"The prospect of having a second economic pillar, along with tourism, supporting our region’s businesses and jobs base is exciting,"quot; Polistina said. "Atlantic County is the epi-center of our nation’s aviation industry with the recent groundbreaking for the Next Generation Aviation Technology and Research Park."

The first bill in the legislators’ proposed package would create an Edison Innovation Zone which would encompass the Next Generation Aviation Research and Technology Park along with the surrounding municipalities of Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, and Hamilton Township.

"Senator Robert Menendez, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, the FAA, Stockton College, the South Jersey Economic Development District, CRDA, and Atlantic County have done a fantastic job in securing the location and funding for the Park," Amodeo said. "Our package of bills is the next logical step. We need to create and take advantage of the spillover effect from the Park for our region."

Edison Innovation Zones create collaborative partnerships with research facilities and the private sector in order to facilitate the development and application of new technologies. Businesses locating in an Edison Innovation Zone are eligible for enhanced financial incentives like the Technology Tax Certificate Program, enhanced scoring on grant applications, and low-cost financing and technical assistance.

"This package of bills will tell the world’s aviation industry that we are open for business," Polistina said. "Right now, the Park is actively recruiting companies to locate here. Our package will help that recruiting effort by offering valuable incentives to any aviation-related company that wants to call Atlantic County home."

The second bill of the package would allow people who earn money through a job training program to exclude those earnings from their income tax.

"Research and the businesses are half of our economic equation," Amodeo said. "If the goal of NextGen is to increase the air traffic capacity by three, then we can expect to see a proportional jump in aviation careers. Workforce development for the aviation industry must also be a priority. We need to attract and assist those who want to develop the skills necessary to work in this industry."

The third bill of the package would authorize county colleges and county vocational school districts to enter into partnerships with private entities to develop and establish aviation job certification programs and paid internships.

"We want to bring to bear the full advantage of the resources Atlantic County has to offer to develop the aviation industry," said Polistina. "Stockton College, Atlantic Cape Community College, and the Atlantic County Institute of Technology are tremendous assets and we want any aviation related company to work with them in educating and training the people who keep the planes in the air."

The fourth bill in the package would ensure that aviation is recognized as a core industry in New Jersey.

"Bio-tech seems to get a lot of attention as the leading scientific industry in New Jersey. And rightly so with the public and private medical research facilities we have in this state," Amodeo said. "We have the world’s premier aviation research facility in the world in our own backyard. Current and future administrations, when crafting economic policy, will now have to recognize that aviation is just as vital for our economy as life sciences, stem cell research, clean energy, and information and communication technologies."

The fifth bill in the package requests that the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation designate an existing staff member as a "NextGen Liaison."

"There should be a point person within NJDOT to work with the Park and to serve as a contact person for any inquiries which may come through the department," Polistina said. "We still have to be mindful of competition. California already has a NextGen Liaison. A company or individual interested in NextGen may make their first call to a state’s department of transportation. We don’t want to miss any opportunities."

The assemblymen will introduce the legislation when the General Assembly reconvenes later this year.