News Roundup 
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Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 09:45:42 AM EDT
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Warmies for the trees
In West Cape May a Mystery Knitter is sneaking up to trees and outfitting their trunks with knitwear. I thought you should know.
Still raining? Take it out on the peeps
There's a contest to Primp your Peeps, which I of course read as Pimp your peeps. Create a diorama, using marshmallow peeps. I would suggest perhaps a diorama of the governor's budget address, or maybe the governor-peep about to eat the rest of a package of peeps. Here's some from Washington Post's contest, totally worth sitting through the brief ad up front. If you do political peeps, we want the pictures.
We get more detail on the "tools" Christie promised for towns to hold down local property taxes
Gov. Chris Christie will propose a constitutional amendment limiting annual property tax increases to 2.5%, but for municipal, school & county property tax levies it would be a "hard" cap, without exceptions for rising health insurance costs or debt payments. Local voter approval would be needed to raise taxes higher than that. Plan is based on Massachusetts Proposition 2.5 (adopted 1980's), which critics say "resulted in cuts to valued services rather than simply calling forth greater efficiency from local governments." Of course, this has to get by the legislature.
Meet the "greedy" "bloodsuckers"
Not too many people say these things to their faces, but NJ pensioners feeling the harsh backlash going on in public forums.
Rutgers is cleaning house of old professors
I don't know any other way to put it.
N.J. tax revenue collections fall short by nearly $500M through last month
The state took in about $41.5 million less than expected for the state budget in February, keeping revenues 2.8% below target for the year.
Sen. Ray Lesniak's bill to replace COAH
Star Ledger calls it "deeply flawed" and urges that tomorrow's scheduled vote on it in Senate committee be postponed.
On time
NJ tax return checks won't be delayed.
The war on marijuana
Tom Moran on the expensive, and pointless drug war on a substance creating less havoc than alcohol does.
Joe Cryan kept out of key talks
The Auditor on an effort to make the Assembly Majority Leader the "black sheep" for his position on the "millionaire's tax," which by the way is the right onw.
A military mom's duty to her son, brain-injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq
Here's the article. And here's where you can donate to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Newark politics and message t-shirts
T-shirt FAIL.
Perth Amboy's non-partisan elections
Moving from May to November.
Harvesting wind
Sen. Steve Sweeney sees the $300 million marine terminal under construction in Paulsboro as a key to regional economic development and a place to manufacture wind turbines, which are big and heavy enough that it's hard to move them by road or rail. If they were made on the waterfront, they could be moved by barge and new jobs opened up for South Jersey workers.
E-mail invite sounded like offer you can't refuse
Charlie Stile on that "Godfather" political planning strategy session.
Open Space
Tough economic times means cutting back on county land preservation programs, to balance budgets and prevent tax hikes.
For Newark schools
A coalition of charter & district school educators, meeting regularly.
To earmark, or not to earmark
"Pork?" Or "member-directed spending"? Which view is better for New Jersey?
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Fri Mar 12, 2010 at 06:58:00 AM EST
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A not-so-gentle reminder for the political folks
Who the health care reform debate is actually about.
Scott Garrett gets a Democratic challenger
Tod Theise is in the race.
The bear people to sue the fish and game people
Claiming a violation of the Open Public Meeting Act.
Silly, trivial and for show
N.J. employees would have to pay for parking as part of Gov. Christie's privatization plan.
February snows
Both New Jersey's United States senators are asking Barack Obama to declare 8 southern NJ counties disaster areas.
New lawyers for Hal Turner
Hate blogger Turner of Bergen County, his second mistrial on charges of threatening 3 federal judges behind him, will switch out his lawyers and start fresh with new defenders if he goes to trial a third time.
State Senate confirms Bret Schundler Education Commish & James Simpson to head up Transportation.
Voting no on Schundler, Sen. John Girgenti cited Schundler's "dogmatic approach" and Sen. Nia Gill found his experience foundimg a charter school "interesting" but not "substantive".
Families are angry
Budget cuts slow effort to move mentally disabled from institutions to a place in a supervised group home, frustrating them - and their families, and in some cases costing the state more money.
Senate votes to allow transfer of Highlands development rights statewide.
Authorized a program to benefit property owners in the state's Highlands region whose property values have been limited by development restrictions.
Ground Zero workers suit is settled
For some of the thousands of rescue and cleanup workers who rushed to the scene of disaster at the World Trade Center, a settlement has been reached of up to $657.5 million. This will cover payouts to about 10,000 plaintiffs according to the severity of their illnesses and the level of their exposure to contaminants at Ground Zero.
Don't disrupt families and keep your eye on the ball
Star Ledger is cool on a bill supported by both Gov. Christie and Sen. Steve Sweeney, requiring NJ public employees to live in the state.
Christie says he's going to do what needs to be done
The governor talks budget.
Weinberg: history is going to defend Jon Corzine's legacy
Chris Christie slams Jon Corzine routinely for budget problems he pins on the former governor, and through spokesman Josh Zeitz, Corzine responds. Loretta Weinberg and Dick Codey have different opinions about whether Zeitz needs to pipe down.
GOP vows tools to cut expenses, tighter tax caps
I wonder what they mean by "tools" to control labor costs contributing to New Jerseyans' $7,300/year average property tax bill.
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 07:42:00 AM EST
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Christie to privatize up to 2,000 NJ state jobs
Gov. Christie will create a commission to privatize as many as 2,000 state jobs beginning January 2011, and is considering invoking the Disaster Control Act to suspend Civil Service rules, making it easier for him to lay off higher-paid workers. Privatizing jobs will mean layoffs. The January date is significant; by then he would not be subject to the deal between Gov. Corzine and state worker unions requiring the state to pay millions in raises to remaining workers if he orders layoffs before then. Hetty Rosenstein, CWA state director, called privatization a "completely discredited" practice with a failed history in NJ that doesn't save money.
Glenn Beck disses New Jersey
The noive! Why, I oughta ...
Homeless in Morris County
In one of the richest counties in America, the homeless population doubles.
Demographic breakdown
Zach Fink examines who proposed pension reform largely affects - workers that are 75% women and minorities - and the curious fact that far fewer concessions are proposed for firefighters and local police (90% male) and state police (96% male and at least 80% white).
This - related - is also worth a 2nd look: The Police State: Will Gov. Christie take on Jersey cops? (Blue Jersey)
Camden considers layoffs
Camden employees could face furloughs this spring to help make up for $8 million that the state recently rescinded from the city's current budget, says Mayor Dana Redd. Redd said the city would save just under $500,000 if all non-uniformed employees took 6 unpaid work days. With police & fire, the city would save $2.3 million.
Who's lobbying?
ELEC has a fascinating look at some shifts in the NJ lobbying universe last year.
The GOP and the Democrats spent big bucks in the governor's race
Given that the Republican Governors Association (RGA) spent $7.3 million in NJ and its Democratic counterpart the DGA spent about $3.3 million, this is an interesting headline choice, particularly since the 2 major NJ papers use the same statehouse bureau and reporters and run the same stuff, doubling the impact on Jersey readers.
Clean Trucks
Truck drivers in New Jersey & New York can apply for grants and low-interest loans for buying newer, cleaner trucks as part of a new $28 million program to improve air quality. It's a joint effort between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
That thing, that "new media" thing
Fred Snowflack on who the Governor of New Jersey is following on Twitter.
Marriage Equality snapshot
Where we are now, and what's likely to happen next, as of spring 2010.
Against Norcross' bill
Courier News: Don't force public workers to live here Quoting: "... Donald Norcross says that it's only fair for workers making money off NJ to live here and pay taxes too. What's fair is to recognize that those employees are already contributing something to the state for that money they're making off New Jersey - their work. Even the harshest critics of bloated government payrolls would have to acknowledge that many public workers do good and needed jobs. Norcross makes it sound as if workers are simply siphoning off those taxpayer dollars for nothing."
Out of the shadows
Bob Braun discusses some of the ironies in the movement to get illegal immigrants to trust the federal government enough to join the count that will bring essential resources and representation to New Jersey via the US Census.
Da Bears
Star Ledger says we need the bear hunt.
Hate blogger/shock jock Hal Turner of Bergen County
Turner's trial ends in a second mistrial.
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Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 07:58:00 AM EST
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New Jersey's still on honeymoon with Chris Christie, except that tax cut for the rich
But they're not expecting the sweeping change he promised. In a new Rutgers Eagleton poll,
Christie is polling at 45% favorable/26% unfavorable, but more than a quarter - 26% - haven't formed an opinion yet, which may change after Christie's first big budget address March 16. But every demographic group opposes Christie's position that the surcharge on New Jerseyans making more than $400K should expire. Even Republicans, but by the slimmest of margins.
Bad news for New Jersey's growing list of policitician-criminals
NJ Supreme Court rules convicted NJ politicians can't use their leftover campaign funds to defray their legal bills, upholding an advisory decision by ELEC. The decision - unanimous - bars former Sen. Wayne Bryant from using $640,000 from his campaign account to pay for for his legal defense against federal corruption charges. Saddest of all, was the position taken by Bryant lawyer Angelo Genova, that there's always a risk a public official will need to defend himself against criminal accusations. Don't hand me straight lines like that.
Somebody tell former Irvington mayor Michael Steele, k?
Senate Judiciary Committee
3 of Christie's cabinet choices were approved yesterday, but not before a lengthy round of questions - some rough - for Janet Rosenzweig (nominated to lead the Department of Children and Families), Jennifer Velez (who Christie wants to keep leading the Department of Human Services) and Gary Lanigan (Christie's choice to run NJ's prison system).
Janet Rosenzweig faced questions about her work with the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, which some senators suggested took a passive view of sex between adults and children.
Assembly Judiciary Committee
The Committee wants to create a panel to study the state's prison inmate population to analyze factors including race, length of incarceration and participation in prison education and jobs programs.
Well, the US Census seems to get it
Same-sex couples can identify themselves as married in the coming national head count. For many NJ families, this will be the first time they have an opportunity to refer to their union as marriage in an official government document.
NJ Transit's payroll increased 24% in 3 years
Much faster than the rate of inflation. That includes a 14-percent increase in the number of employees and a 22 percent increase in overtime pay.
Impact on commuter-hub East Brunswick
Sen. Barbara Buono is asking the governor & NJ Transit officials to reconsider cutting 3 bus lines, saying all three run through commuter-hub East Brunswick. Buono is asking for a public hearing to be scheduled near East Brunswick so commuters and others can register their opinions.
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Mon Mar 08, 2010 at 01:21:49 AM EST
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Proof that God loves popcorn
Cablevision restores ABC-TV to its lineup in time for customers to see most of the Oscars.
Senate Judiciary Committee to interview 3 more nominees today
Janet F. Rosenzweig as Children and Families commissioner, Gary M. Lanigan as Corrections commissioner, and Jennifer Velez, to continue as Human Services commissioner. Only Velez lives in New Jersey; Rosenzwieg lives in Yardly, Pennsylvania, and Lanigan's from Staten Island.
Christie's plan to drop legal immigrants of less than 5 years from NJ FamilyCares
How does he figure they won't all land in emergency rooms, costing more?
Tracking John Adler on health care
Adler appears on Fox News again. Says he has to "read the bill first". Those factoids, plus a few others, make Adler seem like a guy about to be a no.
Unified behind Runyan
Ocean County GOP endorsed football player Jon Runyan unanimously this weekend, joining the GOP organizations in Burlington & Camden counties, uniting to defeat John Adler in NJ-3, who was elected 2 years ago amidst a GOP power struggle between Burlington and Ocean counties.
Hunterdon schools struggle to plan budgets
It's hard to plan a budget when you don't know how much state aid is coming.
Complicating that is the go-ahead for The Trillium School, which means some county districts have to factor in the county's first charter school and how it may impact their budgets.
Go to paperless
Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean, Junior are combining forces on a resolution that means the state would generate far, far less paper.
Looking ahead to the budget address
The challenge for Christie, dealing with all the groups and people who feel cut off by his cutbacks. The challenge for the Democratic legislature, not looking obstructionist.
Fare hikes & service cuts
NJ Transit passengers are pissed.
Sen. Menendez & Rep. Donald Payne today plan to announce details of federal Recovery Act funding for NJ's public transportation system. The funding represents a sizeable chunk of the $420 million that is going to NJ Transit as part of the Recovery Act, which they say could mean an estimated 4,000 jobs.
Little decals on graduated drivers' license plates
A Rockaway lawyer, representing his teen son & nephew is trying to get Kyleigh's Law overturned in court.
Yes, please
Star Ledger: Get NJ out of horse racing. With or without racinos, tracks' days are numbered.
What's on your mind this sunny morning? It's an Open Thread, so go for it.
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Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 09:21:41 AM EST
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Doesn't he look great?
Lautenberg at Hoboken's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade parade, the first big public appearance since his 10-day hospital stay that began with his fainting at home and ended with a diagnosis of treatable stomach lymphoma. He's been back at work on the Hill since last week. Photo credit: Mark Maurer/Hoboken Now.
It's Women's History Month
Want to make a little history yourself?
NJ didn't make the cut for the Race to the Top education program
Star Ledger blames NJEA. But there are strong arguments against Obama's plan to make schools and states compete against each other and you can find them everywhere - strong arguments against RTTP from both conservatives and liberals.
Democrats go on offense
Charlie Stile on how the Sussex County Tea Party, its organizer (a creationist, Scott Garrett volunteer) and its move to unseat Bob Menendez got the NJDSC's back up.
A new low for Scott Garrett's NJ-5
Scott Garrett tops himself, votes for child abuse in school.
Change comes hard
Terminal leave.
Star Ledger: Sick days have become golden parachutes for NJ public workers.
Columnist Joan Whitlow to Newark:
Don't let Jersey City show us up in the (US) census!
NJ towns raise taxes despite cap
Nearly a third of the state's 566 municipalities raised property taxes above the cap with the state's permission last year, many because they were able to show they were facing virtual civic dysfunction, according to Star Ledger research.
Car-culture governor
tells bus & train culture New Jerseyans to go to hell. If they can afford the ticket.
You guys thought I really meant that when I ran?
Looks like Christie plans to backtrack on his campaign promise, floating a trial balloon to cut or even eliminate the property tax rebate.
Dems smell blood on rebate cuts.
"Wait and see" vs. "No effing way"
Tom Moran on how he sees Democratic push back (or lack of it) dividing the Democrats, nine days before Christie drops his budget.
Students battle back
College and high school students gather at New Jersey City University, part of a National Day of Action to Defend Education.
See Jon run - before he can walk
What might Jon Runyan bring to the citizens of New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District, besides a big football star's possible electability. Uhhhhhhhh .... not much.
This week's The Auditor
New Jersey jockeying for position in the Port Authority, "Don't show me the money", and a history lesson in GOP handling of the unemployment insurance fund.
Should NJ require vision tests for senior drivers?
Some elders can see brilliantly. Some cannot.
This is an Open Thread, weekend people, so what's on your mind?
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Fri Mar 05, 2010 at 06:58:00 AM EST
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Bergen County Dems met last night
No nominee came out the BCDO to challenge Scott Garrett. County committee did endorse Rep. Steve Rothman for re-election & fellow incumbents County Exec Dennis McNerney, Sheriff Leo McGuire and Freeholders Elizabeth Calabrese & James Carroll. Northvale Mayor John Hogan got the line for the 3rd freeholder race, beating out former Ridgefield Councilman Rob Kovic, Pargellan McCall & Sabastian Belfon. Incumbent freeholder Tomas Padilla is not running again, and several others dropped out of the freeholder race before last night. Control of the freeholder board is up this year.
Okay, Blue Jersey: who wants to flesh out the BCDO convention for those of us who weren't there?
What every GOP member of the House delegation just voted against
The $15 billion jobs bill. AWOL when it comes to fighting off the recession.
N.J. Sen. Frank Lautenberg urges end to ban on blood-donations by gay men
Saying that "not a single piece of scientific evidence supports" the lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, a letter posted to US Food & Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, and signed by 18 senators including Lautenberg asks for change in that policy.
LoBiondo hits the CAPS LOCK
He wants you to know he DIDN'T. It's NOT ACCURATE. He DID NOT.
Sean Kean endorses Diane Gooch, running to unseat Pallone
Translation: Sean Kean knows every gay person in the state is gunning for him, and all their friends, and he needs Gooch-money.
Court rules NJ's not required to pay the $millions it owes each year into the fund for teachers' pensions
NJEA is considering appealing the ruling, on behalf of more than 200,000 workers in New Jersey's school systems.
Understatement
Donald Norcross acknowledges that Runyan will be tough in this environment.
Hal Turner denies it
Hate blogger/shock jock Turner, of Bergen County, says he didn't threaten the 3 judges who testified against him earlier this week
Tom Kean, Jr. and numbers made of fairy dust
"Happenstance"
Are you adopted?
Religious leaders, anti-abortion activists and the ACLU-NJ have successfully lobbied against adoptees getting their birth certificates and health histories, asking lawmakers to protect birth mothers, who believed they had anonymity when they gave up their children. But the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, chaired by Loretta Weinberg is sending a bill to the full Senate which could change all that.
Republican Budget Officer's solution
Freeze public worker salaries up to 3 years, says Assemblyman Joe Malone of Burlington County.
Dems propose compromise on jobless benefits
Sen. Fred Madden & Assemblyman Joseph Egan propose raising the unemployment tax on businesses by an average of $148/employee, to $920 a year, up from the $772/employee paid now.
This is an Open Thread. A Friday Open Thread.
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 08:11:00 AM EST
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Lautenberg gets a warm welcome on the Hill
15 pounds lighter and some stories to tell.
Lautenberg approvals are way up.
Wisniewski calls out the teaparty
Smack.
Audit the NJ Sports Authority
Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono today called for a state audit of the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority, saying the state agency's books were in such disarray they couldn't be trusted, and only an independent examination by the State Auditor would restore her faith in the authority's reports. The Authority says its budgets are no different than past years' but today told Buono's committee it needs a $30 M state bailout.
Hal Turner takes the witness stand
Hate blogger/shock jock Turner of North Bergen took the witness stand in his federal trial Wednesday and accused the FBI of urging him to make violent statements as a way of infiltrating extremist right-wing groups. In testimony Tuesday, all three Chicago appellate court judges he threatened took the stand and said they felt threatened by Turner's blog posting that they "deserved to be killed."
Oh, hell, I already can't fly into D.C.
You ruined National Airport for me. Now I can't even use a fitty?
Kick 'em out
Chris Christie wants the Assembly to show it's "serious" about pension/benefit reform by passing changes before his budget speech March 16, and chided Speaker Sheila Oliver for saying they probably wouldn't pass by then. Coming next: kick out current part-timers from the system and those now collecting pensions for more than one job.
A stand against the germophobes
21 New Brunswick businesses & organizations have made a pact not to sell or use antibacterial products carrying the pesticid triclosan, signing on to an effort led by Food and Water Watch, which says the chemical is linked to antibiotic resistance, can affect reproductive hormones in both sexes and is turning up in wastewater, rivers, and marine life.
Christie's claim of $70 million in fraud, waste & abuse
Democrats asked for an accounting of how that figure was arrived at.
Greenwald not happy with spending reductions list
Assembly Budget Chair Lou Greenwald asked the Christie administration to provide a list of spending reductions it rejected or didn't consider in trying to closer the $2.3 billion budget gap. It's a very good question, particularly if you're looking to come up with alternatives to Christie's cuts. But he says the answers he got back are "basically worthless."
Union workers protest tax breaks for proposed AC casino
A proposed $300 million tax break for the partially-built Revel casino would lead to lost jobs in the city's service sector, UNITE HERE! Local 54 protesters charged outside Morgan Stanley's office on Wednesday.
Some of the teaparty people are not who you think
There are two demographics emerging. One is obvious if you've ever watched one of their rallies. The other, not so obvious.
52% approve of the job Christie is doing
Republicans approve 10-to-1. Democrats approve at 38%, with disapproval at 33%. Independents are at 43%-17% Voters in the public pension system were less kind - 35% approve of the new governor but 46% do not.
Wedding bells in Washington
Gay couples are lining up for those marriage licenses in our nations capitol. Said one woman soon to be hitched: "It's like waking up Christmas morning ... a dream come true."
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Wed Mar 03, 2010 at 04:11:00 AM EST
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Christie hits a roadblock in the Assembly
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver says the public worker pension and health benefit reform bills are not likely to pass before the Governor - the driving force behind them - makes his budget address March 16. Cleaning up "any inconsistencies" in the bill and weighing their impact is what the Assembly is going to take its time doing, says Oliver: "There is no subterfuge going on. There is no obstructionist behavior. The Assembly is not attempting to slow the process down, but the Assembly certainly wants to be well-informed."
Numbnuts in the courtroom
Teaparty people have their day in Appeals Court, metaphorically stamping their feet in frustration at the awesome brawn of the mighty, might Constitution.
NJ Transit cuts
Staring down a $300 M budget gap, NJ Transit will shed 200 jobs, implement an emergency spending freeze, cut executive salaries 5% and cut contributions to employees' 401(k) accounts by one-third. The reductions, to save almost $30 M still won't be enough to stave off service cuts and fare hikes for nearly 900,000 daily bus and train passengers.
Birkner drops out of Bergen Democratic freeholder race
2 days before Thursday's BCDO convention. There's been illness in his family recently.
LG Kim Gaudagno collects reasons to yank back on regulating
You know what's behind this is the Governor's willingness to see regulation as an unnecessary annoyance, particularly to corporate interests. But let's call it red tape, cuz nobody likes red tape.
Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'
Welcome back to work, Senator Frank Lautenberg. Take it easy out there.
Live in NJ-12?
Rush Holt hosts a telephone town hall meeting 7:30pm next Tuesday, March 9.
Inspector General's report on SJ Transportation Authority
Absence of policy and procedure, antiquated procedures and procedures that were ignored and a disregard for the value of public assets led to waste of thousands of dollars, says Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper.
Freakydeaky and, um, kinda biblical
The 8.8 Chile earthquake may have shifted the Earth on its axis, and shortened your days by one-millionth of a second. Cool. Scary. And still these people think the whole Earth and everything good on it is just 6,000 years old. Not cool. Scary.
Hello ...? Is there a Democrat running for Freeholder in Cape May County?
Because Cape May County's GOP hierarchy is dropping long-time incumbent Jerry Thornton and endorsing newcomer John McCann. Thorton's still in it and doesn't rule out running as an independent if he loses the line. Sounds unstable. Yo, Cape May Dems, whatcha got?
Snapshot of a small business
A shop, missing its shopowner, in Clifton, New Jersey.
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Tue Mar 02, 2010 at 07:16:14 AM EST
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Hey, Christie's $60K-a-year New Media Director
Charlie Stile suggests Patrick Jones is going to need a helmet to do his new job. I don't know about that, but I do know he hasn't returned the call Blue Jersey placed to him nearly a week ago. Nor has Christie press spokesman Michael Drewniak. They'll both get a courtesy repeat call today. We're a pretty big political blog, you'd think we'd be one of the first calls a new media guy would make, even if we hadn't reached out first.
New Jersey ranks near the bottom nationwide
We spend fewer federal dollars per person on injury and disease prevention than almost any state in the country, according to an analysis of public health funding released this week.
Taxes are baaaaad! By the way, can I have some more money?
Chris Christie feels the need even to threaten members of Congress, which I can only imagine they must have found funny. He put the NJ congressional delegation on notice - both the Dems and the GOP - that he'll criticize them if they fail to vote in his state's best interest. And chiefly, that means he wants more money from Washington.
Sanctuary
Inside the Highland Park church that helps undocumented immigrants avoid deportation.
No public rescue, says Menendez
NJ's unemployment fund will not be bailed out by federal funds, said the Senator following a meeting of the congressional delegation with the new governor. But Menendez said he'd work to delay - maybe even forgive - NJ's interest payments.
Read the full report.
Thumbs up, the hard way, and the easy way
Bret Schundler is confirmed 11-0, but the Senate Judiciary Committee noted it was sending him on to the next step without recommendation.
James Simpson has an easier time of it. It was a unanimous vote for Christie's pick for Transportation Commissioner, who started off as a trucker.
Simpson would consider tolls on Route 80.
Union members take positions against
In Monday's public hearing on a constitutional amendment to require the state to pay their full fair share of the state's pension fund, some union members and leaders, obviously nervous about public sentiments, argued against putting it on the November ballot. Said Rae Roeder, president of CWA Local 1033: "This is crazy to put this out to the public. They're going to say no. So we're cutting our own throat."
Sweeney and Kean take a position for.
Christie, Andrews & Sweeney
Upriver from the Delaware River channel, where dredging began yesterday, the 3 politicians - and many environmentalists - continue to oppose it.
Why Weinberg voted against Eristoff
Because when Christie's Treasurer pick was asked a particular serious question, his answers "were at best disingenuous and at worst irrational."
Against Leonard Lance in the 7th
Ed Potosnak.
6th-graders, charting their own courses for the future
In some New Jersey middle and high schools, using individual learning plans - like the ones once only developed for special education students - are an experiment getting a try-out this year.
For newly unemployed New Jerseyans
Details of Christie's unemployment plan.
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Mon Mar 01, 2010 at 07:47:00 AM EST
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Oh, come on, Mr. ex-Governor
Don't fight with the famous actor. Ignore. Ignore.
Mmmmm ... street borscht!
Ocean County may add beet juice to its rock salt to clear the roads of ice and snow. It's a cost-saving measure; this winter's price tag for deicing is
$2M - including $1.3M just for salt. Going beet is cleaner for the environment, say the guys in public works.
Stopping raids on NJ's pension fund
The Senate has scheduled a Monday hearing toward ending raids on the pension fund, and requiring the state to pay its fair share. Ultimately, it may lead to a ballot vote to change the state constitution. If voters approve, the state and other public employers would be bound to make 1/7 of their pension contribution in the next fiscal year, and increase that contribution 1/7 every year until the entire portion is being paid in FY2017.
Hundreds of regulatory bodies under scrutiny by the Gov
Christie isn't the first to address reform of these, but he's the first to issue an EO limiting state authorities' ability to hire lobbyists, offer severance packages to employees and pay for travel or entertainment over $250.
UMDNJ looking for new places to generate revenue & cut costs
UMDNJ's teaching hospital in Newark - a Level 1 Trauma Center - is the largest provider of uncompensated care in the state. That, plus payments of $8.3M to the federal government after allegations of kickbacks to doctors in exchange for patient referrals, plus a generally bad economy widely affecting hospitals all contributed to a financial crisis that's been going on for years there. UMDNJ wants to generate $100M to wedge their way out of that.
Schundler back on the hot seat today
Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing resumes today. Around where they left off last time, Bret Schundler, Christie's pick for education commish, promised the committee he wouldn't shove his strong religious beliefs down the tender throats of NJ's schoolchildren. Maybe he didn't put it that way.
James Simpson to appear before Senate Judicary Committee today
Gov. Christie's choice for transportation commissioner has his confirmation hearing today. Transit chief is going to be one of the tougher jobs, with the Transportation Trust Fund nearly out of gas, and Christie against both of the obvious solutions of borrowing to underwrite it, or raising taxes or tolls. Plus there's this pothole ...
Pension reform
Bob Ingle says the measures that just zipped through the Senate will slow down in the Assembly.
Kids' jewelry & body-piercing stuff
Assembly bill tightens restrictions on toxic content of jewelry, especially stuff marketed to children. The bill was prompted by thousands of The Princess and the Frog pendants now being recalled because of high levels of the carcinogen cadmium.
This is an Open Thread. And miraculously, it is not snowing outside.
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Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 04:45:39 PM EST
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This is an appeal to read newspapers. Not just the on line versions, but the inky versions that used to arrive with a plop! somewhere in the vicinity of everybody's front door forever, but now is delivered to far fewer of those doors.
It takes about 2 hours to write a Blue Jersey News Roundup. Longer on weekends, because of the Op-Ed pages. But after I post Sunday's, with the heavy paper version of Star Ledger spread out on the table at The Shaker Cafe in Flemington, next to my blueberry pancakes, I always find things I don't see in the electronic versions. Including stuff that's not on line.
So no links. This is from the crunchy paper version. Stuff I'm reading today:
Teacher of the Year: Merit pay is the wrong way - Maryann Woods-Murphy, judged the very best in New Jersey this year, is against forcing teachers into competing with each other, instead of supporting each others work. And she resents S-L columnist Kevin Manahan calling some of her colleagues "lazy, unprepared, and uninspiring slug(s)."
On race, power, culture and tea - Miami Heral columnist Leonard Pitts, in a piece run in S-L examines a recent commentary from Keith Olbermann on the inherent racism infecting tea party activists. He's not writing about New Jersey specifically, but he might as well be. After all, New Jersey's tea party has given their endorsement to Michael Halfacre, hoping that the Fair Haven mayor, who led a teaparty rally during Rush Holt's summer health care town hall, will now get the GOP nomination to run against him in November.
Obit, Robert C. Hare, 95, former Passaic mayor - The man for whom the city's City Hall was named in a ceremony in 2005.
AP, Democrats ready to go it alone on health care - Again, not New Jersey, but of interest given that Rep. Rob Andrews was a player in the president's bi-partisan meeting. (also wire service, just below it on the page, the how-it-works of reconciliation).
When we see problems in how NJ's newspapers are covering the news, it's not like we'd ever just shut up about it. But there's depth, analysis, and good writing to be found in newsprint in (almost) every corner of the state. And for just pennies. You can't help drive journalism to be better, or the newspaper industry to perform better, if you're not a participant. K'thanks, gotta go wash ink off my fingers now.
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Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 09:17:44 AM EST
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8.8 quake in Chile
The impact wasn't felt here. The worry is.
Christie backs Morris GOP Chair for party re-election
But seriously, isn't this the wrong salute? Maybe it is, who am I to judge?
We're #1! We're #1!
N.J. property taxes climb 70 percent in 11 years, remain highest in U.S. But we just saw our 2nd straight year with an average increase rate below the 4% cap instituted by Gov. Corzine in special legislative session in 2006-07.
NJEA v. Christie
Two powerhouses, in direct conflict.
Newark's Central Ward
Shifting alliances, dissatisfaction with status quo, and a leadership vacuum in the ward's Democratic structure have all contributed to a race with 8 challengers competing for the ward councilman slot incumbent Charlie Bell hopes to keep.
A tunnel to Macy's = "the bridge to nowhere."
Al Doblin: Not much commuter enthusiasm for NJ Transit's plan for a new rail station deep under 34th Street.
Losing our houses in New Jersey
What's really going on here with foreclosures?
Fund. Music. Education.
Playing one last concert for "Mr. K".
Byram might be the first
One of the last pieces of legislation Jon Corzine signed before his exit is law allowing towns to move non-partisan elections from May to November. And Byram might be the first to do it - constituents can weigh in at a public hearing next Monday.
No more double-dipping?
Charlie Stile: Bergen County Freeholder Jim Carroll, defender of dual office-holding, may give up his job as Demarest mayor, if he wins BCDO endorsement for his re-election as freeholder at Thursday's nominating convention
NJ's roads & transit
Monmouth University Poll: Only 57% of us know the Transportation Fund is set to go broke, but there's a split whether to use transportation user fees, like tolls or gas tax, to bump it back up.
"If we were a private company, we'd be General Motors."
Star Ledger says it's time to freeze public worker pay and change bargaining rules, because how we're doing it isn't working.
Speaking of $$$ ...
The Center for Responsive Politics reports that 14 of NJ's public colleges spent $14.5 M in the last 10 years lobbying the federal government for tax dollars. Au contraire say the colleges; they have to lobby to make up for the loss in state aid.
What an unfortunate choice
Are you sure this is what you're willing to do to sell jeans?
Solar panels on utility poles
Popping up in central NJ. To some, an eyesore. But Lori Braunstein, founder of Sustainable Cherry Hill, says: "To me, they're beautiful. "It's what they symbolize. We have something really creative and forward-thinking in our town, and it helps me to think we're on the right track."
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Fri Feb 26, 2010 at 06:41:45 AM EST
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Rest in peace, Sgt. Marcos Gorra
An Army paratrooper, Sgt. Gorra was just weeks from returning home to North Bergen. He was killed in a training exercise at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan. This was his first tour in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was 22.
Christie doesn't want us to look at all the numbers ...
Christie signals he's ready to cut unemployment benefits, but princetonblue calls him on that, so does Adam, so does Wisniewski, Sweeney, Oliver, Cryan.
AFL-CIO's Charlie Wowkanech: It would be a betrayal to now reduce benefits when they are most needed.
Assembly weighs in on pension reform
Their version of the Senate bills plus proposals - not yet introduced - that
expand the changes to workers at state authorities and agencies, close what they call a "loophole" that allows public workers to collect a pension while simultaneously working at another a public job, and prevent non-public employees at places such as the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.
No texting for train operators & bus drivers
Assembly passes a bill now headed for the Senate, hoping to avoid a disaster like this one.
More Assembly action yesterday:
A ban on "diploma mill" parchments from unaccredited schools being used to bump up pay levels for NJ administrators & teachers.
Restricting towing of vehicles with handicapped placards, to prevent similar situations like those that left a disabled driver stranded in New Brunswick.
Allowing municipalities throughout the state to accept development rights from towns in the protected Highlands region.
"White flight" in Pennsauken
Paranoia, marketing the town's diversity, a new flipped segregation in public schools, and a PBS documentary are all factors in Pennsauken's "change".
Money trouble
NJ's pension system is underfunded by nearly $46 billion, a more than 30 % increase in a year, and as a result the state's annual bill has grown to $3 billion, according to analysis released yesterday by the NJ Treasury department.
NJ-14
Former GOP assemblywoman Barbara Wright says she's running to fill the senate seat Bill Baroni is vacating. Hamilton councilman Tom Goodwin has not announced but is expected to run, as is West Windsor councilwoman Linda Geevers.
Sudden retirements in the ranks of firefighters
Jersey City's Fire Department has lost 26 members since the start of the year - and will lose 20 more March 1 - as firefighters rush to retire before the Legislature caps payouts, a trend of muni & school employees in mass exodus fearing legislation that would cap their payouts for unused sick time at $15K - though Senate legislation as its written only applies to those hired after it passes.
Newark's pay-to-play ban
Joan Whitlow finds a gap in the enforcement of the city's campaign contribution rules.
Court protects identities of 7 state troopers accused of gang rape of Rider student
This is the incident 3 years ago involving a woman, 25, who says she was sexually assaulted by all 7 men in the Ewing home of one of them, after they all had a night of drinking at KatManDu, a Trenton bar. The NJ AG's office, says its spokemam, is reviewing the judge's opinnion and considering filing a motion for reconsideration with the Appellate Division.
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Thu Feb 25, 2010 at 06:43:00 AM EST
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"The Sorry State of Health Care: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You"
That was the name of a forum on health care reform last night in Teaneck hosted by the Teaneck Dems. Panelists includedSen. Loretta Weinberg, who chairs the health care committee in the NJ Senate, and Rep. Steve Rothman's chief of staff Bob Decheine. Here's the part that stopped me cold: Decheine said the insurance industry, in part because in anticipation of federal heath care legislation, plans to raise individual premiums by 25-30% next year.
Sat back and relaxed after Obama's victory
Newsweek senior editor Jonathan Alter and Obama campaign NJ State Director Mark Alexander both said the grassroots movement that swept Obama into office sat back and relaxed following his victory, wrongly believing the job was done. Remarks came during a forum on Obama's 1st year from Montclair's Blue Wave.
CWA challenges Christie
CWA District 1 filed a court challenge to the Governor's EO banning it from making political donations, saying the restriction is unconstitutional.
Veto power
Star Ledger: Pass the State Authorities Reform Act, sponsored by Sen. Loretta Weinberg, which among other things would give the governor veto power over the many authorities that currently answer to no one but themselves.
Mayors
At a mayors' event at the League of Municipalities, the Gov told mayors to get ready for cuts, but didn't say how deep. Christie's budget address is March 16.
Christie said NJ's budget situation reminds him of the cliff-jumping scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The governor's nominees for DCA and DEP chiefs also talked to the mayors yesterday. Neither has appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee yet, the next step in the confirmation process.
Assembly in the middle
The Assembly's dealing with competing pressures from the governor on one side and public worker unions on the other, as it prepares to take up measures reducing the cost of pensions and health benefits for NJ's public employees.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Senate Minority Whip Kevin O'Toole will replace outgoing Sen. Bill Baroni on the committee.
Reduce unemployment benefits
Gov. Chris Christie will propose major changes today to the state's unemployment system, reducing benefits for workers and limiting tax increases on employers.
More on Cherry Hill mayor's warm & sunny snow day
Bob Ingle has a suggestion for Cherry Hill voters.
Field clearing for Runyan
As we noted yesterday, the Burlington and Ocean County GOP organizations are giving every indication that they won't try to beat each other senseless this year, like they did in 2008.
Christie reminds Yudin who's really in charge
Charlie Stile: BCRO Chair Bob Yudin got taken to the woodshed by the Governor for talking out of school.
Bad karma, good shoes
Bernie Madoff's NYC & Montauk houses & contents will be auctioned off in Parsippany. Hundreds of pairs of shoes, apparently.
It just now started snowing in Flemington, New Jersey. National Weather Service says 4 to 8 inches in SJ, 8-12 in the central and as much 18 inches in parts of North Jersey, and it doesn't stop till Friday. Take it easy out there, commuters. This is an Open Thread.
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Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 08:04:00 AM EST
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NJ-14
Wayne DeAngelo is signaling that he will not challenge fellow 14th district assembly member Linda Greenstein if she wants the nomination to succeed Senator Bill Baroni, whose appointment to the Port Authority creates a vacancy that has politicians all over the district pondering their own movement up. DeAngelo told politickernj he's not ready to take himself out of the running, but recognizes his colleague as the frontrunner and will not force a convention.
Perhaps we should have a meeting. I'll bring the headache pills.
It's been quite a few weeks for the NJ Association of Counties. Several counties are withholding dues to the lobbying organization partly funded by taxpayer dollars, in the wake of reports of "excessive" pay - $205K, up from $133 in 2003 - and benefits for its executive director, and calls for her resignation. There's a special executive board meeting today.
Jon Corzine
Looks like the former govy will be a regular guest host & commentator at CNBC, and will be guest lecturing at Princeton, and may yet return to the world of finance.
Let's just start calling them by their numbers, shall we?
This is Christie's lucky #15.
Mercer GOP Chair asks for investigation of Sheriff Larkin's actions
Sheriff Kevin Larkin's recent adventure interrupting a class at Mercer County Community College that had earlier discussed him, prompted a formal request from Mercer GOP Chair Roy Wesley to County Inspector General Roy Farkas to see whether Larkin's action - involving taxpayer-funded personnel and vehicles paid for by taxpayers - was an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
Rob Andrews a major player in Thursday's health care summit
Andrews chairs the health subcommittee of the Education and Labor Committee.
Brand new Attorney General
Paula Dow, sworn in.
Turnpike
NJ Transportation Commish James Simpson promised transparency, increased customer service & budget oversight at yesterday's Turnpike Authority meeting.
Cooling towers
In public hearings today, the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station - open since 1969 - there will be discussion whether to require installation of cooling towers, a multi-million $ upgrade its owners say will force its closing.
The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station will likely come under intense scrutiny today when public hearings begin on whether to require installation of cooling towers, a multi-million dollar upgrade its owners say will force the Ocean County facility to close. At issue, the health of Barnegat Bay.
Sigh.
Environmentalists are urging Gov. Christie to show support for the Highlands preservation.
Revel Casino tax abatement goes forward
Atlantic City residents won't have the chance to vote on whether the $2 billion Revel casino project should receive a $260 million state tax break, under a bill that passed in the Senate this week, sponsored by senators Steve Sweeney & Ray Lesniak.
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Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 11:52:55 AM EST
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If I have to be here for the snow, damn it, so does he
Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt was vacationing in sunny Florida while tons of snow was being dumped on his town, and his Chief of Staff Dan Keashen lied about his whereabouts. h/t Jay Lassiter.
Thwunk ... thwunk ... thwunk ...
Atlantic City might be getting more wind turbines, given a bill just passed by the Senate.
Senate approves sweeping changes in pension policies for public employees
3 bills drastically altering pension policies for public workers easily passed the Senate, are fast-tracked now to the Assembly and have already had support from the governor. Unions - whose members turned up in numbers to protest - say those workers have already sacrificed, shouldering the cost of their own pensions and giving up raises in exchange for benefits and pledges against layoff. The bills cap at $15K the value of unused sick leave future hires can cashin at retirement, eliminate some disability programs, limit part-time employee participation and alter the formula for benefits to factor in more years of service. On Monday, there will be a public hearing on the 4th bill that would ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment binding the state to making its full payments to the pension fund.
A "reversal of fortune" for NJ's public employee unions
Charlie Stile: "Deference is totally old school. In Governor Christie's "new world order," unions are banished to the bottom of the pecking order."
Schundler gets a grilling
The Senate Judiciary Committee interviewed Acting Education Commish Bret Schundler in detail - with many of the questions seeming to probe him on whether his religious beliefs would govern his policy choices - but ran out of time to vote on confirming him.
Assembly Budget Committee has some tough questions
for Christie's Acting Treasurer Andrew Eristoff.
A post office, named for the late Marine Sgt. Christopher Hrbek
Christopher Hrbek, of Westwood, was killed last month in Afghanistan by an IED. A month before, he rushed into enemy fire to carry rescue an injured Marine. Federal legislation is introduced - proposed by Rep. Scott Garrett in the House and both NJ Senators - to name the Westwood Post Office in his honor, in the town where he was a firefighter, and I can't think of anything more fitting.
NJ-14
Linda Greenstein is working the district and laying the groundwork to capture the Dem nomination to run for the Senate seat Bill Baroni is leaving.
Joe Doria may be off the hook
Doria, who Solomon Dwek says was supposed to get nearly $40K in bribe money, because that money went to political consultant Jack Shaw (whose death in July was an apparent suicide) and Shaw may never have forked that money over to Doria.
Oh, goodie, more betting
Senate voted to allow the Senate President to join a lawsuit challenging the federal ban on sports betting.
A cop, or the Mayor. Not both.
A Wildwood police officer, who won a seat on his town's governing board in 2007, cannot fill both roles at the same time, according to a state appeals court decision, because those roles are incompatible.
Now, does everybody feel better? Can we please address some serious issues now?
Senate voted to approve a bill cracking down on the use of "diploma mill" parchments - unaccredited institutions of higher learning - by school administrators & teachers to boost their salaries.
How not to conduct yourself on a college campus
Mercer County Sheriff Kevin Larkin made a spectacle of himself driving over and interrupting a college class in which his name had briefly come up, after being tipped off via text by a class member. An incident sending shock waves even to other campuses, even as it produces perhaps more mild disapproval by some fellow Mercer politicians.
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Mon Feb 22, 2010 at 02:36:02 AM EST
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Was it good for you too?
Feel anything unusual yesterday. Central Jersey?
Dancing at the White House, taking notes, and being like a sponge
Herb Jackson on Chris Christie's weekend at the National Governors' Association winter meeting.
Latino Action Network
A series of goals and priorities that national and state Hispanic leaders thought would see positive action under President Obama, and former Gov. Corzine, have stalled or been defeated under Democratic leadership, and leaders of the nation's diverse Hispanic community, which voted overwhelmingly for Obama in 2008, are openly questioning the abilities of Democrats to live up to promises involving immigrants. A new group has plans to flex some political muscle.
Vet-2-Vet
Returning Iraq and Afghanistan vets who need help from somebody who "gets it" as they struggle with mental health issues like depression, anxiety and PTSD can call the peer counseling peer counseling program Vets-3-Vets with its toll-free confidential help-line. It was created 5 years ago by the state Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and UMDNJ, but it's only funded on a year-to-year basis now. Sen. Fred Madden wants permanent funding for the program, which last year managed 3,200 cases.
www.kathedonovan.com
Charlie Stile: Right-wing political consultant Rick Shaftan disparages Bergen County Clerk Kathleen (Kathe) Donovan enough to buy a website domain with her name, then use it to direct visitors all kinds of mischievous places. Also in this column: Who might run the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners, and the Tuesday Group, who took their inspiration from Rep. Scott Garrett.
NJ schools brace for possible aid cuts
Lay off teachers and staff and increase class sizes. Ax sports programs and clubs. Scrap class trips and keep the school band home. Eliminate programs, put off repairs, scuttle faculty training, and raise taxes - if possible.
Schools walk a fiscal tightrope.
Guard against phony Newark cops and bad ones
Joan Whitlow says bad enough some people are flashing phony police ID's in Newark, the real cops may be doing wrongs.
ACLU-NJ's took up Diana Taylor's case after she recounted a run-in with Newark Police.
Horse racing associations
Are they using state grant money, funded by taxpayers, to then lobby Trenton?
Inept Stoopid Borderline hostie Bad media relations in Christieville
Bob Ingle on some unwise stuff going on in the governor's communications staff.
Have to say, I have zero problem with the Governor having a savvy new media strategy, which he may be developing, but they sure left themselves open to ridicule choosing the way they went about it. And this - from Chris Oliviera - is pretty funny [video].
I'm posting this pretty damned early in the morning, maybe too early for some early-filed stories. So, if anything good's posted you think we should all know about, please let us know in comments, and throw in the link - thanks. And, as always, it's an Open Thread.
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Sun Feb 21, 2010 at 09:18:46 AM EST
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Hey, Hopeful posted a great blog roundup on budget issues, and is looking for additional blogs to bookmark. Got ideas? Hit us up in comments.
Senator Lautenberg's first chemo was this weekend
He may be out of the hospital by tomorrow, is doing well, and plans to finish out his term and run for another one: "My contract goes to 2014. I want to finish this term doing things that count for the public."
First chemo "capped a week from hell," says Lautenberg.
His cancer was caught early.
The less-important reason to wish him well.
"I'm not a wallflower."
Christie is getting the national Republican love and sunshine.
And goes to the National Governors Association winter meeting - his first such meeting - and takes a potshot at Corzine.
Open antagonism
"Most politicians and political experts agree the war between Christie and the unions is unique in Statehouse history. No previous governor ever opposed the unions so directly and with such gusto, and the unions never fought back so readily."
Middlesex tries to balance budget
Middlesex County will cut its open space tax by 1 cent for 2010, one of several steps to balance its $405 million budget without increasing taxes. Morris County did something similar last year, cutting open space preservation tax from 3 to 2 cents, the third year in a row where Morris used the open space budget line to cut taxes.
Raiding NJ's surplus is not the answer
Star Ledger opines that Democrats need to come up with something better than drawing down the state's surplus to restore funding.
Gov. Chris Christie ready to play 'Let's make a deal'
Tom Moran: It was a whirlwind day in Trenton and at the end of it all, the furniture had been rearranged. Democrats were suddenly relevant again.
Church of the Holy Izod
Maybe the Izod will be sold to a televangelist for a mega-church, or maybe it can be a casino. Maybe the NJSEA, losing $$$ by the day, will be disbanded. Maybe the Prudential Center can lure another NBA team to NJ ...
The Auditor
State Police sergeant who helped save Corzine's life is demoted. Jerry Zaro stays on, and more.
Star Ledger: Open the books on NJ Assn. of Counties
Track the finances, track how the Executive Director salary ballooned up to $205,000, track why she's driving a Lexus leased by NJAC, and how the head of the taxpayer-funded lobbyist group got into the pension system.
Okay, now THIS is cool.
Can City Apps bring transparent data to Jersey City's citizens?
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