New Jersey Gubernatorial Race: Where Do the Governor Candidates Stand on the Issues?

We’ll establish a statewide task force to drive affordable housing development, reserve half of all tax incentives for these projects and launch a First Loss Capital Fund through a New Jersey public bank to reduce risk and accelerate construction. We’ll cap rent increases to the cost of living for two years, regulate corporate investors, expand land trusts and support innovative homeownership models. Paired with strong foreclosure prevention and eviction protections, this plan delivers the bold, statewide action New Jersey urgently needs.

New Jersey’s housing crisis is forcing families out. I have introduced the most comprehensive and detailed plan of any candidate for governor that includes doubling production of housing, expanding homeownership, cracking down on corporate landlords, eliminating bad rent-setting algorithms and holding wealthy towns accountable for blocking development.

A place to start is to lower property taxes and help renters with a tax credit. My tax cut plan does both. I will lower property taxes for homeowners by nearly 15 percent and give renters a tax cut. In addition, we need to build more housing that’s affordable near mass transit, and we should utilize abandoned office parks. I will look for ways to speed up the development process, cut red tape that’s holding up new construction, and find new, innovative models of homeownership and financing to help younger families and seniors.

To make New Jersey more affordable, we have to make housing more affordable. The status quo approach that got us here isn’t going to cut it. We have a shortage of 150,000-200,000 units, which raises costs for both buyers and renters. As governor, I will build more housing and lower prices through innovative solutions: converting underutilized infrastructure and commercial buildings into housing units, expanding first-time home buyer programs and cracking down on landlords who illegally fix their prices and don’t maintain their properties.

I will partner with municipalities to build needed affordable, work force and senior housing so they do not rely on developers, who add hundreds of luxury units. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund will be fully used for this work. I support the increase in the realty transfer fee on luxury homes. Additionally, I will limit corporate buying of homes; invest in foreclosure and eviction prevention; move abandoned and foreclosed properties to market; and target home buyer assistance programs in communities of color that have been systematically excluded from the housing market (a large factor in the wealth gap).

The average price of a New Jersey home is about $550,000, which makes the dream of owning a home unattainable for far too many. As governor, I pledge to build 200,000 new housing units across the state. Not only will that open opportunities for current New Jersey residents to own a home, but it will also draw new residents to move in, start new businesses and contribute back to their communities. I’ll also give young residents help by providing additional down-payment assistance to be first-time home buyers.

I opposed the legislation passed by the majority in Trenton that began the process of ending local zoning laws. I believe New Jersey should return to regional affordable housing goals instead of setting them on a town-by-town basis. Development decisions should be left to local governments and not dictated by Trenton mandates.

I do not support mandated housing construction in every municipality. Rather, I would support a regional approach focused on driving population growth to transit hubs and urban centers. I believe that approach must come via a legislative solution — not a judge — and, if need be, a constitutional amendment.

I plan to end the process of forcing affordable housing upon communities, even if it means suing to overturn the Mt. Laurel decision or using an executive order. (The court ruling limited the use of exclusionary zoning as a means of preventing the construction of affordable housing in wealthy communities.)

I will oppose any effort to roll back protections for undocumented residents. We’ll codify the Immigrant Trust Directive into law, expand legal assistance to help immigrants avoid deportation and strengthen worker protections against exploitation. I’ll also support pathways to state IDs and professional licenses so all residents, regardless of status, can contribute fully to New Jersey’s economy and communities.

As governor, two concrete steps: I will codify the Immigrant Trust Directive into law and strengthen the Office of New Americans in Trenton. Many of the resettlement agencies that support recently arrived refugees — those who came through legal pathways — have seen an abrupt halt to their federal funding, making it impossible for them to provide important services in the first year of the lives of these newly arrived families.

I strongly support the Immigrant Trust Directive. The last thing we need are federal authorities playing cowboy in our streets and threatening the safety of Jersey residents. I believe in tough borders and public safety. But, the Trump administration’s directive to round up innocent immigrants at places like churches, schools and restaurants is unacceptable. As governor, I’ll do everything in my power to fight back against illegal mass raids and roundups of innocent people. Moreover, I’ll make it clear to President Trump that Jersey is going to govern how Jersey wants, not as he decrees.

In New Jersey, we’re going to uphold the Constitution, treat people with dignity and keep law-abiding residents safe. I support stronger border security, prosecuting those who are convicted of violent offenses and comprehensive federal reform that brings security and solutions to our broken immigration system.

As an immigrant who came here as a little boy, I did not worry ICE would pull my family apart. I will not support President Trump’s attempts to stoke fear and chaos. Federal ICE agents will be expected to follow the laws. We will protect schools and houses of worship from raids. We will invest in legal assistance and services. We will not invest resources in cooperating with ICE raids. If the Immigrant Trust Act is not law, I will make it a priority.

Everyone must follow the law, and anyone who has committed a crime does not belong here. That standard, however, applies to the federal government as well. The illegality of the president’s raids are unacceptable. While we need to enforce our laws, his efforts have been carried out carelessly and inhumanely. I will use my authority as governor to enforce our immigration laws, and my discretion to determine whether federal efforts are operating lawfully.

I will work with the federal government to enforce federal immigration laws. Congress must do its job and pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants who have paid taxes.

I have long opposed the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive and will repeal it on Day 1 as governor. In doing so, I will ban municipalities from declaring themselves sanctuary cities. Those who disobey could have municipal aid withheld from Trenton until they comply with my administration. I will work with the Trump administration to fix our broken immigration system.

We will end sanctuary state policy. And, yes, we will work with President Trump and ICE. We will enforce the laws of our country.

Beyond defending the Reproductive Freedom Act, I support the Reproductive Freedom and Health Equity Bill package to expand access. This includes full insurance and Medicaid coverage for reproductive care, over-the-counter emergency contraception, a Reproductive Health Care Access Fund and loan forgiveness programs to grow our reproductive health work force and ensure care is available to all who need it.

Abortion is health care, and I will keep New Jersey a leader in reproductive rights. We will push for a constitutional amendment to protect women’s reproductive rights. We will continue the current policy of stockpiling mifepristone, and we will push for an expansion of a New Jersey version of the SAFE Act, so people can safely access health care facilities.

New Jersey’s Constitution enshrines a right to privacy, which helps protect reproductive freedom. But we should be even more explicit in defending the right to choose. As governor, I’ll push for a constitutional amendment that would clearly guarantee the right to an abortion. I’ll also fight a Justice Department that seems hellbent on prosecuting innocent women and doctors who are merely trying to provide women’s health care. It’s wrong, and I won’t stand for it.

I’ll work to enshrine abortion rights into our State Constitution and stockpile the abortion pill, mifepristone. I will also expand access to abortion in counties where there are currently no providers. Republicans continue to roll back rights and freedoms for women. As governor, I will do everything I can to expand them.

I will protect access to reproductive health care, including expanding access, regardless of immigration and insurance status. I will make sure that service providers have the funding and protections they need to do their jobs. And I will direct the Department of Health and the Office of Attorney General to have plans in place should there be additional attempts to interfere with these freedoms.

A woman’s right to choose needs to be protected, especially considering threats from Washington to rip it away. I support an amendment to the State Constitution to protect reproductive rights, and I will do everything in my power to stand up to President Trump whenever he tries to infringe on the rights of New Jersey women.

I support a woman’s right to choose. However, I do not support late-term abortion.

Any decision to terminate a pregnancy is deeply personal. With reasonable exceptions and restrictions, this decision should be between a woman, her partner, her faith and her health care professionals. New Jersey should: prohibit, with reasonable exceptions, elective abortions after 20 weeks; support parental notification for minors seeking an abortion; oppose taxpayer funding of abortion; support education and innovative approaches to reduce teenage and unwanted pregnancies.

I am “pro-life,” and I don’t believe abortion should be used as a form of birth control. I think most Americans would agree that seven-, eight- and nine-month abortions are wrong. I do not believe taxpayer money should be used to fund abortions.

We must end the unsustainable practice of using capital funds for operations and secure stable funding by extending the corporate transit fee to businesses making $1 million in profit or more. With dedicated funding, we can expand bus routes, create dedicated lanes, upgrade maintenance and technology and invest in greener transit. This will reduce delays, improve service and make N.J. Transit a reliable, modern system that strengthens our communities and economy.

First, we would change the current corporate tax to make it a perpetual tax on the largest corporations so that we can bond against the revenue to modernize train stations. Second, we would cancel the $11 billion turnpike widening project and reallocate those dollars to light rail expansion in Bergen County and South Jersey. Third, we would no longer privatize bus routes and instead bring that function back within N.J. Transit to improve accountability. Finally, we would implement a “micro transit” program, already in use in Jersey City, in other regions to help in transit deserts.

The entire system needs massive upgrades and real changes. People are paying more while service has gotten worse, especially during summer. If trains are hours late, riders should get their money back. I will hold up the $200 million per year that we pay Amtrak, which owns rails N.J. Transit uses, until it fixes the switches and catenaries. I will also add more N.J. Transit train cars, buses, drivers and routes to improve transit. There needs to be a full review to help modernize operations and give N.J. Transit workers the support they need to improve service.

My husband is an N.J. Transit commuter, and I hear about this at home and in the community all the time. It’s why I fought so hard to secure funding for the Gateway Tunnel. Fixing N.J. Transit is one of my top priorities as governor because this is a fundamental quality of life issue. I will put N.J. Transit’s budget on a sustainable footing by expanding transit-oriented development, monetizing underutilized assets like parking lots and boosting advertising in the system. I will also push to finally improve customer service and communication.

We must increase investment and improve customer service, focusing on reliability, safety and value. This includes better contingency plans and communication when problems arise. We will prioritize shifting to clean energy and additional services, like last-mile routes. I will advocate for a full audit of operations to make sure what is in our control is well run.

We can provide additional funding for increased accessibility, improved services and expanding service to South Jersey — an area long left out of considerations when it comes to public transit — without increasing taxes. We need to make sure that when money is raised to improve N.J. Transit, it is dedicated and not thrown into the Trenton money pit.

Improving reliability is key, but we must also expand service to unserved or underserved communities. Accomplishing either of these goals requires incredible capital, which New Jersey commuters and taxpayers can ill afford. The only way issues with New Jersey Transit will truly be solved is through investment by the federal government and public-private partnerships.

I will seek to create the Garden State Transportation Authority, folding N.J. Transit, the Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority into a single governing body appointed by the governor. In this structure, the state’s transportationcommissioner will become chairman of the board.

The New Jersey establishment has been unable to solve the issue for decades. My administration will find the problems and come up with solutions.

Fixing New Jersey’s tax policy is a top priority. My administration will ease the burden on working families by flattening tax rates for half of households, while ensuring the wealthiest pay their fair share with new brackets on incomes over $500,000. We’ll reinstate the estate tax, reform the mansion tax and expand sales taxes on luxury goods, building a fairer system that strengthens our economy and supports small businesses and middle-class families.

New Jersey’s tax system is broken. We need to examine whether a millionaire’s tax from 20 years ago is still the right standard in 2025 to capture the highest earners. We need to properly structure StayNJ so that we can implement a $6,000 tax break for seniors across New Jersey. We need to push to consolidate schools and municipalities to drive down costs. As a mayor, I’m familiar with New Jersey’s unfunded mandates from Trenton, and they should all be on the table to cut.

I’m the only candidate with a plan to lower costs and taxes for families. My tax cut plan cuts property taxes by nearly 15 percent, gives renters a tax cut, reduces middle-class income taxes, gives seniors a bonus to retire in Jersey, incentivizes families to move to and stay in Jersey and provides a tax credit for every new job businesses bring to our state. See how I fully pay for my tax cut plan at josh4jersey.com.

I will work with municipalities to drive down property taxes through third-party auditing of the State Health Benefits Plan and encouraging shared public services. And by supporting new housing and redevelopment, New Jersey can help municipalities boost their tax base and prevent future tax increases so people can afford to live here. I will also expand New Jersey’s child tax credit and earned-income tax credit to bring relief to middle-class families.

From unfunded state mandates to rapidly rising health care costs, property taxes are too often relied upon to fill in the gaps. The state must do a better job fulfilling our commitments to municipalities, supporting cost saving, shared services and reducing major cost drivers like health care.We must look for innovations like multi-district magnet schools to move toward integration.

New Jersey residents are taxed out. We also know that Donald Trump’s reckless economic agenda will send costs skyrocketing for working families, which is why I’ll send a $400 check to all households earning less than $150,000 annually. I will not raise taxes and will focus my attention to direct resources to struggling households. By further consolidating school districts, we can eliminate segregation and deliver better academic outcomes for students of color.

I will make several changes, including a reduction of the corporation business tax and income tax as well as dedicating all income-tax revenue to school funding, which will result in the full funding of our public schools and an average $800 reduction in property taxes in year one.

I will cap property taxes to a percentage of assessed home value. I will expand the senior property tax freeze; reduce and control state spending; use the line-item veto to eliminate and prevent waste; reduce the corporation business tax; reduce income taxes for all; consolidate tax brackets; prohibit tax increases on home improvements; and make student loan interest tax deductible. To attract more young people to New Jersey, I will refund the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for anyone who attends college here and then lives and works in New Jersey for at least three years.

New Jersey taxes are too high and need to be cut. I will start with the sales and corporate taxes. I will work to reduce or hopefully end property taxes. Let’s start by ending senior citizens’ property taxes so they don’t lose their homes because of property taxes.

To improve public education, we must unify school districts to reduce administrative costs and distribute resources more fairly. We’ll support school integration to promote diversity and invest in community schools that offer wraparound services like mental health care, after-school programs, and family support.

First, we’ll expand universal pre-K into suburban areas. Second, we’ll change how Trenton compensates day care providers to improve parent options. Third, we will adjust the school funding formula to lower property costs around special education that should be paid for by Trenton and not local property taxes. Fourth, we will change how Trenton funds higher education in order to create more accountability toward job-placement outcomes. Finally, we need more pathways for job training in trades outside of college.

The research is clear: If we aren’t making investments in our children’s education by kindergarten, it’s hard to ever catch up. New Jersey is already working to adopt universal pre-K, and as governor, I’ll fully fund and expand early childhood education, so that every child can go to pre-K and get the education they deserve. I also will fully fund full-day kindergarten for every child and implement a wide range of actions to make high-quality child care more affordable for every Jersey family.

I have four kids and have seen firsthand the challenges our children are facing following the pandemic. Social media has contributed to an epidemic of loneliness harming our kids’ mental health. As governor, I will surge the number of school counselors and mental health services to support our students. I’ll also invest in evidence-based programs and in-person activities in schools to help our kids get back on track and recover from the learning loss we saw during the pandemic.

I have a career of teaching and advocating for our students and schools. We will fund our public schools, and that includes needed revisions to the school-funding formula as it approaches 20 years of use. We will invest in proven strategies of community schools to increase attendance, address learning gaps and foster parental engagement. Recruitment and retention for educators will remain a priority for years to come as we have a crisis in both, but also solutions, which include improving culture and climate in our schools.

I helped pass New Jersey’s school funding formula, providing previously underfunded districts with increases of up to 500 percent. We should re-evaluate the school funding formula to improve educational outcomes further, and we’ll increase pay for teachers and work directly with educators and experts to address student absenteeism. I also support Governor Murphy’s push to ban use of cellphones in classrooms to reduce disruptions.

State government must leave successful schools alone while focusing on improving performance in failing districts. Schools should be focused on core subjects instead of unending mandates from Trenton. The addition of these requirements has led to slumping student performance and teachers leaving the profession or not entering the field at all.

I will change the school funding formula and have the state take over the cost of special education. I will expand pre-K by utilizing existing private day care providers and expand charter schools, loosening restrictions on school choice.I will promote partnerships between county colleges, vocational schools and local employers. I will implement a Parents’ Bill of Rights that requires K-12 curriculum sources to be posted online and ensures content is age-appropriate for all children.

Our funding formula doesn’t work and if need be we will challenge the Abbott decision, which requires additional spending on schools in poor districts, and find a better way. We will support parental rights. We will end the woke agenda and get back to real education for our children. I will fight for school choice.

As governor, I’ll expand proven solutions statewide — modernizing storm water systems, strengthening coastal defenses and investing in green infrastructure. We need to accelerate offshore wind and solar projects to cut emissions and create jobs, while also supporting urban areas facing extreme heat and pollution. No matter what happens in Washington, we have a responsibility to protect our communities and future generations.

We need to be strategic on climate change during a Trump administration and prioritize projects that don’t rely on federal support. First, we should focus on open space preservation in New Jersey, which is essential to flood mitigation. Second, we can limit massive warehouse growth with smart zoning because of the huge impact they have on flooding. Third, we can work on procurement and preparation for renewable energy in a post-Trump administration so we don’t waste precious time in 2028. Finally, we need to hold corporate polluters accountable in New Jersey and we need to enact stronger local policies.

We need an all-of-the-above energy approach — alternative energy, wind, solar, small nuclear, along with more EV chargers to encourage electric vehicles. We also need to modernize the grid to expand its capacity, so that more energy is available and we can get utility bills down for families.

I have the Army Corps of Engineers on speed dial because I am constantly working on flood mitigation projects in North Jersey. Municipalities simply don’t have the tools to solve this alone — that’s why I brought federal, state, and local stakeholders together to fund projects along the Whippany, Peckman and Rahway Rivers. As governor, I will create a true statewide flood mitigation and resiliency plan — and make sure we stick to it.

As we face headwinds during the Trump administration, I will not waver from our clean energy goals. In fact, we have to do more while the federal government pulls back. We must invest in a menu of clean energy strategies, including EV infrastructure, solar, improving our grid’s capacity and resiliency, and storage. I will prioritize full implementation of New Jersey’s environmental justice law because all communities deserve clean air, water and resiliency to the impacts of climate change.

We need to combat climate change, and I’ll take on Donald Trump to protect the solar and wind projects that I started as Senate president. But we need to make life more affordable for New Jersey families and businesses. As governor, I will embrace an all-of-the-above energy approach — from wind, solar and nuclear, to hydrogen and natural gas — while working with experts and community members to save our coastal communities from climate change-induced weather and flooding.

While I am opposed to offshore wind projects, I remain open to affordable alternative energy options and believe we should encourage the construction of nuclear.

Governor Murphy’s energy policies are unaffordable, unreliable and unrealistic. Look no further than the skyrocketing electricity bills and complete crash-and-burn of his offshore wind farm plan. As governor, I will implement a new energy master plan that promotes an all-of-the-above energy policy and repeals unrealistic and unaffordable state mandates and timelines regarding electric vehicle sales, household appliances, home renovation and home construction. I will ban offshore wind farms and withdraw New Jersey from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

We will end Governor Murphy’s failed green energy agenda. We will focus on proven energy like natural gas, coal and nuclear, including new ideas like small modular reactors. We will improve and repair our failing infrastructure.