When Will NJ Governor Murphy Help Dying Restaurant Industry?

A New Jersey Republican Senators want to save struggling local business and restaurants. They want to do this by overriding a recent veto by Governor Phil Murphy.

Murphy’s said no to legislation that would help restaurants expand food and drink to include outdoor service.

New Jersey’s struggling restaurant industry. Can’t survive with only 25% of capacity.

The bill was recently squashed by Governor Murphy.

Since March 2020, restaurants have been barely hanging on.

Places like Buddakan and The Continental inside the pier at Caesars, closed since March, will never reopen.

Reports say 30% of New Jersey restaurants will never reopen.

Tight restrictions by Governor Murphy. Follow the science. What science?

Here’s the letter sent by NJ Senators.

Dear President Sweeney and Speaker Coughlin,

We write to urge you to schedule votes to override Governor Murphy’s veto of legislation, A-4525, that was intended to help restaurants, bars, and breweries to survive the economic harm caused by nearly a year of indoor dining restrictions due to COVID-19.

At no time during the months the bill was under consideration did Governor Murphy express concerns with the bipartisan legislation, which passed through both houses of the Legislature without a single dissenting vote.

This legislation is a measured and temporary response to help struggling establishments in all our communities to remain viable by allowing expanded food and beverage service to outdoor spaces they own or lease, including patios, decks, yards, walkways, parking lots, and sidewalks.

We have been warned by representatives of the restaurant industry and operators of local establishments that many restaurants, bars, and breweries are on the brink of closing. They simply cannot make enough to pay their bills under current limitations.

Governor Murphy’s inaction on other fronts to support small businesses, including restaurants, makes the override of his veto of A-4525 all the more urgent. We urge you to schedule override votes in both chambers as soon as possible.