Realtors® Q&A
Meet the Decision Makers
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
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elcome to our new series for New Jersey Realtor® Magazine, where we interview key decision makers on their influential roles within New Jersey. First up is Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. His verbatim responses are italicized below. Do you have an idea of someone you’d like us to interview? Email editor@njrealtor.com
Craig J. Coughlin
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in public service?
I entered politics more than 35 years ago, serving on the school board and city council in South Amboy. After taking nearly two decades to raise my kids, coach Little League and serve as a Municipal Court Judge, I re-entered the arena and was elected to the Assembly in 2009 to serve the 19th legislative district and had the honor of 24 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | January/February 2023
becoming Assembly Speaker in January 2018. As a lifelong resident of Middlesex County instilled with the passion for public service by my mother, I wanted to do more to help my community. I wanted to improve the lives of all New Jerseyans, particularly our seniors and middle-class families. I knew that having a seat in the General Assembly would give me the opportunity to make a positive impact, help maintain the things New Jersey does well like our public schools, and to be a voice in the room as important policy was being debated. Today, with the privilege of serving as Speaker, I continue the work of standing up for my constituents and the more than nine million people who call New Jersey home.
What does the job of Speaker entail in the state of NJ? As Speaker, I am tasked with setting the legislative agenda for the General Assembly — the 80-member lower chamber of
our state government’s legislative branch. In large part, my job involves deciding which bills will be voted on, which ultimately influences the course of legislation and what can eventually become law. My cardinal rule is to be very thoughtful when I consider legislation — who does it help? Is it going to make people’s lives better? Is there a better way to do it? Who is paying for it? Prior to serving, while sitting on my couch reading the Sunday paper, I used to think about how easy these policy decisions would be, but quickly learned that it’s an entirely difficult experience from the inside when you learn all sides of an issue and have to balance the interests of so many stakeholders.
What have you been working on that would help the real estate market in NJ?
This year as part of the FY2023 State Budget, we are exceptionally proud to have delivered a bold increase of direct property tax relief to working and middle-class New Jerseyans. The new Affordable New Jersey