative of the judiciary, but the five slots did contain room for three members of the governor’s staff.
No member of the public is part of the commission, while several appointees do not live within the boundaries of the state.
Certainly, achieving broad representation on blue-ribbon panels is always a challenge. A limited number of slots calls for trade-offs.
Yet, this commission manages to find room for members of two progressive think tanks.
In Executive Order 131, Murphy charged the commission with seven tasks. These included:
- An impact assessment of a phased reopening of the economy
- Development of strategies on how the state and federal governments can support economic recovery
- Making suggestions on priorities for investment
- Classifying critical needs for federal support and intervention
- Identifying opportunities for positioning the economy for the future while protecting the middle and working classes
- Ensuring equity for disadvantaged communities
- Assessment of how policy choices will impact the goals of short-term recovery and longer-term fiscal health
Would it be useful to have South Jersey representation when making those suggestions for investment priorities? What expertise on this commission speaks to the assessment of a phased reopening of a tourist economy? Is a regionalized approach to reopening in the cards with a commission so clearly fixed in the northern portions of the state?
The condescension so visible in the selection of an expert panel with no roots in the South Jersey experience and no practical knowledge of the shore economy is breathtaking.
Can there be no room at the table for us?
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
