Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is laying out his priorities in his run for governor. | Julio Cortez/AP Photo
04/28/2023 06:00 AM EDT
New Jersey should raise its minimum wage above $15 an hour, revive its affordable housing agency and generally be more bold in its policies, said Steven Fulop, the newly declared candidate for governor.
In his first in-depth interview since declaring his 2025 candidacy, the 46-year-old mayor of Jersey City at once praised Gov. Phil Murphy for building a strong progressive foundation for his replacement, but did not shy away from criticizing the fellow Democrat on certain policies.
While he credited Murphy with advancing progressive ideas and stabilizing the state’s finances, he also said that “if you want to be consequential” the two biggest areas to focus on are “the affordability conversation and restructuring taxes.” He also said the state must reckon with a looming $900 million budget hole at NJ Transit, which the Murphy administration has yet to address.
“There are a lot of things to build on,” Fulop told POLITICO. “There are times when I feel like New Jersey can be a little more bold, to be honest with you.”
Over roughly 40 minutes recently at a cafe in Jersey City, Fulop offered broad outlines of his policy agenda while making the case that, as mayor of the state’s second-largest city, he is best positioned to replace Murphy in 2026.
He’s also the only one positioned to replace Murphy — at this point. But the...
President Donald Trump falsely claimed that the stock market had “hit a new high” on Thursday, while the Dow plunged over three hundred points. Trump spoke to press while visiting the Lincoln Memo...