REPORT: Years of Disinvestment Hamper New Jersey’s Pandemic Response

For Immediate Release

TRENTON, NJ (April 20, 2020) – The state departments at the forefront of New Jersey’s COVID-19 response are operating with significantly less funding and fewer full-time staff members than they had over a decade ago, according to a new report by New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP). Without proper funding, the state government cannot fully serve the needs of the public, especially during a time of crisis when the demand for public services and safety net programs is at an all-time high.

“New Jersey’s state departments were cut to the bone under the previous administration and have yet to fully recover,” said Sheila Reynertson, NJPP Senior Policy Analyst and co-author of the report. “These cuts make it incredibly hard for the state to handle the COVID-19 crisis and respond to the needs of small business owners and those who have lost their jobs.”

The new report, Years of Disinvestment Hamper New Jersey’s Pandemic Response, finds that the New Jersey Departments of Health, Human Services, Labor, and Community Affairs all operate with fewer full-time staff members than in 2008, the fiscal year prior to the Great Recession. All of these departments, with the exception of the Department of Labor, also operate with significantly less state funding than in 2008.

“Departments are doing an admirable job with the resources they have, but this is a reminder that austerity budgeting comes at a real cost to public health and economic security,” said NJPP President and report co-author Brandon McKoy. “New Jersey lawmakers must prioritize these agencies as they will act as the foundation for the state’s ultimate recovery.”

The state departments of Health and Human Services — which ensure the safety and well-being of New Jersey’s most vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled, those in addiction recovery, and children living in deep poverty — now function with less funding (6 percent) and about a third less staffing (30 percent) than in 2008.

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development, responsible for handling unemployment insurance claims, has experienced a 25 percent cut in full-time staffing levels since 2008, though state funding has remained stable.

The Department of Community Affairs, which provides energy and housing assistance to families who struggle to make ends meet, operates with 42 percent less state funding than in 2008 and 25 percent fewer full-time staff.

Read the full report here: 

https://www.njpp.org/budget/years-of-disinvestment-hamper-new-jerseys-pandemic-response

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