The Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders has unanimously adopted Resolution 384, which urges Gov. Phil Murphy to reopen businesses in New Jersey.
The bipartisan resolution adopted Aug. 18 cites the New Jersey Business Coalition’s Recovery and Reinvention Framework 2.0 and comments from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. The Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders is the first group of elected officials to pass a resolution in support of the New Jersey Business Coalition’s efforts.
“Our elected officials are hearing the business community’s pain points and we applaud their bipartisan support of the Coalition’s efforts to responsibly reopen business,” said Michael Chait, president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber.
“These businesses have incurred significant, additional operational costs related to PPE, take-out packaging, and tenting – all while losing an enormous portion of their seasonal revenue which carries them through the offseason. Outdoor dining will soon lose its appeal as the summer is ending. We need to responsibly move indoors for the long-term survival of the restaurant industry and maybe our region.”
Frank Formica, chairman of the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, echoed Chait’s comments.
“The Governor’s decision to not reopen indoor dining in Atlantic County will be a life-and-death decision for many long-standing and iconic restaurants,” Formica said. “The administration has an opportunity to save these businesses. A decision to not reopen is also a decision that will permanently close a number of these time-honored, family-owned small businesses.”
The New Jersey Business Coalition is hopeful that additional counties will follow the Atlantic County Freeholders’ resolution and support the data driven framework.
The New Jersey Business Coalition, a collection of more than 100 leading business and nonprofit groups throughout the state including NJBIA, will continue to call for a regional approach to the reopening of New Jersey’s economy. New Jersey has seen the flattening of the curve with improved COVID-19 case numbers, but its economic health is still lagging.
African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Inc.
American Camp Association NY/NJ
New Jersey Camps Government Affairs Project
American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey
American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey
Bernards Township Regional Chamber of Commerce
Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Cape May County Chamber of Commerce
Capital Region Minority Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey
Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey
Downtown New Jersey
Early Childhood Education Advocates
Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Employers Association of NJ
Fuel Merchants Associates of NJ
Garden State Pharmacy Owners, Inc
Global Business Alliance
Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce
Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce
Greater NJ Motorcoach Association
Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Healthcare Institute of NJ
Hoboken Chamber of Commerce
Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey
Home Health Services Association of New Jersey
Hudson County Chamber of Commerce
Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce
Insurance Council of New Jersey
International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association
Jersey Shore Partnership
Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce
Marine Trades Association of New Jersey
Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Meadowlands Chamber
Monmouth Ocean Development Council
Morris County Chamber of Commerce
NAIOP-NJ
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Newark Alliance
Newark Regional Business Partnership
New Jersey Asphalt Pavement Association
New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
New Jersey Business & Industry Association
New Jersey Campground Owners and Outdoor Lodging Association
New Jersey Chemistry Council
New Jersey Civil Justice Institute
New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers
New Jersey Concrete and Aggregate Association
New Jersey Dental Association
New Jersey Gasoline-Convenience-Automotive Association
New Jersey Hotel and Lodging Industry Association
New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Association
New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance
New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc.
New Jersey Motor Truck Association
New Jersey Pharmacists Association
New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society
New Jersey Realtors
New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association
New Jersey Retail Merchants Association
New Jersey Salon and Spa Coalition
New Jersey Self Insurers Association
New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants
New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce
New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association
New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce
New Jersey Tourism Industry Association
New Jersey Utilities Association
New Jersey Warehousemen & Movers Association
New Jersey Utilities Association
North Jersey Jewish Business Alliance
Ocean City Chamber of Commerce
Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce
Recreational Fishing Alliance
Salem County Chamber of Commerce
Somerset County Business Partnership
Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce
Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ
Sussex County Chamber of Commerce
The United Boatmen of N.J.
Union Township Chamber of Commerce
Washington Borough BID