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New Jersey's legislative leaders and the Hon. Robert Menendez, newly elected chairman of the Democratic Caucus in the US House of Representatives, will be among the featured speakers at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association's Public Policy Forum next week.

The Forum will be held from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place in Iselin. The news media is invited.

The theme of this year's Forum is "Charting a New Course-A Pro-Growth Agenda for 2003." Business and political leaders will discuss what can be done to improve business confidence as the state struggles to emerge from a recession that began last year. An important focus of the Forum will be how to make the state more business friendly in the wake of a $1 billion business tax hike and other state policies that have been costly to business.

If you would like to reserve a ticket, you can call Stacy Wichner at 609-393-7707, ext. 213, or Sherry Esteves, ext. 219. Or you can start the registration process online.

Public Policy Forum Program

8:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Opening Breakfast Program

Presentation of the Leonard C. Johnson Award
Recipient: Maurice Coffee, Vice President Government Relations, Virtua Health

2003 Business Outlook
Speaker: Joseph E. Gonzalez, Jr., President, NJBIA
The economic outlook based on the findings of NJBIA's annual survey of its 18,500 member companies.

PRO-GROWTH AGENDA FOR 2003
Speaker: Philip Kirschner, Executive Vice President, NJBIA
How government leaders can encourage employment growth in a weak economy.

RESTORING BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
Legislative Leaders Panel
Economic weakness and a steep decline in state revenues make the current legislative session one of the most challenging in many years. As the state's legislative leaders enter their second year at the helm, what can they do to restore business confidence?

Moderator: Laura Jones, Political Reporter, CN8
Panelists: Senate Co-Presidents John Bennett and Richard Codey; Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Roberts, and Assembly Republican Leader Paul DiGaetano.

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Concurrent Panels

A MID-TERM REPORT
NJ's Political Leadership-On the Right Track?
How have our Governor and legislative leaders fared in 2002? What can we look forward to in the year ahead? Four of New Jersey's top political analysts and consultants present a mid-term assessment.

Moderator: Michael Aron, Political Correspondent, New Jersey Network
Panelists: Dale Florio, Princeton Public Affairs Group, Inc.; Harold Hodes, Hodes Shaw Bodman Gluck; Herb Jackson, Senior Writer, The Record; David Rebovich, Associate Professor, Rider University.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Is New Jersey Still Business Friendly?
A weak economy, a $1 billion business tax hike, and policy initiatives costly to business have cast a shadow over the state's business climate. Industry leaders and a leading economist assess this climate change and present their outlook.

Moderator: Rich Young, Business Correspondent, New Jersey Network
Panelists: Thomas A. Bracken, President & CEO, Sun National Bank; Lisa Hirsh, President & CEO, Accurate Box Company, Inc.; David Houston, President, Colliers Houston & Co. New Jersey; Dr. James W. Hughes, Dean, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University.

12:15 p.m - 2:00 p.m. Luncheon Program

Presentation of the Paul L. Troast Award
The Paul L. Troast Award is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the state of New Jersey and its business community.

Recipient: Hon. Robert E. Littell, New Jersey State Senate

Keynote SPEAKER

Hon. Robert Menendez
Chairman, Democratic Caucus
US House of Representatives

2:00 p.m. Adjournment

If you would like to reserve a ticket, you can call Stacy Wichner at 609-393-7707, ext. 213, or Sherry Esteves, ext. 219. Or you can start the registration process online.
 

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