As the US ends its combat mission in Iraq, Blue Jersey honors those New Jerseyans who served there. Sketches of a few who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Schundler releases chronology, emails and documents regarding Race to the Top
Called a liar by Gov. Chris Christie, his fired Education Commissioner is firing back. Documents, timelines, emails to top Christie aide Maria Comella, and drafts of letters to US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, shown in stages with edits by Christie Chief of Staff Richard Bagger. Taken together, if Schundler's documents are accurate, they illustrate that the "lie" Schundler was fired for was not what Christie made it appear.
Property tax hikes in New Jersey will hit 23.5 percent factoring in loss of rebate
Christie's budget eliminated NJ SAVER homestead rebate for this year. Homeowners who qualified for the rebate last year saw an average check of $1,037 to offset a statewide average tax bill of $7,291. Average homeowner tax bill went up in 379 towns, down in 35, unchanged in just 1.
Against what most courtroom observers consider a legal long shot, lawyers for the Fort Dix Five filed a multipronged appeal Tuesday seeking to have the convictions of the jailed suburban terrorists overturned.
Passaic Democrats call for probe of sheriff's abrupt resignation
Passaic County Dems call for an investigation into the abrupt resignation last month of Sheriff Jerry Speziale, alleging county GOP officials got him a high-paying public job so he would abandon his reelection bid.
Local
North Plainfield: Yeah, it's probably not a good idea to be buying pot in the Rescue Squad ambulance, as 2 squad members were arrested for in nearby Plainfield.
Camden: Postponing decision whether to close one of its two remaining library branches.
Ramsey: Candidate for vacant seat launches bid for same seat in November.
Yay! WiFi on the choo-choo!
You might be able to blog on NJ Transit trains soon without a wireless card. (Did that just sound as geeky as I thought it did?)
This is an Open Thread. What do you think of this Schundler stuff, Blue Jerseyans?
Why is the Governor now delaying filing NJ's application for $268 million in federal aid for education jobs, with the school year right around the corner?
Race to the End: Governor says it's time to "move on" (wait ... don't I know that phrase from ... somewhere...)?
Diegnan: "I'm suspicious that the (NJ Education) department at this particular point is probably in chaos." Gov. Christie is delaying releasing a report saying how much NJ is spending per pupil, over concerns, he says, that it could hurt the state in a current legal challenge from a NJ pro-education advocacy group. But Patrick Diegnan, who chairs the Assembly Education Committee, says litigation is not a reason to hold off on that report, and wonders if the Gov. has confidence in the report.
Senate leaders say Gov. Chris Christie owes Pres. Obama an apology over his 'Race to the Top' accusations.
Essex County underground: potential redistricting obstacles for veteran Rice
Potential shrinkage of Essex County Dem Party representation could mean the loss of an African-American senate seat in a delegation where black numbers have already dwindled.
Bergen County: Former Bergen County Improvement Authority chair Ron O'Malley indicted in mortgage fraud scheme.
Newark: School Superintendent Clifford Janey's contract was not renewed.
Newark: The great sell-off of city properties to plug the budget hole gets a go-ahead.
Westfield: Moody's downgrades your bond rating, for an inability to balance budgets.
Rutgers & Kean: Both universities are laying off employees, due to tight budgets.
Bruce SpringsteenLand: Judge throws out N.J. lawsuit against Bruce Springsteen ticket resellers.
Atlantic City & Camden waterfront: 6 windmills that Fishermen's Energy wants to build in the ocean off AC would tower 300 feet in the air, with blades reaching 500 ft., to be brought in by barge from Camden, application documents show.
Lebanon Twp: Township committee and its first aid squad sent to mediation.
A few things to think about as you watch Tea Party-approved candidate Anna Little and the Tea Party "grassroots" surge with the far-right corporate tycoons planning and funding, funding and planning.
NJN
Interim director leaving, NJN getting ready for hearings on its future in January.
NJ campaign finance accounts remain long after officials leave office
Suspended N.J. State Police sergeant files whistleblower lawsuit
A suspended New Jersey State Police sergeant has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the division, saying he was retaliated against for reporting financial waste.
Local
Jersey City: With Schundler's firing, where's Charles Epps' contract?
Gloucester County: The Freeholder Board where Steve Sweeney sits as Director (till 12/31) has a court-ordered monitor starting Wednesday, whose job it will be to make sure freeholders act in accordance with laws regarding public meetings and public records.
NJ-6: CNN's coming: District where "Tea Party-approved" Anna Little will battle one of the House's more progressive members, Rep. Frank Pallone, will be the subject of CNN coverage, according to word leaked by Little's campaign.
NJ-8: Tea Party. GOP challenger has a rally, and his 80-person crowd is more worked uphealth care reform than incumbent Dem Rep. Bill Pascrell.
Participants were also shown a slide reminding them to proofread the final application, and were informed no new info could be submitted after June 1. But NJ was one of a handful of states that skipped skool.
NJ financial aid program slashes assistance to college students
State funding for Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program went up this year, but not enoughl to cover the surge of students needing financial aid due to the economy.
Legislative hearings on the $400 million "mistake"
Al Doblin: The stupidity raining down on Trenton is biblical in proportion. The Legislature is a collection of bullies, buffoons and, yes, bureaucrats.
Local
New Brunswick & Atlantic City: Private company's redevelopment of New Brunswick could be model for Atlantic City revamp.
Edison: Creation of $110,000 post in Edison raises questions, eyebrows.
Fewer teachers & larger class sizes, fewer after school activities, foreign language classes, full-day kindergarten, sports ...
Schundler ... and Christie & Schundler
Tom Moran: Christie faces ugly political ramifications of 'Race to the Top' error, Schundler firing.
Gov. Christie, Schundler clash over who was wrong leading up to firing.
Schundler's exit: Embarassing episode of incompetence and division in the Christie administration (S-L editorial).
Bio of former Education Commissioner Bret Schundler.
Stile: There are limits to Schundler's diplomacy
Schundler: "I didn't mislead the public,'' Schundler said. "I'm really disappointed. I don't think I should be terminated. I think I gave the governor good guidance."
Lawmakers' reactions on Schundler's firing break along party lines
Chris and Mary Pat made over half a mil in the last 6 months according to financial disclosure reports, which - come to think of it - are still as vague as they were when Christie was running for office and complaining about them.
The Christie administration today released a "best practices" checklist that municipal governments must fill out or risk losing some of their state aid.
What are you reading this morning, Blue Jerseyans? Shoot us a note or a link in Comments. It's an Open Thread.
Professor says the class will go on as scheduled at the Catholic university, including use of the book about marriage equality, What's Love Got to Do With It?: The Case for Same-Sex Marriage by Ray Lesniak & Loretta Weinberg.
NJ-3
Freshman incumbent Rep. John Adler and GOP opponent Jon Runyan debate today. But you'll have to wait a few days to see it.
DRPA
Another wave of changes adopted for the beleaguered Delaware River Port Authority.
Local
Jersey City: Superintendent of Schools Charles Epps' $268K salary awaits state approval, but Bret Schundler's suggestion to do a nationwide search for a candidate is ignored and Steve Fulop's filed a complaint that decisions are being made with too little notice.
Poll: 78% of parents want the state to spend more on education.
Gutless pols begat pension nightmare
Charlie Stile on how we got into the mess with the SEC complaint: Short-term, politically expedient spending was Trenton's objective, not long-term fiscal prudence. "Chicken Run" leaves egg on the faces of NJ's political class.
Mandates: Thursday morning 10am, State House Annex
Public hearing of Assembly's Environment and Solid Waste Committee, chaired by Asm John McKeon, will examine mandates - mostly unfunded, that towns say drive up property tax.
Rush Holt tells a public meeting both the economy and national security would benefit from a shift to alternative energy sources. He urged small business owners to capitalize on government incentives designed to help them make their buildings more energy efficient.
Adler v. Runyan: NJ-3 opponents square off the 2nd time this week, taping the Larry Kane Show (which airs next week).
Not outside the line
Christie vetoes a bill extending NJ's low-interest loan program to towns bordering already-eligible areas.
Newark council proposes selling off massive real estate holdings to close budget gap.
Middlesex:New ! Gross! Now with new lemony freshness!
Mt. Holly: Neighbors of a planned business center fear the demolitions all around them are to intimidate them into leaving the homes, in a UEZ area where some of the same people deciding what will happen there, are profiting.
Passaic County: Sheriff's Dept. motor pool chief charged with stealing about $100K from a drug bust car & pilfering an engine to fix his own car.
New Jersey has lost another soldier to war. US Army Specialist Pedro Millet's family had a "premonition" that he shouldn't get on the plane when he went to serve in Afghanistan. He was killed on his third day, the circumstances of his death not yet released. His body returns to his home country this morning at Dover Air Force Base. He was 20.
And then ... I'm gonna take my (sniff) ball ... (balls fists) and g-g-go home! (stamps foot)
Christie threatens to veto Port Authority Board minutes - and those of other agencies - if Democrats don't approve dozens of appointees he's submitted for confirmation.
US Attorney denies 'culture of corruption' in NJ
Chief federal prosecutor in Garden State doesn't believe he lives in the most corrupt state in the union and that such talk can be "demoralizing" to people who live here.
Also coming, soon, $268 million in federal stimulus dollars for hiring back school staff let go. Christie says the money won't be a "measurable help" to NJ's economy.
Do I have this straight?
If the state makes a mistake overpaying unemployment insurance, Christie wants NJ to be able to track people down and collect it back?
Trentonia
Christie renominates Thomas Calcagni to run the state Dept. of Consumer Affairs two months after the Senate balked at his Manhattan residency. Calcagni spent 10 years working under Christie but lived in Manhattan till recently.
Former UMDNJ dean gets $60,000 settlement in discrimination claim
Warren Wallace, a former dean, who was fired during a federal investigation got a $60K settlement on his claim UMDNJ discriminated because of their racially biased hiring practices.
Blagojevich insists he will call Bob Menendez to testify in his defense
If he is retried on corruption charges, Blago plans to call Menendez, Harry Reid and Rahm Emanuel to testify for him. He's also going to try and subpoena Barack Obama. Good luck with all that.
UK to Libya on the 1 year anniversary of al-Megrahi's release:
Fellas, Not so much with the celebration. Scotland is still in a standoff with Menendez & Lautenberg over release of records from Lockerbie bomber's release.
CNN has some advice for Barack Obama:
NJ governors - of both parties - chose short-term gain without thought of long-term consequences - The good news about NJ's improving smoking habits means bad news again for state finances.
A whole political culture to spend and defer the problems until later
New York Times: NJ got in hot water with the SEC this week, but the bigger problem, may be what the state was trying to hide: a long-brewing crisis in its ability to pay retirees.
A Fatal Encounter in a Newark Park - There are still so many questions in the death of Defarra Gaymon, shot dead by a Newark cop in an area of Branch Brook Park known for cruising.
Lautenberg & Menendez meet with Lockerbie victims' families
As they labor to uncover whether a BP oil deal was behind the early release from prison of the Libyan convicted for blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 22 years ago, both our senators will meet with the families today - one year after Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi's got freedom.
Poll: New Jersey doesn't agree much with Christie's Hanson Report
Quinnipiac poll finds New Jerseyans want the state to do pretty much the opposite of what the governor's panel recommends.
Christie: The Movie
A 20-minute film about Chris Christie's first 8 months in office will premiere Sept. 8 in a D.C. theater, and on line. Yes, really. (it's an extended Republican Governors Assn. ad).
Shouldn't Someone in New Jersey Be Prosecuted for Pension Fraud? Here's a Nominee.
Slate Magazine says they think they know whose fault it is that NJ became the first state ever charged with securities fraud. Who it is might surprise you.
No bail for Joe Coniglio
Former NJ state senator was hoping to be released from federal prison camp in Lewisburg, PA while his appeal is being reviewed.
NJ Legislature
Assembly bill aims for more training, accountability in emergency medical services.
Counties without county executives will now have veto power over specific actions of county authorities, as per legislation signed by the Gov today.
Riding the rails
NJ man pressures transportation officials to fix rusting, crumbling railroad bridges.
Local
Trenton: Auditors find that school district officials deliberately kept inaccurate records.
Passaic County: After expressing interest in sheriff, Girgenti backs Currie's decision to go in another direction.
Hoboken: Former council candidate accused of bank fraud.
Weinberg hits Christie administration with OPRA requests
Reasonable requests were made over time to get State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristof to provide information behind his position that the funding source in her bill replacing $7.5 million in women's health/family planning centers won't work. Now Weinberg is using basic tools of government transparency to get at those reasons, but it's looking more and more like this is all about the administration's ideology.
NJ will jump-start plans for turbines off the coast.
Cleaning up DRPA
After months of scrutiny from reporters & 2 governors, over issues with perks and political patronage, and the resignation of a top official for inappropriate use of an E-ZPass, during a 5-hour some changes were instituted and Chair John Estey announced he will resign.
Sunshine Law monitor ordered for Gloucester County freeholder meetings
Gannett's senior political columnist dropped by and he's a great guest. Among topics discussed: How the lights get turned on in the statehouse press room, and who would play whom in the coming movie version of The Soprano State. You can catch up here.
Cleaning up the DRPA
Delaware River Port Authority board will discuss 18 proposed modifications to how it does business. Perks will come up. Meeting's open to the public: 10am in Camden.
Christie's delay: The wait for medical marijuana frustrates terminally ill patients
John Ammirati, of Lyndhurst, has Ewing's sarcoma: "This delay is killing me. I need pot so I can eat and I'm broke and can't afford to buy it on the streets."
NJ arts council awards $15M to arts groups, $1.2M more than last year
Manhole covers - 200 lbs. - are suddenly blowing high into the air in Atlantic City for the 3rd day in a row, sometimes followed by big yellow arcs of electricity. Nobody knows why. Freaky.
This morning, the body of Jamal Rhett of Palmyra, a casualty of the Iraq War will be returned to his home country at Dover Air Force Base. The cause and date of his death were not immediately known. He was 24.
Christie bristles at reasonable conclusions
All evidence points to the possibility NJ Supreme Court justices whose future depends on the Governor - the non-tenured ones - voted not to hear the same-sex marriage case, because they may be concerned about getting the same treatment Justice John Wallace got from the vocal marriage equality opponent governor. That we're all talking about it out loud does not please Chris Christie.
Diane Allen, profiled
Emerging after treatment for throat cancer, Allen looks great, just great. But in the glowing profile, no mention of why she ditched funding for women's health care, family planning clinics in a show of GOP party discipline.
Christie warns GOP on mosque
New GOP icon Christie became the most prominent GOP figure to warn fellow Republicans against "overreacting" to the threat of terror and painting "all of Islam" with the brush of terrorism as players like Palin & Gingrich do their thing to gin up hysteria.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Steve Sweeney, father of a daughter with developmental disability, sponsored bill signed into law yesterday, disallowing state law/rules from identifying individuals as "mentally retarded," and other insulting terms. Sweeney: "We have a community of productive, hard-working citizens...The 'R' word should mean respect."
Special schools for kids whose parents ...give a crap
NJ Education Commissioner Bret Schundler thinks
some schools should be allowed to accept only kids whose parents pledge to show up and visit the school.
Schundler: Let more entities authorize charter schools.
Wisniewski vows to address recent NJ Transit service disruptions
Assembly Transportation Committee Chair wants the top brass present at hearings he'll run on repeated NJ Transit train service disruptions this summer.
Christie's 'shadow government' reforms stalled
John Reitmeyer's 6-month accounting of Christie reform initiatives at authorities, boards & commissions largely indicts Democrats for slowing the governor down.
Congressional
Menendez: GOP using the "Ground Zero" mosque to score political points.
Christie will delay the implementation of a law allowing a judge to require a person to undergo outpatient mental-health treatment, citing a lack of funding.
Seriously, you Second Amendment people need to calm the eff down
Morris County authorities are trying to remove 16 guns from the home of a blind man who hides them in oven mitts, in bookcases, under seat cushions. And oh, right, he's also shot himself.
Try the library: State aid cuts have forced the NJ Legal Services System to order staffing reductions that it says will deny free legal help to thousands of low-income residents this year & next.
Congressional
Lockerbie bomber and the possible BP/Libya oil deal connection Lautenberg and Menendez are investigating - ow the families are involved - including NJ families.
NJ-7: David Larsen, strongest of Leonard Lance's three - 3! - Tea Party primary challengers isn't going away, backs NJ-6's Anna Little, won't endorse Lance, is running in 2012, and all that's starting unsettle the Lance camp.
Jon Corzine talking economy on This Week, with Christiane Amanpour (today - 10:30am, ABC).
Hmmmm ... this could get interesting
Charlie Stile: Sen. John Girgenti tops Democrats' list of hopefuls for Speziale's spot.
Al Doblin: Steven Slater has nothing on Jerry Speziale.
HBO's Boardwalk Empire
Martin Scorcese and Terence Winter (writer, The Sopranos) are behind the new HBO series about the real-life NJ characters who mixed politics and crime in 1920's Atlantic City. Boardwalk Empire HBO page.
Star Ledger on the new federal money to hire back teachers: Take it.
Star Ledger editorial: NJ must start paying into the pension system, but workers already in the system, to whom the state made promises, have to "give back." "Promises were made that can't be kept."
Anti-abortion activists find billing irregularities most likely created by coding error in the state's system, and conclude ... we must defund family planning.
Privatization fight is ugly in Newark and the City council not necessarily on board with Mayor Booker.
2,000 state and local leaders of the teachers union met this week for sessions like: "In Enemy Territory -- Defending Your Rights in a Hostile Political Climate." Full disclosure: Jeff Gardner was a panelist in a workshop.
But a package of bills aimed at restoring the health of Barnegat Bay cleared 2 key legislative committees today, after 400 people listened to 6 hours of public testimony.
Tears of respect for ousted Cordelia Staton at Trenton City Hall
What happened on the day the Trenton clerk was taken out of City Hall by cops in flak jackets.
Wild 10 days in Passaic County
The loss of Sheriff Jerry Speziale from the Democratic ticket - Passaic Dem Chair John Currie says he'll have his replacement named in a week and a half.
A contentious budget process, acrimonious meetings that go to the early morning hours with GOP & Dem members shouting at each other to be heard, and accusations of "secret meetings" by the GOP contributed to both longtime Democratic councilmen giving up on serving Englewood Cliffs.
Newark sanitation workers demand Booker reconsider privatizing jobs
NJ-7: Potosnak blasts Lance & Christie on education
Chemistry teacher turned Democratic challenger blasts Rep. Leonard Lance for voting against the federal education bill, designed to hire back some of the teachers laid off in Chris Christie's $800 million cut to education.
Audit finds irregularities in NJ Assn of Counties lobbying group
NJ county governments paid escalating dues to a private lobbying group whose director's salary reached $205,000 with no apparent formal oversight, according to an audit.
$122 million in mortgage aid coming from the federal government
From intern Gabriel Johnson in the JEOPARDY Teen Tournament last night. That shout-out zipped by fast, but you can catch his promo video here. Website says he's on the show today, too.
NJ-3 poll: Adler has only narrow lead over Runyan
35-28% among all registered voters. But among voters Rutgers-Eagleton poll ID's as paying the most attention to the race, Runyan pulls ahead by 1 point. Adler scores higher - ahead by 10 - with voters who consider themselves likely to vote. But pollster warns it's too early for an accurate likely voter model.
NJ issues request for a financial plan for $1 billion unused bonds
The state may use $1 billion of unspent general-obligation bond funds to pay down existing debt, under a plan by Treasurer Sidamon-Eristoff. Some of the unspent funds date to bond acts as far back as 1969.
Law created after an 11-year-old was killed by a schizophrenic who refused treatment will now be on hold - indefinitely. That law would have given families greater say in committing seriously mentally ill loved ones before that kind of tragedy happens again. This is something else Christie doesn't think we should spend on now.
Federal lobbying goes on after Christie's criticism
