Hagner, Holtzman Endorsed by Independent Businesses

Nicole Hagner, the mayor of Chatham Township, and District 27 General Assembly runningmate Lee Holtzman announced that they were endorsed by the New Jersey branch of the National Federation of Independent Business (NIFB).

The two Republican candidates for State Assembly said the endorsement is another indication that the tax-hiking policies of their Democratic opponents will not encourage job creation and small business in the Garden State.

"John McKeon has become the go-to guy whenever Trenton politicians need someone to champion a tax increase,” Hagner said. “Not only has he voted for more than $10 billion worth of tax increases over the past decade on sales, income and small businesses, he personally sponsored laws to increase taxes on televisions, garbage and commercial real estate. He was also the point man for the latest effort to raise the income tax on small business owners at the same time the economy was forcing them to lay off many of our friends and family."

“In the four years since she was hand-picked by party insiders, Mila Jasey has voted for $3.5 billion tax increases,” Holtzman said. “Under McKeon’s tutelage, there is no doubt that that tally will climb higher if she is given another term.

Hagner and Holtzman said the NFIB endorsement is a strong indication that small businesses want new leaders in Trenton who won’t raise taxes so that such businesses can have the confidence to expand in New Jersey.

“The NFIB’s endorsement of our candidacies is a condemnation of the jobs-killing policies that our opponents have embraced and an affirmation in the common sense job growth policies that we will bring to Trenton,” Hagner said.

“Nicole and I will oppose the failed policies of the past that have driven taxes up and jobs right out of the state,” Holtzman said. “The NFIB has faith in our ability to keep our economy moving forward, and we will do everything we can to foster job growth in New Jersey.”