Houghtaling and Downey insincere about helping small businesses during COVID-19 in new ad

COLTS NECK, N.J. - Voting against $300 million in additional relief for small businesses, supporting a $500 million tax hike on employer health care taxes and allowing a $252 million employer payroll tax increase are things incumbent Assemblypersons Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey did during the pandemic. In a new ad, they claim to have helped small businesses, even though they made it more difficult to open and were quiet while thousands of local shops closed in Monmouth County.

“Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey kicked small businesses while they were down just so they could do a photo-op that looks like they helped them get back up,” said Marilyn Piperno, a candidate for Assembly in the 11th Legislative District. “Then, the businesses that managed to survive got hit with another tax hike, even though there are billions of federal funds to avoid making life more expensive for hardworking people. Houghtaling and Downey remain silent about it.”

The incumbents have conspicuously failed to join an effort in the legislature to reconvene to avoid the coming tax hike on employers. In eight days, businesses will face a $252 payroll tax hike that could have been avoided if Governor Phil Murphy used any of the $6.2 billion in federal aid for the unemployment insurance fund like many other states. Instead, Murphy is letting unemployment debt accrue to over $1 billion – and forcing struggling businesses to pay for it. New Jersey has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation.

“We need a check and balance on Governor Murphy’s policies, because they are sacrificing small businesses for political wishes,” said Kim Eulner, a candidate for Assembly in the 11th Legislative District. “Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey don’t fight for Monmouth County because politics has become more important to them than people. They have turned their backs on their constituents. Their actions speak louder than any words or ads they use. Marilyn and I want to represent our communities because they are being left behind.”

Piperno and Eulner are running to replace Houghtaling and Downey in the legislature. They are fighting to lower taxes and provide more support to small businesses to bring back all of the jobs lost during the pandemic. In the ad, Downey says businesses “deserve leaders working as hard as they do.” Piperno and Eulner agree – and will actually to do it rather than just say it.

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