a. New Jersey is in a fierce competition for jobs and businesses, not only with other states, but throughout the world; and

b. The State must do all it can to increase opportunities for New Jersey citizens to enjoy economic success and prosperity; and

c. To attract business, New Jersey must think and act like a business, by utilizing the best available personnel, without consideration of political affiliation, selected on the basis of the skills, ability and experience, needed to provide enhanced customer service, and by responding to the needs of the business community with flexibility and agility; and

d. Commerce and economic development are priorities for New Jersey because success in these endeavors means the creation of jobs for our citizens. As such, commerce and economic development deserve a unique and dynamic role in our State government; and

e. Because we soon will be entering the 21st century, New Jersey must now boldly transform its economic development mission to be market driven, mobile and responsive enough to the future’s challenges to empower New Jersey to undertake new commercial and economic ventures as the economic engine of the Northeast; and

f. The State and its citizens will benefit from a more sharply focused economic development vision, in which the State’s efforts are coordinated under one organization, the New Jersey Commerce Commission, that coordinates economic development activities for the State with all related entities, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology, the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority, the Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, and the New Jersey Development Authority for Small Businesses, Minorities and Women’s Enterprises; and

g. Just as the Legislature 25 years ago could not have predicted the technological and business changes that have taken place since then, this Legislature recognizes that it, too, cannot predict the future and must, therefore, ensure that the New Jersey Commerce Commission has the agility and ability to retool its focus and priorities to ensure the State’s capability to respond to the technological and business changes yet to come; and

h. Economic growth and prosperity are still the number one priorities for our citizens, and by creating an innovative and independent economic development entity, the New Jersey Commerce Commission, the Legislature reaffirms that it is also a priority of government; and

i. The board of directors of the commission appointed pursuant to P.L.1998, c.44 (C. 52:27C-61 et al.) should assist the executive director of the commission appointed pursuant to P.L.2007, c.253 (C. 34:1A-48.1 et al.) in assuring that persons appointed to the staff of the commission, because they will no longer be in the classified civil service pursuant to Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, will be selected on the basis of qualification and professional and technical competence, avoiding political considerations to the maximum extent possible; and

j. The New Jersey Commerce Commission promotes economic vitality and builds a foundation for world economic leadership in the 21st century and stimulates dynamic economic growth by providing resources and services to citizens, businesses and institutions, in partnership with other government agencies and the private sector, to create jobs.

L.1998, c.44, s.2; amended 2005, c.378, s.10; 2007, c.253, s.25.