Month: November 2018

Murphy Partners LLP is proud to announce that Roosevelt J. Donat has been admitted to the Leadership Newark Public Policy Fellowship Program, class of 2020.

Established in 1998, Leadership Newark, Inc. was born out of a desire to strengthen the City of Newark’s civic infrastructure through public policy enrichment and leadership training & development. Why the focus on public policy issues – because government policy affects the entire community. Why the focus on leadership training & development – to enable those armed with a deeper understanding of community issues to develop the skills necessary to make change and have lasting impact. As a result, the founders determined it would be wise to tap Newark & New Jersey’s greatest asset – it’s people to make a difference. Leadership Newark invests in the intellectual capital of the community to improve the state of affairs for the greater good.

Key stakeholders in a variety of sectors, including government, business, corporate, nonprofit, and education were brought together to assess the type of support such a program would garner. It was determined not only would such a program be supported, but it was needed to help the City of Newark undergo a Renaissance. As a result the organization designed a leadership development program. Today, Leadership Newark is known for administering a 2-year public policy fellowship program attracting diverse, active and committed professionals to participate in a program that expand their knowledge and pushes one to delve deeper into the public discourse to improve community.

In addition to the flagship public policy fellowship program, Leadership Newark has expanded to offer additional programs reaching youth, teens and adult populations. The programs include board service training, public policy summits, board match/placement and special initiatives to support local nonprofits. The network is 600+ strong. The personal achievements and collective impact can be felt throughout the City, County, and State.

In 2014, Senator Cory Booker during his tenure as mayor for the City of Newark stated, “My Administration has been a great beneficiary of the tremendous work of Leadership Newark….And, we are partnering with dozens of organizations throughout the City that are being led by Leadership Newark alumnae. The impact of Leadership Newark is being felt throughout our great City.”

In April 2016, Mayor Ras Baraka notes, “Leadership Newark has played a major role in our City’s transformation, by working tirelessly to build the future we want for the City we love. I am proud of the vital role Leadership Newark is playing as a partner in our work. Truly, Leadership Newark is a winner.”

“I have no doubt that Roosevelt’s deep commitment to the City of Newark and the State of New Jersey and his understanding of the intersection of law, business, policy, nonprofit and government will make him a great addition to Leadership Newark. As a firm, we are proud of his continued dedication to serving the Newark community.” says Kellen F. Murphy, managing partner at Murphy Partners LLP.

For more information on Leadership Newark, please visit https://www.leadershipnewark.org/.

This morning, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will hold its monthly board meeting. Among the actions to be taken, the Board will adopt new rules for the Film & Digital Media Tax Credit Program, and consider three applications under the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program (Grow NJ).

Created by legislation passed earlier this year, the Film & Digital Media Tax Credit Program will allow for taxpayers (in most cases, production companies) to seek a tax credit for qualified film production and digital media content production expenses. Applications will be approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury. Approved applicants are entitled to claim a credit against CBT or GIT liability in an amount equal to 30 percent (35 percent in limited cases) of the qualified film production expenses or 20 percent (25 percent in limited cases) of the qualified digital media content production expenses.

Created under the Economic Opportunity Act of 2013, the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program (Grow NJ) is the State’s main job creation and retention incentive program. Under the Grow NJ program, businesses creating or retaining jobs in the State may be eligible for tax credits ranging from $500 to $5,000 per job, per year; with bonus credits ranging from $250 to $3,000 per job, per year (awards vary based on applicable criteria).

The Grow NJ program has been wildly popular and incredibly successful. Since its implementation, 250 projects have received awards, totaling over $4.7 billion in tax credits. Approved applicants generally have three years to certify, or complete, a project. A project is deemed complete when the applicant has hired or retained the number of employees listed in its application, and satisfied the program’s capital investment requirements. Once certified, the 250 projects will drive over $4.5 billion in private capital investment, create over 32,000 new jobs, and retain over 35,000 jobs at risk of leaving the State.

If interested in learning more about these programs, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Murphy at (973) 877-6984 or cmurphy@murphyllp.com.