Sens. Pennacchio, Bucco hit Murphy on Honeywell departure

Sen. Joe Pennacchio and Sen. Tony Bucco are blaming Gov. Phil Murphy for Honeywell, a industrial conglomerate, choosing to move its headquarters and 750 jobs to North Carolina.

“My community is losing at least 750 good jobs. New Jersey has a location that is second to none. We have a highly-educated and eager workforce. What we lack is leadership in the executive branch,” Pennacchio said. “It’s time for the Governor to stop taxing and regulating businesses out of state. Murphy must stop placing pot, dreams of a sanctuary state, and salting for imaginary storms above the needs of our families.”

Murphy and Democratic legislative leaders raised the state’s corporate business tax earlier this year as part of their budget agreement.

The company said about 800 of its employees will remain at the Morris Plains office, which falls within Pennacchio’s district.