TRENTON (June 26, 2017): In response to the continued dialogue regarding a proposal to raid $300 million from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield’s reserve funds, the following statement may be attributed to Laurie Ehlbeck, New Jersey State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB):
The National Federation of Independent Business is adamantly opposed to this fiscal gimmick and would instead prefer that legislators do the work necessary to tackle the debilitating budgetary future that awaits us all.
As the fiscal year comes to a close, we should all be focusing on substantive budgetary reform, but unfortunately, we must continue to fight against over regulation and the interference of the day to day operations of the private sector. We have one of the worst economic outlooks in the country because our lawmakers fail to comprehend that sustaining the hostile business environment that exists today does nothing but drive away employers.
Business owners in the State of New Jersey have been doing more with less for a decade. They don’t have the luxury of raiding reserve funds for a cash grab and neither should legislators. The time has come to budget for state spending the same way a small business owner does, and that means stop spending money that simply isn’t there.
Unfortunately, this proposal and is just another move in a series of fiscal shell games that have been occurring in Trenton. In order to stop the record-setting outward migration happening to our state, we are going to need a lot less magic tricks and a lot more leadership.
