Visiting a printing company in Egg Harbor Township, Governor Chris Christie addressed members of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce.

He detailed the Administration's ongoing efforts to make New Jersey a home for job creation, economic growth, and business investment.

While there, the Governor highlighted 21 projects in Atlantic County that have received over $402.6 million in assistance through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA). This financing has leveraged more than $1.6 billion in total investment and served as a catalyst for the creation of an estimated 5,660 new permanent jobs and 6,170 construction jobs. This support also helped ensure the retention of 680 existing jobs in Atlantic County.

"New Jersey was at a crossroads when I took office," said Governor Christie. "We had to take a different course to pull our economy back from the brink and start creating jobs. Twenty months later, we have reined in government spending, ended the days of constant tax increases on New Jerseyans, reduced red tape in a common sense way and expanded economic incentives to allow critical economic development projects to move forward."

Earlier this week, he announced a $190 million payroll tax cut that will directly benefit working New Jersey families in 2012, visited Newark to highlight Panasonic Corporation of North America's decision to remain and grow in New Jersey, and announced the State Strategic Job Growth Plan which will provide a flexible guide for New Jersey's economic development future.

Christie cited other examples of companies that have stayed or expanded while he was in office, including Bayer and Honeywell.

"Companies are coming here and staying here and I think that's because they believe this state is heading in the right direction in the next couple of years.

Christie acknowledged the path to job growth won't be easy. "Unemployment is going down, things are starting to get better, they are nowhere near good enough, but they're getting there."

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