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♪ >>> HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

WELL, WE'RE LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY, ALTHOUGH VOTING HAS TECHNICALLY ALREADY BEGUN IN NEW JERSEY.

TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW A PANEL OF BUSINESS LEADERS SEES THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR AND MAYBE SHARE SOME ADVICE WITH THE CANDIDATES.

THAT'S IN OUR SECOND HALF.

BUT WE BEGIN TODAY WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR COVID FIGHT.

THE FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL IS NOW COMPLETE, SO WE HAVE SOME IDEA, I THINK, OF HOW THE SYSTEM IS FARING, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE HOLIDAYS WILL BE HERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FAMILY GATHERINGS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE THIS YEAR.

IT'S LIFE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, NEW JERSEY.

JOINING US IS OUR PANDEMIC LIFE COACH, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT MONTCLAIR STATE, EPIDEMIOLOGIST STEPHANIE SILVERA.

HI, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> SO, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND THAT WE PROMOTED YOU TO PANDEMIC LIFE COACH.

THERE'S NO SALARY.

IN FACT, THERE'S NO SALARY, BUT THE PRESTIGE IS UNBELIEVABLE.

SO, LET'S START WITH VACCINES BECAUSE THEY'RE THE KEY TO GETTING US TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE, RIGHT?

PFIZER IS NOW SEEKING AUTHORIZATION FOR VACCINES FOR AGES 5 TO 11.

THAT NEWS CAME OUT THIS WEEK.

IS THE EMPHASIS NOW ON GETTING KIDS VACCINATED?

>> YES.

SO, I THINK RIGHT NOW, THE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE TWOFOLD.

ONE, GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE VACCINATED, RIGHT, SO THOSE 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS.

WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS AND THAT THEY ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DELTA.

SO, THAT'S ONE HALF OF THE FIGHT.

THE OTHER HALF OF THE FIGHT IS THAT WE STILL HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEIR FIRST DOSE AND WE NEED THOSE PEOPLE TO BE WILLING TO GET INTO THE GAME IN TERMS OF BEING VACCINATED.

>> GROWN-UPS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

>> AND SO, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT POPULATION IN NEW JERSEY?

THE GOVERNOR BOASTS HOW WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST VACCINATED STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

>> WE ARE.

WE'RE DEFINITELY IN THE TOP, I THINK, SEVEN AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE DOING FAIRLY WELL, OVER 70% OF ELIGIBLE POPULATION, SO THAT'S 12 AND UP, HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

BUT THAT STILL LEAVES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL POPULATION, WE'RE AT 64% BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE.

SO BY ADDING THE 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS, IF THAT'S APPROVED, THAT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET MUCH CLOSER TO 70% OR EVEN 80% OF THE POPULATION, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO BE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DELTA VARIANT.

>> THE STUDIES FOUND WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS THAT MAKES THE DRUG COMPANIES FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GET APPROVAL FOR THEIR VACCINES OR WHAT HAS -- HAVE THESE STUDIES SHOWN ABOUT HOW THE VACCINES WORK IN KIDS AND SO ON?

>> SO, WHAT THESE STUDIES FOR PFIZER 5 TO 11 WAS REALLY LOOKING AT NOT SO MUCH THE NUMBER OF CASES BUT WHAT WAS THE ANTIBODY RESPONSE, AND THEY HAVE SHOWN, AT LEAST FROM THE DATA THAT THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT OR RELEASED, IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY -- CHILDREN ARE HAVING THIS REALLY ROBUST ANTIBODY RESPONSE, AND IN 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS THAT'S WITH A LOWER DOSE OF THE VACCINE, AND SO WE HAVE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VACCINE THAT IS ALSO FROM THE EVIDENCE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR THESE CHILDREN AS WELL.

>> SO, NOW, ARE THE OTHER VACCINE MAKERS TARGETING THAT AGE GROUP AS WELL?

>> RIGHT.

SO, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, PFIZER WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED FOR 16 AND ABOVE, WHEREAS THE MODERNA AND J&J WERE JUST 18 AND ABOVE.

SO, EACH OF THOSE STUDIES, COMPANIES J&J AND MODERNA HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THEIR TRIALS WITH CHILDREN.

I SUSPECT MODERNA IS ABOUT FOUR WEEKS BEHIND PFIZER FOR THEIR -- THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT 12 AND UP NEXT.

AND THEN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT, THEY'LL LIKELY ALSO RELEASE DATA FOR 5 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS.

J&J IS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEHIND, BUT THEY'RE ALSO CONDUCTING THE STUDY.

SO, IF WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE TO KEEP COMMUNITY RATES LOW AND THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS TO GET AS MUCH OF THE POPULATION VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE AND THEN WEARING MASKS.

>> THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT HE'S GOING TO ASK ALL SCHOOLS TO SEND INFORMATION ON INFECTION RATES AND VACCINATION RATES, ET CETERA.

WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE STATE?

WHAT KNOWLEDGE IS THE STATE GOING TO GET FROM THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE USEFUL?

>> I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE CASES ARE SPIKING AND TRANSMISSION, BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, AND BEYOND THAT VERY NARROW DEFINITION OF IN-SCHOOL TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS, HAVE YOU BEEN WITHOUT A MASK INDOORS FOR ATHLETE 15 MINUTES WITHIN 3 FEET?

BUT WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN ARE WALKING HOME AFTER SCHOOL TOGETHER.

THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN AFTERSCHOOL SPORTS WHERE THERE MAY NOT BE WEARING MASKS AND THEY'RE STILL INTERACTING WITH OTHER CHILDREN WHO ARE THEN POTENTIALLY SPREADING IT TO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL AS WITH TEACHERS.

SO IT'S -- THE MORE DATA WE HAVE, THE BETTER WE CAN PLAN, AND COME UP WITH INTERVENTIONS THAT WE KNOW CAN WORK.

>> THE TERMINOLOGY CAN BE CONFUSING SOMETIMES.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CALLING A THIRD SHOT OR A SECOND SHOT IN THE CASE OF J&J A BOOSTER AS OPPOSED TO A THIRD SHOT?

IS IT JUST SEMANTICS?

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF SEMANTICS.

TYPICALLY, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING A THIRD SHOT CLOSER IN TIME SPAN TO THEIR SECOND DOSE, ESPECIALLY FOR PFIZER, WHICH IT'S BEEN APPROVED FOR.

SO, PEOPLE ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED WHO DID NOT MOUNT A SUFFICIENT IMMUNO -- ANTIBODY RESPONSE, THEY'RE REALLY GETTING A THIRD DOSE TO TRY TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

FOR MOST PEOPLE, OVER TIME, YOUR ANTIBODIES WANE.

AT THAT POINT, THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT NEEDING A BOOSTER DOSE TO TRY TO REMIND YOUR BODY OF HOW TO RESPOND.

>> SO, VACCINES AND PREGNANCY, STILL RECOMMENDED FOR WOULD-BE OR SOON-TO-BE MOMS?

>> YES.

THAT'S A SIMPLE ANSWER.

IT'S RECOMMENDED.

>> I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IT'S A STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER.

IT'S JUST "YES."

>> SO, HOLIDAYS ARE PRETTY MUCH HERE.

I ALREADY SAW MY FIRST WREATH ON A DOOR IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO, DR. FAUCI SAYS WE SHOULD PREPARE FOR SMALLER, INTIMATE, MAYBE FAMILY-ONLY HOLIDAYS.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT HE, THE GOVERNOR, IS SAYING.

SO, PANDEMIC LIFE COACH, WHAT SHOULD I BE PLANNING FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE TO ASSESS EACH ONE OF US, WHAT OUR RISK PROFILE IS AND WHAT OUR RISK COMFORT IS.

SO, IF I WANT TO GET TOGETHER WITH A LARGE GATHERING, AM I WILLING TO ASK THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION?

OR TO WEAR A MASK INDOORS?

WHO ARE WE INVITING OVER?

IF WE'RE INVITING SOMEBODY WHO IS OLDER, OR WHO HAS AN -- WHO IS IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, WHO MIGHT BE AT GREATER RISK, IT MAY MAKE MORE SENSE TO HAVE A SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE GATHERING.

I THINK WE'RE FALLING THIS YEAR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN OUR 2019 HOLIDAY PLANS AND OUR 2020 HOLIDAY PLANS.

>> SO, I MEAN, IT FEELS A LOT -- I THINK WE WERE TALKING LAST YEAR RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, AND IT DOESN'T FEEL, TO ME, MUCH DIFFERENT AS FAR AS PLANNING FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

IS THIS JUST GOING TO BE IT FOR US?

IS COVID OUR NEW INFLUENZA?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU BRING UP AN IMPORTANT POINT.

WE DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF FLU CASES LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE LOCKED DOWN AND PEOPLE WERE WEARING MASKS.

I EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE CASES OF FLU THIS YEAR AS WELL, AND SO NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THEIR COVID VACCINE BUT WE REALLY NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE ALSO TO GET THEIR FLU VACCINE SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TREATING WHEN PEOPLE PRESENT WITH SYMPTOMS.

>> SO, WHAT MEDS ARE WORKING?

I HEARD THAT MERCK HAD PILLS THAT WERE -- WOULD BE ABLE TO TREAT -- IS IT EIGHT PILLS?

WHAT'S THE LATEST ON THAT?

AND WHAT'S WORKING?

WHAT OTHER MEDS ARE WORKING?

>> SO, YES, MERCK HAS PRESENTED DATA THAT REDUCES THE -- THEIR PILL CAN REDUCE OR THE PILL COURSE, REGIMEN, CAN REDUCE RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH BY 50%.

THAT IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION, AND THIS WAS TESTED ONLY IN UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WITH MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS.

SO, THEY'RE JUST SHOWING THAT IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE CASES EARLY, WHICH ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS CAN BE KEPT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND HAVE A LOWER RISK OF DYING.

IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ASK OF THE PATIENTS.

IT'S EIGHT PILLS PER DAY OVER FIVE DAYS.

SO, IT'S NOT AN EASY COURSE OF TREATMENT, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS, YOU CAN DO THIS AT HOME INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO INTO THE HOSPITAL TO GET TREATED WITH MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES OR ONE OF THE OTHER TREATMENTS THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ONLY THROUGH AN IV.

>> ALL RIGHT, STEPHANIE SILVERA, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE'VE BEEN COVERING THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE GOVERNOR'S RACE ON THE NEWS SIDE OF OUR OPERATION THIS WEEK, SO WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP TODAY WITH A DEEPER LOOK.

LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL NOW, MICHELLE IS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION.

JOHN HARMON SR. IS THE FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, AND CEO OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF NEW JERSEY.

AND TOM BRACKEN IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

TOM IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NJ PBS BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

LET ME START BY GETTING YOU TO ASSESS THE STATE OF BUSINESS IN NEW JERSEY OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

LET'S START WITH YOU, MICHELLE.

HIGHS AND LOWS.

>> WELL, THE LOW IS WE'VE LOST A THIRD OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, MAIN STREET BUSINESSES, OVER THE LAST 19 MONTHS, SO I WOULD SAY THAT EMPHATICALLY IS THE LOW.

>> LET ME ASK YOU REAL QUICK, BEFORE I LET YOU GO ANY FURTHER.

I KEEP HEARING THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A KIND OF A REGULAR TURNOVER EVERY YEAR.

IS THAT NOT TRUE?

>> NO.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT WE LOST OVER THE LAST YEAR, PARTICULARLY TO OUR MAIN STREET BUSINESS, IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY TREND.

>> GOT YOU.

I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

GO AHEAD.

>> AND I'M SURE YOU SAW HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM AS WELL.

SO THAT'S THE LOW.

OBVIOUSLY, THE HIRING CRISIS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A LOW.

IF THERE'S A HIGH, WE HAVE SOME COVID KEEPERS, SO THINGS THAT WE LEARNED DURING COVID IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO WORK, REMOTE WORK, FLEXIBILITY, YOU KNOW, LEANING INTO THE NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE OF WHAT THEY WANT ON THESE ISSUES WHICH WE WEREN'T SO KIND TOWARD PRE-COVID.

WE'VE LEARNED THAT WE CAN SURVIVE THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE LEARNED THAT WE SHOULD INCORPORATE INTO OUR BUSINESS MODELS GOING FORWARD AS WELL.

>> JOHN, BLACK BUSINESS ALREADY FACING CHALLENGES PRE-PANDEMIC.

SAFE TO SAY THEY'VE BEEN HIT HARDER OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF?

>> WITHOUT QUESTION.

BLACK BUSINESSES, BLACK PEOPLE IN GENERAL IN NEW JERSEY, AND YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF TURBULENCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND YOU KNOW, GIVEN OUR HISTORY IN SOCIETY, WE'RE VERY RESILIENT, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE TO BOUNCE BACK TO SOME TRYING TIMES.

IT'S SOMEWHAT GOOD, STANDARD COURSE OF BUSINESS FOR OUR EXISTENCE IN SOCIETY.

BUT NONETHELESS, WE'RE STILL HERE.

>> TOM, WHAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST BLOW, THE SHUTDOWN HAS THAT REALLY BEEN THE BLOW FROM WHICH THE COMMUNITY HAS YET TO RECOVER?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, THE MAGNITUDE OF BUSINESSES WE'VE LOST, THAT ARE NOT GOING TO COME BACK, HAS BEEN DEVASTATING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THE RECOVERY HAS BEEN SLOW TO HAPPEN.

NATIONWIDE, AND ALSO IN NEW JERSEY.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE WERE DEVASTATED BY THE SHUTDOWN.

THE GOVERNOR DID THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE IT HELPED CONTROL THE MEDICAL CRISIS THAT WE HAD, BUT THAT DEFINITELY WAS A HUGE BLOW.

BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY, DAVID, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, IN MY ORGANIZATION IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF IT, WE BUILT A STRONGER TEAM WITHIN MY ORGANIZATION, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE REMOTE AND WE WEREN'T TOGETHER, OUR TEAM COALESCED.

WE BROUGHT TOGETHER A LOT OF PEOPLE, GAVE PEOPLE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE END RESULT IS AT THE END OF THIS COVID CRISIS, OR WE'RE STILL IN IT, BUT AS WE NEAR THE END OF IT, WE ARE A MUCH STRONGER ORGANIZATION INTERNALLY THAN WE WERE BEFORE, AND A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE LIKE THAT, AND ALSO A LOT OF COMPANIES HAVE REINVENTED THEMSELVES TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE FUTURE.

SO, SOME SILVER LININGS TO THIS, BUT STILL, IT WAS A DEVASTATING BLOW TO OUR ECONOMY.

>> SO, BUSINESS PEOPLE ALWAYS SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE REST OF US.

MOST OF US SEE PROGRESSIVES AND CONSERVATIVES, BUT HERE WE HAVE A BANKER RUNNING AGAINST A CPA/MBA.

THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE BUTCHER, THE BAKER, AND THE GUY WHO STACKS THE SHELVES.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MURPHY AND CIATTARELLI FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE BUSINESS WORLD?

MICHELLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I WOULD JUST SAY A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO GET TO MAYBE THE SAME END, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN MURPHY RAN THE FIRST TIME, HE RAN ON AN AGENDA THAT WAS TAXES AND MANDATES, AND THAT IMPACTS BUSINESSES NEGATIVELY IN A HIGH COST STATE LIKE NEW JERSEY.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT JACK CIATTARELLI'S PLATFORM, HIS IS ONE OF REFORM, AND SO HE'S LOOKING AT IT AS A, HOW DO WE FIX WHAT'S BROKEN AND BRING DOWN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN ORDER TO EMPOWER AND ENABLE BUSINESS TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES.

WHEREAS ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE'RE CAUSING BUSINESS TO SPEND MORE MONEY INTO THE ECONOMY.

FRANKLY, IT'S THE CBT THAT CARRIED NEW JERSEY THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I WOULD SAY CBT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO SUNSET THAT NOW IS MANDATED, THAT'S THE LARGEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

IT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAD A GREAT INFLUX OF MONEY LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THAT HIGHEST IN THE NATION CBT SO IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF TAXING ONE SIDE IN ORDER TO CREATE ECONOMIC MOMENTUM VERSUS REFORM AND FIXING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE CLEAR DIFFERENCE TO ME.

>> YEAH, WE'LL JUST SAY CBT IS CORPORATE BUSINESS TAX FOR THOSE OF US LAYPEOPLE HERE.

JOHN, YOU SEE THINGS THE SAME WAY?

>> WELL, LET ME JUST PICK UP ON TOM'S POINT AND THEN I'LL HAVE A RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION.

I THINK -- WELL, I DON'T THINK, I KNOW OUR TEAM HAS RESPONDED VERY STRONGLY TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE FORM WITH TOM'S ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS MICHELLE'S HAS BEEN BEARING A LOT OF FRUIT.

MOREOVER, THE CORPORATE RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT BLACK BUSINESSES HAVE FACED, BLACK COMMUNITIES, HAS BEEN VERY, VERY ENCOURAGING AND SUBSTANTIVE.

IN TERMS OF THE CANDIDATES, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE DIALOGUE AROUND SOME SYSTEMIC ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO BLACK PEOPLE.

OUR HIGH POVERTY, OUR HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF DANCING AROUND THAT.

I STILL SAY THAT THE TRADES HAVE A PREFERENCE IN THIS STATE WHEREAS BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE HAVE TO DO A DISPARITY STUDY TO GET INTO THE STATE'S ECONOMY IN A MORE EQUITABLE WAY.

ALSO, AUTO INSURANCE IN NEW JERSEY, YOU KNOW, CREDIT SCORING, EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL PROXIES FOR DETERMINING AUTO INSURANCE RATES WHICH I THINK IT SHOULD NOT BE.

SO, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES.

I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.

IN TERMS OF JACK CIATTARELLI, I THINK HE'S A BRIGHT INDIVIDUAL, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT HE HAS TO GET A LITTLE DEEPER IN THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE FOLKS.

BLACK PEOPLE, WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, THEY THINK HE'S A NICE GUY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ENGAGED IN A WAY FOR HIM TO REALLY UNDERSTAND OUR ISSUES, TO BE PERSUASIVE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, GOVERNOR MURPHY, YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH GOVERNOR MURPHY, BUT HE'S A GUY WE KNOW, AND HE'S A GUY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO RESPOND MORE FAVORABLY AND AMICABLY TO SOME OF OUR ISSUES, SO I WOULD SAY, AND I'M PROBABLY GETTING TO THE END OF THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE WE GET THERE, RIGHT NOW, GOVERNOR MURPHY'S THE CHAMP AND YOU'VE GOT TO KNOCK THE CHAMP OUT AND YOU CAN'T BEAT THE CHAMP WITH A DECISION.

>> RIGHT.

TOM, THE STATE'S INCENTIVE PROGRAMS BEFORE AND SINCE THE PANDEMIC DONE ANY GOOD OVERALL?

I KNOW THERE WAS A PERIOD THERE WHEN THE BROADER INCENTIVE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE PRE-COVID THING, DIDN'T EXIST, AND THEY BROUGHT IN SOME INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WERE MUCH MORE COVID-RELATED.

HAVE ANY OF THEM SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE?

>> WELL, THEY JUST KICKED IN.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, REALLY, AND I THINK SOME OF THE FIRST SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE BOARD THROUGH THE EEA.

I JUST HAD LUNCH TODAY WITH A VERY LARGE COMPANY THAT IS CONSIDERING COMING TO NEW JERSEY THAT'S GOING TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THOSE INCENTIVES, SO THERE ARE MORE STRINGENT THAN THEY WERE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS A LITTLE MORE CUMBERSOME THAN IT WAS BEFORE, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE BEARING FRUIT, AND I HOPE IT DOES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE -- WE HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER STATES TO DRAW BUSINESS AND GUARANTEE BUSINESSES IN HERE AND SO I THINK THAT THE REAL TELL OF THE TAPE WILL BE DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY SUCCESSES.

LET ME BACK UP TO YOUR COMMENT, THOUGH, YOU ASKED MICHELLE AND JOHN ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES.

LET ME SAY THAT BOTH OF THESE TWO CANDIDATES ARE VERY FERVENT BELIEVERS IN THEIR APPROACH TO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ECONOMY OF OUR STATE.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT.

THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES, BUT THEY BOTH ARE BELIEVERS IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

AND I THINK FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHICH I'M IN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE -- WE CAN PUT OURSELVES IN JACK CIATTARELLI'S SHOES BECAUSE WE WERE IN BUSINESS AND WE KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING.

I'VE NEVER BEEN IN GOVERNMENT.

I CAN'T PUT MYSELF IN THE GOVERNOR'S SHOES TO SEE WHERE HE FEELS HIS POLICIES WILL TAKE THE ECONOMIC TO A GREATER PLACE, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE STUCK TO THEIR GUNS.

THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES.

NEITHER IS RIGHT.

NEITHER IS WRONG.

AND DOWN THE ROAD, WE'LL FIND OUT WHICH WAS BEST.

>> OR BOTH ARE RIGHT AND BOTH ARE WRONG, I GUESS.

I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANTED TO -- I WANT TO GET THIS QUESTION IN FOR ALL OF YOU.

ANY ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GOVERNOR?

LET'S PRETEND IT'S THE DAY AFTER ELECTION DAY AND YOU GET A CALL FROM THE WINNER, HEY, MICHELLE, GOT ANY ADVICE FOR ME ON HOW TO GET THE STATE'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY BACK ON TRACK?

WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER, MICHELLE?

>> OH, BRING US BACK TO THE TABLE.

I MEAN, LET'S SIT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TOUGH ISSUES.

WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO STUDY THEM.

WE DON'T NEED TASK FORCES.

WE'VE GOT THE LIST.

ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, IN A COVID WORLD.

SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOUND INVESTMENTS FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BUSINESSES FOR THE FUTURE, PARTICULARLY OUR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES, INVESTMENT IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO BUILD THE SKILLS OF THE JOBS OF TOMORROW, BECAUSE FRANKLY, A LOT OF JOBS THAT PEOPLE LEFT ARE NOT THE JOBS THAT THEY'RE COMING BACK TO.

AND INVESTMENT TO RECONFIGURE THE BUSINESS MODELS THAT WE NEED FOR THE FUTURE GIVEN, AGAIN, THIS NEW HYBRID ROLE THAT WE LIVE IN BETWEEN REMOTE AND THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHICH, FRANKLY, IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF THE JOBS BEFORE BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT THOSE JOBS ANYMORE.

SO, THOSE ARE SOME REAL SUSTAINABLE THINGS, AND THEN OF COURSE, ANYTHING THAT DRIVES DOWN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND NO MORE MANDATES.

WE CANNOT HAVE ANY MORE MANDATES ON BUSINESSES.

IT'S TOO TOUGH FOR THEM RIGHT NOW.

>> ALL RIGHT, TOM, MICHELLE DIDN'T LEAVE MUCH ON THE TABLE.

WHAT OTHER ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE WINNER OF NEXT MONTH'S ELECTION?

>> I WOULD KEEP IT VERY SIMPLE AND KIND OF PICKS UP ON WHAT MICHELLE SAID.

NOTHING BEATS OPEN, CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN INTERESTED PARTIES.

I'M ON A 50-STATE TASK FORCE WITH THE U.S. CHAMBER.

WE MEET ONCE A WEEK, AND I'M SO ENVIOUS OF OTHER STATES WHO HAVE WEEKLY, MONTHLY, BIWEEKLY, BIMONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION -- AND THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS.

THOSE STATES ARE DOING QUITE WELL ECONOMICALLY.

AND WE NEED TO DO THAT IN NEW JERSEY.

THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN ADDRESS OUR PROBLEMS UNLESS WE HAVE OPEN, CONSISTENT DIALOGUE.

THAT HAS TO BE DONE WHOMEVER BECOMES THE GOVERNOR.

IF THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED, WE CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS DECISIONS WHERE WE CAN -- EVERYBODY CAN AGREE AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

THAT IS MISSING, AND IT HAS TO BE IN PLACE GOING FORWARD.

>> ALL RIGHT.

JOHN, JACK CIATTARELLI OR PHIL MURPHY ON LINE 2 FOR YOU.

>> YEAH.

>> 30 SECONDS FOR SOME ADVICE FOR THEM.

>> YEAH, GOOD EVENING, GOVERNOR.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I AGREE WITH BOTH MY COLLEAGUES.

SUBSTANTIVE DIALOGUE BUT ALSO NOT JUST DIALOGUE.

WE NEED TO HAVE SOME VERY SPECIFIC TARGETS.

AS I SAID, BLACKS ARE THE HIGHEST POVERTY, HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW MEDIAN NET WORTH IS $5,900 VERSUS $350,000 FOR WHITES.

WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CONCRETE STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THESE SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES.

AND DO WHAT YOU SAY.

I MEAN, ONCE WE AGREE ON A PATH TO SUCCESS, AGREE AND LET'S SEE IT THROUGH, AND I THINK OFTENTIMES THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE SAID, BUT THE FOLLOW-UP, THE SUBSTANTIVE ENGAGEMENT TO GET THEM DONE HAS BEEN AVOIDED.

SO MY HOPE IS THAT WHOEVER'S ELECTED TO BECOME OUR NEXT GOVERNOR WILL NOT TAKE US FOR GRANTED, THAT OUR INVESTMENT AND OUR VOTE SHOULD BE RECIPROCAL IN GETTING SOMETHING TO PUT BLACK PEOPLE IN A BETTER PLACE IN OUR STATE.

>> ALL RIGHT, JOHN HARMON, MICHELLE, TOM BRACKEN, GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON WITH US.

THAT IS "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS ALSO TO STEPHANIE SILVERA.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, @DAVIDCRUZNJ.

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FOR THE ENTIRE CREW OVER HERE, I'M DAVID CRUZ.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AT THE DEBATE.

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