New Jersey
Older NJ residents consider leaving as costs rise, survey shows
Trump signs TrumpIRA order to broaden access to retirement savings
Trump signs executive order creating TrumpIRA.gov, which workers whose employers don’t offer 401(k) plans can use to enroll in a retirement plan.
New survey data released May 13 suggests affordability pressures are increasingly shaping whether older New Jersey residents stay or leave the state.
More than one-third of residents age 45 and older – 35% – said they have considered leaving New Jersey in the past year, according to a new AARP New Jersey “Vital Voices” survey. Among those weighing a move, 67% said the high cost of living is a primary reason.
The findings come as state lawmakers continue discussions centered on property taxes, utility costs and policies aimed at helping residents age in place.
“New Jersey should be a place where people can afford to grow older, not a place they feel forced to leave,” Chris Widelo, state director of AARP New Jersey, said in a statement. “Right now, rising costs are pushing people out.”
NJ property taxes, utilities driving concern
Affordability pressures extend across multiple key household costs.
Property taxes remain a central concern, with 53% of respondents citing them as a factor in considering leaving the state. The survey also found strong support for the Stay NJ program, which provides eligible homeowners with up to $6,500 in annual property tax relief.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) said they support keeping the program intact, including maintaining the full benefit.
Rising utility costs are also a growing concern. About 89% of respondents said they are worried about increasing electricity bills, including a majority who said they are “very concerned.”
Support for caregiving relief, transparency
The survey highlights financial and logistical pressures facing caregivers, as more residents provide unpaid care for aging relatives.
More than half – 54% – of adults age 45 and older said they have served as unpaid caregivers. A majority said caregiving costs are a financial concern, and 86% expressed support for a caregiver tax credit.
Respondents also backed greater oversight of long-term care facilities. Strong majorities said they support requirements for nursing homes to disclose ownership, staffing levels and financial arrangements, along with greater transparency in how Medicaid funding is spent.
What it means for NJ budget talks
The findings underscore a broader policy debate in Trenton over how to address affordability challenges while maintaining services.
AARP New Jersey is urging state leaders to prioritize policies that reduce financial strain on older adults, including property tax relief, utility affordability and support for caregivers.
“This survey sends a clear message,” Widelo said. “If New Jersey wants to remain a place where people can age with dignity, we must focus on making it more affordable to stay.”
This story was created by reporter Joe Martino, jmartino@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
Justin Murphy has defeated Robert Lebovics, Richard Tabor and Alex Zdan in New Jersey’s 2026 primary election for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The Associated Press declared Murphy the winner at 11:25 p.m., , with Murphy leading the other GOP candidates with 33% of the vote. Murphy will face Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Cory Booker in November’s general election. Booker ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Justin Murphy is a former committee person in Tabernacle, a small town in the Pine Barrens of Burlington County. He dedicated his campaign to the men and women of the U.S. military and said he was running because he cares about the culture of America, parental rights, health care and economic opportunity.
Murphy, who is an attorney, said his top priorities include private sector growth, tax cuts and spending reductions. He said during his campaign that he is committed to standing up to terrorism and crime, he supports securing the country’s northern and southern borders and intends to fight for energy independence if elected.
He also pledged to work to ensure older residents have an excellent Medicare program and said he will fight to keep the Jersey Shore “windmill free.”
During his campaign, Murphy said China poses a serious threat to the U.S., but he supports engaging with the Chinese from a position of strength, politically and economically. He also said on his website that he opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana. He ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2024 and finished in third place.
Here comes the midterms: Murphy to face Booker in November
Booker was elected to the Newark City Council in 1998, then served as the mayor from 2006 until 2013, when he won a special election for the U.S. Senate seat that was left vacant following the death of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Booker was reelected the following year in the general election and was victorious in the 2020 general election.
Booker, a frequent critic of the Trump administration, has recently called for the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark to be shut down and has strongly opposed the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to house an immigrant detention center in Roxbury Township.
Last year, Booker made the longest speech in the history of the Senate, lasting 25 hours and five minutes.
He is considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate and has introduced legislation to significantly expand the standard tax deduction for singles and married couples, which would lower taxes on low- and middle-income wage earners. Booker grew up in North Jersey and graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan.
According to the most recent statistics available, there are 6,679,849 registered voters in New Jersey. There are 2,535,718 registered Democrats, 1,677,041 registered Republicans and 2,467,092 independents and others. The general election is Nov. 3.
New Jersey
Shooting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, leaves suspect dead, 2 police officers injured, mayor says
A shooting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has left a suspect dead and two officers wounded Tuesday, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said.
The shooting happened in the area of the 100 block of North Florida Avenue. Chopper 3 was over the scene, where a large police presence could be seen.
The conditions of the two officers weren’t immediately available. According to Small, the two officers were executing a search warrant.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 10:20AM
PINE HILL, N.J. (WPVI) — Six people were taken to the hospital after escaping a house fire in Pine Hill, Camden County, on Tuesday.
Firefighters responded to the home in the 100 block of Erial Road around 1 a.m.
When crews arrived, they found heavy fire conditions in all four areas of the home, including the basement with people trapped inside.
Officials say all those residents, including some children, were able to make it out of the home.
They were taken to the hospital for evaluation. There has been no word on their conditions.
Fire officials said it took crews about 40 minutes to get the blaze under control.
There has been no word on what caused the fire.
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