The New Jersey Economic Development Authority

goal of higher wages and increased employment for all. New Jersey’s economic future requires an investment in education to ensure the next generation of New Jersey’s workforce has the tools to succeed in an innovation economy. This includes new initiatives such as a “Computer Science for All” program that funds technology and programming classes in K-12 schools for the first time, a STEM loan forgiveness program that reduces student loan obligations for graduates in high-growth STEM occupations who stay in New Jersey, and the NJ Career Accelerator Internship Program that offers students on-the-job experience through paid internships. In his recent budget address, the Governor proposed increasing spending on K-12 public schools by $557.5 million since 2018. In addition to these initiatives, Governor Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Zakiya Smith Ellis recently unveiled the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s Strategic Plan. The plan offers a student-centered roadmap to making pictured above Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer higher education more affordable and accessible to all students. I encourage you to read it at https://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/ stateplan.shtml. Investing in Communities To build world-class cities, towns, and infrastructure statewide, we need to continue to make New Jersey among the best places in the country to live and work. That starts with investing in our cities and downtowns and helping to turn around communities that have suffered from underinvestment and geographic and economic isolation. Earlier this year, we expanded our Small Business Lease Assistance Program, which reimburses small businesses a portion of annual lease payments for new or additional space leased in targeted areas around the state. The program is now available in thirteen cities, including the five legislatively-designated Garden State Growth