TRENTON-Gov. Chris Christie is creating a nonprofit corporationthat he hopes will help invigorate New Jersey'sbusiness community, which he said has shrunk after a decade ofbad policies. The privately funded initiative, called Choose NewJersey, is described as an aggressive marketing campaign and willwork in tandem with the office of Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

"The forces of government in Trenton have not understood thegreat basic principle that we need to get out of your way and letyou create economic growth and vitality," said Christie at ameeting of the New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. VerizonNew Jersey president Dennis Bone was named Choose New Jersey'sinterim chairman by its governing board of more than 15 businessleaders.

Lawmakers recently learned that income tax collections--thestate's largest revenue source--were off by roughly $300 millionfrom projections earlier this year, with the state's loss ofbusinesses to other locales cited by experts as one of thecauses. The initiative also follows a report by Guadagnooutlining rules and regulations that companies must satisfy to dobusiness in New Jersey. The 65-page report recommendspolicy changes to make the state more business-friendly.Christie could implement some of them by executive order; othersrequire legislative approval.