Ciattarelli's First Town Hall: 6 Key Takeaways

PITMAN, NJ — Arguing that he would be a governor for all New Jersey citizens, Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor Jack Ciattarelli attacked incumbent Phil Murphy on a range of issues during a town hall event in Pitman on Tuesday night.

Standing on stage at The Broadway Theatre, Ciattarelli reiterated promises to lower taxes, put people back to work, end Murphy’s mask mandate, go back to teaching “the basics” in school, and if necessary, investigate the current administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was Ciattarelli’s fourth trip to South Jersey this month, including a trip to Moorestown to announce long-time state legislator Diane Allen as his running mate in this year’s gubernatorial race. Read more here: Who Is Ciattarelli’s Running Mate Diane Allen? See Key Issues

He also attended National Night Out in Jackson and the Salem County Fair. He visited local businesses in Pitman prior to Tuesday night's town hall.

“I’m New Jersey. You’re New Jersey. We’re all equally important. That’s why I have an economic development plan that’s specific to South Jersey,” Ciattarelli said. “No candidate has ever spent more time in South Jersey than I have. Show me the last time Phil Murphy was in South Jersey. He couldn’t find it on a GPS.”

He criticized Murphy for taking a vacation in Italy instead of going to the Jersey Shore, and even poked fun at the way he eats his pizza.

But much of the hour-long town hall focused on Ciattarelli’s policies as he took questions from the audience. Here are Patch's top takeaways from the Republican gubernatorial candidate’s most recent trip to the southern portion of the state.

Mask Mandates: Ciattarelli said there would be no mask mandate for schools if he becomes governor. Earlier this month, Murphy said students, educators, staff and visitors must wear masks in New Jersey schools, regardless of vaccination status, at least to start the year. Read more here: NJ K-12 Students Must Wear Masks This Fall, Gov. Murphy Says

Ciattarelli was critical of the announcement at the time, and doubled down on his criticism Tuesday night.

“Gov. Phil Murphy believes that he has to prove government can fix everything by government controlling everything,” Ciattarelli said. “Our system works best when we empower the individual and then let them make personal choices. I’m not being cavalier about this virus. My mom has lost 12 of her fellow residents at her long-term care facility, but the data’s pretty clear when it comes to young people.”

He said masks inhibit learning and have a negative impact on emotional and intellectual development.

Ciattarelli Attacks Murphy On Handling Of COVID-19 Pandemic: Ciattarelli noted that a federal investigation into the way New Jersey handled nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic that was opened during the Trump Administration continues under the Biden Administration.

He said Murphy forced nursing homes to take in seniors who had COVID-19 without giving them personal protective equipment (PPE) to properly handle the situation. He also said the state legislature did more in the wake of the George Washington Bridge scandal under the Christie Administration, and said that if the federal Department of Justice were to close the investigation into the Murphy Administration, he would reopen it as governor.

"Economic War On Our Neighbors": It’s a phrase Ciattarelli used several times during his appearance Tuesday night, saying New Jersey had to become more economically competitive with neighboring states like Pennsylvania and New York. He said last year, New York received $14 billion in money that came from Israel, while New Jersey received $1 billion. During a recent trip to Israel, he told the country’s leaders that New Jersey would be “open for business.”

He said Murphy added more personal taxes despite the legalization of sports betting in New Jersey and taxes on Internet sales, and said the state budget has grown by $11 billion since Chris Christie’s last year in office.

“How about we go back to the last Christie budget, and I give you back $11 billion,” Ciattarelli said.

He said unemployment is high, but there are also "help wanted" signs everywhere, and New Jersey residents need to “get back to work.” He said he would lower property taxes with a system that provides flatter, more equitable state aid for all schools in the Garden State, and that he would begin working on the budget the day after he gets elected.

Ciattarelli said he would have specific economic development plans in each region of the state — North, South, Central and Jersey Shore — and he guaranteed rank-and-file teachers that they would always get paid, and they would be assured of getting their full pension.

“Do we need reforms? Yes,” Ciattarelli said. “We’ll work on those together. No one will ever go to their mailbox and not find their check in there.”

The Second Amendment: Ciattarelli said he would repeal the law limiting semi-automatic pistols and rifles to 10 rounds of ammunition. Murphy lowered that limit from 15. He said he would also streamline the application process for obtaining a firearm in New Jersey, as it currently varies by region and town.

Immigration: Ciattarelli said New Jersey would not be a sanctuary state under his administration, and his attorney general wouldn’t tell local law enforcement not to cooperate with federal investigators, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Schools: Ciattarelli said he supports homeschooling, but also said it was important to get people more confident about New Jersey’s public schools.

“We need to get back to basics,” Ciattarelli said. “There are some topics that are better left at the kitchen table, between parents and their children.”

He said if a school is failing, parents in that district should have a choice about sending their children to a charter school or homeschooling them.

As for the subject of Critical Race Theory, Ciattarelli said schools, “shouldn’t be teaching that America is a racist nation.”

“We should be teaching history,” Ciattarelli said. “No country is perfect, but I know one country that has a perfect ideal, and that’s the one we’re sitting in right now.”