OP-ED: Richard Smith — New Jersey Shouldn’t Walk Away From National Model for Civic Information, Local Independent News
Op-Ed
BY RICHARD T. SMITH | President, New Jersey State Conference NAACP. Member, NAACP National Board of Directors
As President of the New Jersey State Conference NAACP, I have spent decades advocating for communities whose voices are too often overlooked in public policy debates.
One lesson has remained constant throughout that work: people cannot effectively participate in democracy if they do not have access to reliable information.
That is why the proposed elimination of funding for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC) in the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget is so troubling.
At first glance, some may see this as simply another budget item. It is not. This is a decision about whether New Jersey will continue investing in the civic infrastructure that helps residents stay informed, engaged, and connected to the institutions that shape their daily lives.
Communities of color understand better than most what happens when stories go untold, concerns go unheard, and information fails to reach the people who need it most.
Information inequity often mirrors every other form of inequity. \\The communities with the least access to trusted local information are frequently the same communities fighting for quality schools, affordable housing, economic opportunity, public safety, and equitable access to healthcare.
A healthy democracy requires more than the right to vote. It requires access to accurate information, trusted local voices, and meaningful opportunities for civic participation.
That is exactly why the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium was created.
The Consortium was established to address a growing crisis facing communities across our state: the disappearance of local news coverage and the widening gap between residents and the information they need to navigate civic life. Through independent grantmaking and community-centered partnerships, the NJCIC has helped strengthen local news ecosystems, support trusted messengers, and ensure that critical information reaches residents who are too often left out of traditional communications channels.
Importantly, the Consortium has done so while remaining focused on community needs rather than political interests. It has become a model for how public investment can strengthen civic engagement without compromising independence.
The results have been so compelling that states across the country are now looking to New Jersey for leadership.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing legislation to create a Pennsylvania Civic Information Consortium modeled directly on New Jersey’s approach. Wisconsin legislators recently introduced a similar proposal. Oregon lawmakers are pursuing their own version of the model.
California is developing a $20 million civic media initiative built on many of the same principles that have made the NJCIC successful. In Massachusetts, advocates, journalists, and community leaders are organizing for a comparable public grantmaking entity to support local news and civic information.
Meanwhile, policymakers and civic leaders in states from New York to Washington continue to point to New Jersey as proof that innovative public investment in civic information can work.
Think about that for a moment.
At a time when states across the nation are looking to replicate what New Jersey built, we are considering walking away from it ourselves.
Defunding the NJCIC would not simply reduce support for local journalism and community information projects. It would weaken one of the most promising efforts in the country to address the growing crisis of civic disengagement and information inequality. It would also send a troubling message that even successful innovations with demonstrated impact are vulnerable to short-term budget decisions.
For the NAACP, this issue is ultimately about voice.
Who gets heard? Who gets informed? Who gets connected to opportunities, services, and public decision-making? Who has access to the information necessary to advocate for themselves, their families, and their communities?
These questions are fundamental to democracy itself.
New Jersey has earned national recognition because it chose to lead. The Civic Information Consortium represents a forward-thinking investment in civic participation, government accountability, and community empowerment. It reflects the belief that every resident — regardless of race, income, language, or ZIP code — deserves access to trustworthy information and a meaningful voice in public life.
The Legislature and Governor should restore funding for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium in the FY27 budget.
When other states are following New Jersey’s example, this is not the time to retreat. It is the time to reaffirm our commitment to informed communities, equitable access to information, and a stronger democracy for all.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Front Runner New Jersey.com is funded in part by the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.
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