New Jersey-2012-AR102-Introduced

An Assembly Resolution urging certain officials of the State of New Jersey to raise the awareness in the business community of the existence of the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" website.

Whereas, The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States Department of Labor indicates that 536,500 new employer firms began operations in the United States in 2011, and that 501,200 employer firms closed that year; and

Whereas, The Office of Advocacy in the United States Small Business Administration reports that about half of all newly established employer firms survive at least five years; and

Whereas, In the current turbulent economic waters, owners and operators of established businesses find it particularly challenging to stay afloat, while potential entrepreneurs are extraordinarily daunted to take the plunge and set up new commercial enterprises; and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey has established numerous programs designed to assist entrepreneurs looking to invest in New Jersey, help businesses seeking to maintain or expand operations in New Jersey, and improve businesses' overall prospects in New Jersey; and

Whereas, In 2006, the State of New Jersey created the "Taking Care of Business" internet portal as a one-stop location for businesses to access information on State business assistance programs; and

Whereas, The "Taking Care of Business" internet portal has subsequently been expanded and renamed the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal;" and

Whereas, The existence of the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" is not widely known in the business community; and

Whereas, The unawareness of the internet portal causes many businesses to spend more time than needed researching State business assistance programs and to unwittingly miss out on potentially vital State assistance; and

Whereas, That lack of awareness is an avoidable impediment to New Jersey's economic recovery that stunts business performance and jeopardizes the very existence of some potentially viable business operations; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Governor of the State of New Jersey, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey, the State Treasurer of the State of New Jersey, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority are urged to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate businesses on the existence of the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" website. At a minimum, the public awareness campaign is urged to include a) the reaching out to local and regional chambers of commerce and business organizations to raise the profile of the internet portal; b) the encouragement of State agencies that interface with businesses, including, but not limited to, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Banking and Insurance, to bring the portal to the attention of businesses with which the agencies come in contact; c) the placement of the link and information for the portal in a more prominent position on the State of New Jersey website and on the websites of State agencies interfacing with businesses, including, but not limited to, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Banking and Insurance; and d) the attempt at finding a different name and web address for the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" that would more clearly reflect the portal's purpose of helping businesses find out about business support services, business assistance programs, and legal requirements pertaining to businesses.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Governor of the State of New Jersey, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey, the State Treasurer of the State of New Jersey, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

STATEMENT

This Assembly resolution calls on the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the State Treasurer, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to launch a public awareness campaign to inform business owners and operators of the existence of the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" internet site. At a minimum, the public awareness campaign is urged to include a) the reaching out to local and regional chambers of commerce and business organizations to raise the profile of the internet portal; b) the encouragement of State agencies to bring the portal to the attention of businesses with which they interface; c) the placement of the link and information for the portal in a more prominent position on the State of New Jersey website and on the websites of State agencies interfacing with businesses; and d) the attempt at finding a different name and web address for the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" that would more clearly reflect the portal's purpose of helping businesses find out about business support services, business assistance programs, and legal requirements pertaining to businesses.

The State operates numerous business assistance programs intended to help commercial enterprises survive, be profitable, and grow. Yet too many business operators and owners remain unaware of these programs. To spread the word of their existence, the State created the "Taking Care of Business" internet portal as a one-stop location for businesses in 2006. The portal has since been expanded and renamed the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal." Many business owners and operators, however, do not know of the portal. That ignorance can lead to the unnecessary closure of businesses and the rejection of otherwise feasible business expansions. It is therefore vital for New Jersey's economic recovery that as many business owners and operators as possible are aware of the "State of New Jersey - NJ Business Portal" as a source of information on available State business assistance programs.