REMARKS: Governor Murphy Delivers 2025 State of the State Address
Paul David Roman, NJLBHA President
After all we in the public health community have done to support you and your programs, i am shocked and dismayed that not one word, let alone one dollar was [is] dedicated to support the understaffed and underfunded local public heath system through our boards of heath and the 104 local and county depts and regional health commissions they oversee.
The cares and arpa funds are gone no later than this 30 June. New Jersey is staffed at 1/3 of the national standard and is still not really ready for the next outbreak. i have written you and spoken with staff and spoken at the league about this situation. Because of the assembly speaker’s and former assembly heath chair’s lack of support and not much better support in the senate, public health, the most important function of government is ignored at budget time and now, again by you.
This is a black mark on your administration and on you personally . 3 years ago, you apparently told my senator vin gopal that if a bill was passed to restore the statutorily required public health funding and a sustainment provision, that you would sign it. if you want to take credit for something, how about saving lives through prevention and positive public health action. today, since 2011, local public health foundational services are minimally funded by property taxes. The lack of sustained funding from the state is negatively affecting the wellness and the mortality of our citizens. it is time to take a stand in support of population health and wellness especially in our perennially underserved populations who rely on the public health system such as it is. It is well past time to show positive leadership in this critical matter.