Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 9/27/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The question is not which issue will win over undecided voters, but which issue will motivate more voters on your side to cast a ballot.” – Monmouth University Polling Director Patrick Murray
TOP STORY: The Battle of Monmouth Airport
North Jersey gas prices are falling below $3/gallon, according to NJ Herald.
NJ gyms are now benefiting from the work-at-home trend, according to the Bergen Record.
School districts are scrambling to spend the last of COVID aid, according to the Bergen Record.
Threat assessment teams are required in schools, but the impact is hard to measure, according to NJ Spotlight.
Mercer County affirmed its Office of LGBTQIA Affairs.
Monmouth County and the airport owner are at odds.
Senator Helmy is co-sponsoring the ‘RISEE Act’.
Senator Booker scuffled with Senator Cruz, according to NJ Globe.
Rep. Van Drew is planning a hearing on high electric bills, according to NJ.com.
ICYMI: Legislation pending to honor Pascrell; funeral held for the late Rep. Pascrell; smoking still allowed in casinos
GOP Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw released a new digital ad, as he seeks to position himself as the centrist in the race.
In LD8, former Assemblyman Umba is looking to retake the seat next year, according to SaveJersey.
In CD1, Rep. Norcross officially endorsed former Senate President Sweeney for Governor, according to NJ Globe.
In CD9, the NJEA endorsed Senator Pou.
Senator Gopal raised $200k at a North Jersey fundraiser.
ICYMI: NJCA released endorsements; Pennacchio hosted successful fundraiser; Kim launched ad; Bramnick held fundraiser; Sumter, Wimberly poised for Senate showdown ; NJYD endorsements; Altman took aim at Kean; State Troopers PAC released endorsements; NJLCV released endorsements; Altman picking up tempo; Fulop guv candidacy sets up HCDO civil war scenario; America 1st GOP moving ahead w/’Too Big To Rig’ tour; McIver won CD10 election; Kim, Ciattarelli crisscrossed campaign trail
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved John Hoffman’s state Supreme Court nomination, according to NJ Monitor.
The state is being sued over the new law cracking down on hemp products, according to NJ.com.
Senator Burzichelli wants ‘health travel advisories’ to track abortion rights access, according to NJ Spotlight.
Senator Bramnick asked the AG to investigate a anti-Semitic act at a Westfield elementary school.
The refinancing of the state’s transportation infrastructure debt was approved and could save billions, according to NJ Spotlight.
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Compliance Corner: Why Every Business Needs a Political-Activity Policy
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In Burlington Township, developments are underway, according to Burlington County Times.
In Dover, a former school administrator is alleging gender discrimination, according to NJ Herald.
In Edison, an ordinance limiting public comment time was tabled, according to TAPinto.
In Egg Harbor Township, the committee supports keeping Reed’s Farm agricultural, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Fairfield, an ordinance limits residential development, according to TAPinto.
In Galloway, the town will restart its foreclosure program for non-taxpayers, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Jersey City, the council approved the Pompidou tax abatement, according to the Jersey Journal.
In Lakewood, pharma companies are thriving, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Marlboro, a mosque proposal hearing drew 200, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Millburn, committee candidates participated in a forum, according to TAPinto.
In Montclair, the council named a Lackawanna Plaza developer, according to TAPinto.
In Newton, a e-bike and scoot ordinance was introduced, according to TAPinto.
In Ocean City, the town again said no to alcohol, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Parsippany, the mayor and BOE agreed to work together on PILOT funding, according to TAPinto.
In Perth Amboy, parents protested cuts to courtesy school busing, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Paterson, a historic labor agreement was approved.
In Phillipsburg, the town hired the tax assessor to fill in as business manager, according to TAPinto.
In Ridgewood, a heated council is race is unfolding, according to NJ Globe.
In Roselle Park, a former councilman was fined by the Local Finance Board, according to TAPinto.
In Ventnor, the city is looking to secure supplies for boardwalk replacement, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
ICYMI: In Jersey City, Gilmore fundraising presence causes havoc; Solomon slapped at McGreevey as he kicked off his mayoral candidacy, which could shake up the 2025 race; in Paterson, oral arguments set to begin over takeover; in AC, Small, wife indicted
Insider NJ columnist Andrew Leven ‘An Aspect of the Harris/Trump Economic Plans That Isn’t Being Discussed, But Should Be‘
Insider NJ columnist Bob Hennelly writes ‘Adams’ Municipal Version of Trump’s Attack on ‘the Deep State’‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Archange Antoine writes ‘NJ Silent as Trump, Vance, and GOP Target Haitian Community‘
Insider NJ columnist George Ball writes ‘This Emperor Has No Clothes‘
Insider NJ columnist Alan Joel Steinberg writes ‘The Post-2024 Election NJGOP Gubernatorial Civil War: Reaganism (Bramnick) versus Trumpism (Ciattarelli)‘
AROUND THE WEB:
Ry Rivard, Politico
- A looming dockworkers strike threatens to shut down East Coast ports and snarl the national economy just before the election. Crippling the economy is not just a byproduct of a dockworkers strike — it’s the point, according to the crucial leader of the union threatening the disruption.
Amy S. Rosenberg, Philadelphia Inquirer
- Curtis Bashaw is out of his element. The Congress Hall hotelier from Cape May is way, way on the opposite end of New Jersey, at a commuter train station in Summit in North Jersey on a Tuesday morning, 42 days from Election Day. Having logged 71,000 miles in his Suburban during this U.S. Senate campaign, the Republican developer and newbie politician has familiarized himself with the nooks and crannies of New Jersey retail politics.
Bashaw: Andy Kim would deepen Jersey’s economic woes | Opinion
Curtis Bashaw
- Since I was a teenager, I’ve worked to build a business in the hospitality industry at the Jersey Shore. I’ve done every job imaginable in the service industry – working summers as a bellhop and waiter, chopping vegetables, making beds, and pinching pennies.
NJ teen vaping down – but a new tobacco problem is on the rise
Rick Rickman, NJ1015
- Efforts to stop youth vaping in New Jersey are working but the fight against Big Tobacco isn’t over. Teens around the country are putting down e-cigarettes for good, according to the 2024 Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey released earlier this month. It found nearly 8% of high school students had used an e-cigarette within the last 30 days. That’s a decrease from 10% of high school students in 2023.
Another candidate joins race to succeed Fulop as Jersey City mayor
David Cruz, NJ Spotlight
- Jersey City Councilman James Solomon is the latest entrant into the race for mayor in the state’s second-largest city. Some have started to call Solomon Steve Fulop 2.0, a comparison to the current mayor that Solomon waves off.
Volunteers from New Jersey head to Florida for hurricane relief efforts
Nicholas Huba, Press of Atlantic City
- Red Cross volunteer teams from New Jersey are headed to Florida and other states to help with relief efforts for Hurricane Helene.
Ocean Drive bridges connecting Cape islands to go cashless in 2025
Bill Barlow, Press of Atlantic City
- The days of fishing for change before reaching the toll booth on Cape May County bridges appear numbered, with the expectation that all five bridges overseen by the county Bridge Commission will go cashless in 2025.
What do New Jerseyans spend on health care each year? It’s been speeding up
Michael L. Diamond, Asbury Park Press
- New Jerseyans and their employers spent more than $7,900 per person on health care in 2021, a study released Thursday by the Murphy administration found, 15% higher than the national average and a sharp jump from the years before COVID-19.
MAGA NJ Congressman Kean Jr., always silent, should just quit | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger
- Rep. Tom Kean Jr. should donate his Congressional salary to charity after handing in his resignation. His refusal to answer questions of any kind – even what he had for lunch – has turned him into a national joke.
PSEG reduces residential gas bills by nearly 5%
Matthew Fazelpoor, NJBIZ
- The state’s largest public utility, PSEG, announced Thursday it will lower gas bills for residential customers by about 5%, effective Oct. 1. The action follows the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approving a reduction of the Basic Gas Supply Service (BGSS) rate by nearly 7 cents per therm to around 32.8 cents per therm. PSEG said the residential savings are mostly due to the lower BGSS rate, which reflects the rate actual cost utilities pay for natural gas; noting that utilities do not make any profit on gas supply.
Chris Smith’s sex trafficking law could put Diddy away for life
Matt Rooney, Save Jersey
- There’s always a New Jersey angle, Save Jerseyans. Sean “Diddy” Combs is in deep sh*t after being accused of sex trafficking and forced labor, and that’s in part because he’s being prosecuted under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-386) spearheaded by none other than Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) of NJ-04.
As health costs rise faster in NJ than in rest of US, could these remedies work?
Lilo H. Stainton, NJ Spotlight
- The cost of health care continues to burden New Jersey residents, according to a series of new reports that outline steps the state could take to make medical services more affordable, including how it regulates health insurance. The findings, scheduled to be released Wednesday but shared with NJ Spotlight News in advance, are in a trio of initial reports from the state’s Health Care Affordability, Responsibility and Transparency Program that examined recent health care spending, access and quality.
Housing crisis for some adults with disabilities
Raven Santana, NJ Spotlight
- Advocates and care providers joined state officials at Rowan University’s Sweeney Center for Public Policy on Tuesday for a conference on how to provide housing and services for the 5% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who also have complex behavioral issues and medical needs.
Galloway man admits being in Pelosi’s office during Jan. 6 Capitol riot
John O’Connor, Press of Atlantic City
- A Galloway Township man admitted posting photos on Instagram of himself in former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol in Washington, according to federal court records.
How a South Jersey school district is implementing a cellphone ban to ease classroom distractions
Melanie Burney, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Students at Woodbury High School begin lining up shortly after they arrive at 7 a.m. for a check-in: to lock up their cellphone for the duration of the school day. A new policy that took effect at the beginning of the school year bans students from using their cellphones and other electronic devices, including wireless headphones, during school. The devices are kept locked in a pouch until the final school bell.
Freehold Raceway’s closing grows more certain with WARN layoff notice for 93 workers posted
Stephen Edelson, Asbury Park Press
- A week after workers at Freehold Raceway were informed by management that the historic track would be closing its doors at year’s end, there is no sign of a last-minute rescue of the nation’s oldest track. Instead, the closure seems more certain with the posting this week of a WARN notice that 93 workers will be affected by the move to end operations at the site where harness racing has been conducted since 1853.
State says NJ hospital system is drug testing pregnant women without their consent
Scott Fallon, NorthJersey.com
- A New Jersey hospital system has been routinely drug testing pregnant women without their consent in violation of state law, authorities said Thursday. The complaint filed against Virtua Health by the state Attorney General’s Office involves at least two pregnant women who were investigated for child abuse even though their positive drug results were apparently the result of eating foods with poppy seeds prior to being tested.
Former longtime Asbury Park Press sportswriter who covered Devils’ move to NJ has died
Stephen Edelson, Asbury Park Press
- It was a moment in time when hockey was hot in New Jersey. The Devils had relocated from Colorado to the Meadowlands in 1982, and the Philadelphia Flyers were transitioning from the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s to the Stanley Cup contenders of the 1980s.
Autism Resource Fair at Ocean County Library’s Little Egg Harbor branch to aid families
Ilana Keller, Asbury Park Press
- The Ocean County Library will host a Fall Autism Resource Fair on Saturday, Oct. 19, in Little Egg Harbor. Families affected by autism or developmental disabilities are invited to the fair, where they will find information on local, county and statewide resources.
Murphy celebrates “a full week of declining numbers” then says “status quo of lockdown will remain until new cases and fatalities decrease.” So, which of Murphy’s statements is accurate? He said 2 opposite things in a single paragraph of speaking.
He;s “vacationing” at his villa in Italy, while Covid surges and the state is paralyzed by “remote work”…………translation: NO WORK
That is what happens in practicality when they are “suspending their disbelief” (HR Clinton) in real numbers and going on predictive models to make decisions. And then after doing that, they vote with “feelings.”
lmao imagine supporting lockdowns after the largest mass death event in american history and calling that a feeling driven conclusion? maga chuds never fail to disappoint
keeping up with the news
OK
What I — and most of the women I know who are passionate about cosmetics —like about make up isn’t that the right gloss can make your lips poutier or that false lashes can make your eyes more doe-like. Rather, it’s how women can communicate messages and express ourselves through makeup. Certainly it’s not our single factor of communication, but it’s one of many forms of expression that allow us to showcase our individual styles.
keeping up with the news
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Roofing In Brighton
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So….about those 56 machines in Bergen… <<>>
Murphy running for President is LAUGHABLE. Nased on what??
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Murphy doesn’t want to be the president, he wants to be a state trooper.
Nice article! thanks for sharing the post!
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lETS NOT FORGET that during the pandemic Donald Trump sent the MERCY, a fully equipped, COVID prepared Hospital ship to save lives of victims and healthcare workers . But Murphy in his wisdom would rather send Patients back to nursing homes that were ill-equipped to treat these patients so they could die , rather than utilize a life-saving gift and be like NY governor Cuomo, another anti-Trump
tool.
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Gun owners don’t have to talk about guns because they know that they have to come out and vote to protect their constitutional right to bear arms. The Supreme court decision has affirmed that right and somehow our “leaders” haven’t learned how to read.
NJ is one of the most corrupt and racist places to live. There’s “0” accountability for the criminal acts, corruption, and unfair treatment of the people of this state. It starts with our governor who cares less for truth and honesty. Continue to ruin the lives of the citizens of this state.
How about those unintended consequences.
New Jersey mandating that all cars being sold by 2035 be electric is telling us what we can or cannot buy with our own money. There will always be gasoline powered vehicles because of the power produced by internal combustion compared to the power produced by batteries; which is to say the more power the bigger the battery to the point of rediculousness. My thought is that if the state wants fewer gas powered vehicles on the road it should create a mass transit electric powered system that would emphasize convenience for commuters and everyday shoppers. Of course that would mean vehicles weighing tons more because of the size of batteries and that creates a whole other question of where to dispose of them (also for elelectric car batteries), since they are composed of highly toxic materials that can’t be burnt or buried. These are unintended consequences no- one is willing to grapple with until its too late. I think by 2035 th he electric car fantasy will go the same way the offshore wind farm has gone.
Stephen Brickman
206 Stonehenge Dr
Phillipsburg,NJ 08865
Stephen.Brickman@gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone
The military serving in the Middle East represents every state in the Union. Those are our sons and daughters, Moms and Dads and yet we are very little to protect them, or REALLY retaliate when they’re attacked. Governor Murphy is the Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and past chair of the National Governors Association and yet you never hear him mention about any requests either organization makes to Biden to be more aggressive about protecting our kids in harms way. It’s as though it doesn’t seem to matter to them. No wonder we look so weak to the rest of the world.
Teaneck property taxes pays for the school budget. Teaneck High School students walk out. Is a Hamas military shuffle march property tax bill included?
I’m a conservative and I do believe life begins at conception but the problem is that each mother is responsible for that life and it is in the realm of her mental and physical health that she will either bring it to term or abort it. This should not be a political decision and should not be be dictated by thousand of strangers. The Supreme Court turned it over to the states but it still remains personal for the mother and her family.
I don’t think it should be an “agenda item” for any political party. A state medical society may want to impose a time frame within which an abortion can occur but even that may be subject to the mother’s doctor’s discretion.
I say just quit discussing it and leave it up to the mother a father.
Voting should be based on understanding what’s actually happening and knowing who would make life safer and more livable. The only way to do that is to get both sides of the information remembering there are always two sides to a story. Mainstream media in my area includes the Star Ledger and the Easton Express. If you look at the bylines of the opinions you will find writers from the Washington Post and Bloomberg, both notoriously on the left. Even the political cartoons are a dead giveaway. CNN and CNBC are also left leaning. So what are the options for getting opinions and news from the right? Fortunately cable news has Fox, which is near center, and Newsmax, and NewsNation which are full right. Watching these even just occasionally will show a much broader picture and give the reader more information with which to make an informed voting decision. And remember you DONT have to vote party if you feel there’s a wiser choice.
The governor signed off on having Narcan available in all schools grades 9 through 12. But what about the idea
of having Narcan available in ALL SCHOOLS in New Jersey?
How’s his for an idea? Uncover the identities of the un-elected advisors to Pres. Biden, and publish their names. That way there is actually someone to blame when we lose valuable lives from unanswered attacks by terrorist organizations. We know Biden isn’t making these decisions on his own. My guess is that these advisors will quit the team rather than take the heat for poor decisions, revealing a big weakness in this administration. It might lead to improvements to the decision-making process.
Note to Concealed Carry permit holders: make sure you subscribe to one of the insurance companies that specialize in CCP, ie: US LAW SHIELD. If you ever have to fire your weapon , that has to be the first phone call you make. The second is 911, the third is your family. With so many new permit holders there will probably be an increase in discharges until word gets out that it’s actually unsafe for criminals to be in New Jersey and crime will take a nosedive.
Now unless you have a conviction in your background you can get that CCP and really defend yourself and your family. And more women are applying which is great for family defense. The stats that record gun violence will have to be re-organized into guns used for crime and guns used to prevent crime. A lot of get-always here because sometimes just brandishing a firearm is enough to stop a crime. But it should be reported anyway..
The liability limits for taxi cabs are extreme starting July 1. It was a plan in place through the insurance banking committee and it was abruptly changed with an amendment. The guys are barely making a living today and you’ve increased their insurance. What’s fair is fair and this is not it was an incremental increase, which was fair, and was removed by the governor please refer back to the original plan
Iowa gets it right. What better school security is there than trained, armed teachers with concealed carry permits. You wonder what parents and local government officials when they oppose this idea. Apparently they would rather wait for some demented individual, either a student or maybe an ex student pulls out a handgun of his backpack , or a long gun out of a duffel and starts firing do they can call it in and wait for help to show up. This move would save many lives and I would heartily endorse this idea nationwide. Of course I’m just an average gun owner who believes that our kids are our most valuable asset and need real protection.
The problem with the Line is that there is no vetting process. Whoever pays the most and/or is specifically unqualified and therefore relegated to the status of puppet is who the county bosses support and threaten the committee members to support. My opponent said on-air that he will do whatever they tell him. What kind of leadership is that. I have 8-10 organizations endorsing me to his zero. I have served many statewide for almost 4 years while he has never helped anyone but himself. No-brainer who is qualified, and they know it. That’s why they are getting nasty and vile while I continue to take the high road.
With the mainstream media touting the current president and suddenly discovers he’s been lying to us all about how supportive he is of Israel when it is reported he is receiving BIG donations from Soros and Rockefellers , both proven anti-American donors, to become pro Palestinian and Pro Hamas and Anti Israel by holding up ammunition shipments to Israel. And solidly answering the question of why he never goes directly against Iran. Is the MSM party to this also. How can the general public now know who and what to trust. They warn us how terrible a trump administration will be as if they have totally forgotten how good we had it under Trump. All I can say is put on your big boy pants and tell us how it really is.
Studies show that recreational cannabis is responsible a 10% increase in motor vehicle accident deaths. These studies show that cannabis impairs driving ability and driving while high is common among regular users. Since cannabis is still an illegal drug, insurance companies are within their rights to deny coverage in for an accident ruled a DUI due to cannabis. However a state that approved its recreational use should be held accountable for any and all the consequences of that DUI. States are more interested in the money they make but they should accept the responsibility for having approved the use of recreational cannabis.
Could you please fix your “bay blood spots “ typo. It sounds like a horror movie. Although “baby blood spots” isn’t much better. Maybe there’s a clearer and less distressing turn of phrase for all of our sensitive readers, lol. Please and thank you.
Reclassifying marihuana from CI to any other category will involve Pharmacy because by law only a Pharmacist with a DEA license can purchase or sell any drug with a CII to CV
Classification. (CI is exempt because it’s heroine or any other drug with no medical purpose). This is a National problem because it is all under the DEA. And since marihuana is a hallucinogen among other things it requires control. The whole weed issue has put the cart before the horse and really requires reining in to have it conform
to the legal requirements. (Sorry Mr. Weedman). And recreational use will get the biggest hit because it will require a prescription
for medicinal use, but that cuts out the recreational aspect. Maybe in the future Pharmacists may be able to prescribe it but not yet. And how many physicians and Nurse Practitioners will want to be involved in the weed industry, I wonder? Lots of questions and few answers so far.
Changing the regulations to allow Optometrists to perform surgery is foolhardy and dangerous. Their training is doing vision tests and prescribing the correct glasses to improve vision. Only an MD in ophthalmology should be the one to do eye surgery.
That’s like asking the fellow filling your gas tank to fix a ball joint suspension.
This is not the answer to a shortage of ophthalmologists
Can’t seem to access the Steinberg column on Sam Alito, Sr. on your website. Suggestions?
Stop complaining about taxes ,our schools , our crime, ,after all folks we keep voting in the same Democrat party politicians each time .
For instance who would think that every Democrat who represents us in congress would vote for men playing in woman sports ,but they did , ask yourself are you the kind of a person who would kill ( sorry to use that word kill but hard not to since the law is that is a human being and if the mother is murdered it’s a double homicide ) a baby up to the moment of birth sorry to tell you that is the law in New Jersey.
So stop complaining your part of the problem.
NOTE TO SENIORS
I was 85 when I got my Carry permit. If you want to protect yourself and your family you are never too old to carry. As log as you can pass the test at the range, which is pretty simple, and you have a handgun you can handle (which is why I purchased a Walther CCP M2 PLUS which is easy to rack) and you have no police record or mental health problems, you can qualify. Of course you need to get a Federal weapons ID card, if you don’t already have one. We are targets because we are older and look easy. Well surprise , surprise. The more folks that are carrying the less crime because the bad guys wont know if you are armed and might not try something. By the way
it doesn’t matter- male or female!!
Great article, thanks for keeping us informed!