| | | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by Move Health Care Forward New Jersey | Good Wednesday morning! It's not lame duck. But it feels like it. When the Legislature meets tomorrow, it will consider legislation with huge implications: Marijuana legalization/decrimilnalization and allowing the state's largest health insurer to restructure in order to act more like a for-profit business. There are other smaller but important bills that look just about set to get on the agenda, like extending the Camden's Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act, which actually died in lame duck last year, or a hospital property tax exemption bill. And get this: the governor and legislative leaders have just reached a deal on tax incentives with an $11.5 billion cap. Negotiations were conducted entirely in private. The public hasn't seen the bill. And Senate and Assembly sessions have been added for Monday to vote on it. It's beginning to look an awful lot like "The Economic Opportunity Act of 2013" in terms of transparency. A bill that created one of the biggest recent New Jersey political scandals. Maybe pandemic has up-ended the tradition of doing these things either at the end of two-year legislative sessions or at the same time everyone's distracted by the budget. But it doesn't make it any easier for reporters or any member of the public to keep track of what they're doing. WHERE'S MURPHY? In Fords for an 11 a.m. storm briefing. Media: Dean Obeidallah Show on SiriusXM at 7:45 p.m. CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 4,111 newly-reported cases for a total of 409,414. 97 more deaths for a total of 16,004 (and 1,868 presumed deaths). ,660 hospitalized, 727 in intensive care. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "For me, it has been important to receive this vaccine not just for me, but for all those I love. My people that I love, my family, my friends, my community and my neighbors, my co-workers. That's the importance of this vaccine." — Maritza Beniquez, the nurse who on Tuesday became the first New Jerseyan to get the Covid-19 vaccination SELF PROMOTIONAL TWEET/DEEP THOUGHT OF THE DAY: "Serious question: Now that Hackensack is called 'The Sack,' is Bergen County Superior Court now called SCROTUS?" HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, HCDO Chair Amy DeGise, Booker COS Matt "Clap On Clap Off The" Klapper, Former Mahwah Councilman Rob Hermansen, attorney Brian Bartlett | | | | A message from Move Health Care Forward New Jersey: Horizon heard your concerns. That's why S3218/A5119 addresses each and every one of them. There's no conversion and no stockholders. But there is the same charitable and benevolent status and the same state oversight from the Department of Banking and Insurance, the Attorney General and the State Legislature. S3218/A5119 means the same Horizon, only better! Learn More. | | |
|  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
ROCKEFALLER MONEY— "NJ DOT spends millions to stop falling rocks on highways. But how often does that happen?" by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "An investigation by the The Record, NorthJersey.com and the NJ Herald found that: Estimated construction costs for these projects have grown exponentially with little explanation. Ten years ago, the average cost of DOT rockfall mitigation projects was $2 million; now, many of them range from $10 million to $65 million. Contracts to consulting firms to do years of planning and research for these projects have in recent years been awarded to the same few firms, which in turn hire a web of sub-consulting firms. One firm has received more than $7 million in consulting fees for a single project that has been in the planning phase for seven years and counting. No evidence has yet been provided by the DOT that anyone has been killed or injured by a rock falling on a road in New Jersey. Anecdotal numbers provided to members of the public or local officials change or contradict past comments and raise questions about the need and scope of these projects. Input or involvement from local elected officials or members of the public in the planning process is meaningless, those officials say, once the DOT announces these projects. One mayor didn't even know a rockfall project was happening in his municipality until contacted by a reporter, even though the project had been awarded a bid and construction scheduled to begin in a matter of weeks."
—"How one firm cashed in $7M in consulting fees for a DOT rockfall project still being planned" DISABILITIES — "Bipartisan Disability Caucus forms after pandemic exposes flaws in NJ's system of care," by The Record's Gene Myers: "Legislators have promised to come together to focus on disability issues at the end of a rough year for New Jerseyans with disabilities. Senate President Stephen Sweeney will chair a newly formed bipartisan Disability Caucus. 'This bipartisan caucus presents the opportunity to further improve health care, education, transportation, housing and employment for New Jersey citizens with disabilities. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the many advocacy groups across this state who are committed to helping people with disabilities live self-determined, fulfilling lives so we can move New Jersey forward for everyone,' Sweeney said in an email." UNEMPLOYMENT — Sweeney, Coughlin promise quick action on bill to expand jobless benefits, by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan: Legislative leaders on Tuesday promised quick action on a measure that would expand unemployment benefits for New Jerseyans if Congress fails to strike a deal by next week. "The timing is critical. We have to do it now," Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said during a panel discussion hosted by the New Jersey State Bar Association Panel and moderated by POLITICO. "Many people are just a couple of weeks away from being in grave danger of losing everything." The bill, NJ S3283 (20R), would dedicate $350 million in state money to residents who are eligible for unemployment and expand unemployment insurance coverage for eight weeks, through Feb. 27. DANA REDD'S PENSION WILL NOT — Sweeney: Dedicated source of funding for NJ Transit will have to wait, by POLITICO's Samantha Maldonado: NJ Transit will have to wait until after the pandemic for a possible new dedicated funding source, Senate President Steve Sweeney said Tuesday. Sweeney said his proposal of a $500 million annual funding stream for the agency was a "wish" before the state borrowed more than $4 billion to offset budget shortfalls. "We've got to focus on our debt and financial positions. I absolutely want a dedicated funding source," Sweeney said at a New Jersey State Bar Association panel moderated by POLITICO. "Millionaire's tax was something we were looking at for that but for now, we've just got to get our house in order before we can — and then just start taking things one at a time." NO JUSTICE FOR SACCO'S GIRLFRIEND'S SON, NO PEACE — Progressives rail against Sacco amendment to bill repealing mandatory minimum sentences, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: More than 100 progressive activists, members of the clergy and others are urging New Jersey's legislative leadership to advance a stalled bill to repeal mandatory minimum sentences for a host of crimes, but not official misconduct. In a letter sent Tuesday, the activists called the bill's holdup because of an amendment to also exempt official misconduct convictions a "slap in the face to communities of color, of the hard work by advocates to advance this issue." The bill as initially written eliminated mandatory minimum sentences mostly for nonviolent drug and property crimes, based on recommendations by the New Jersey Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission that were intended to reduce racial incarceration disparities. CHRIS WHO? — Lavery beats Hugin in race to lead Republican State Committee, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: Michael Lavery, an attorney from Warren County who briefly served as Republican state chair in 2017, was elected Tuesday evening to return to the post. Members of the Republican State Committee chose Lavery, an ally of outgoing chair and gubernatorial candidate Doug Steinhardt, over Bob Hugin, a former pharmaceutical executive with close ties to former Gov. Chris Christie by a vote of 24-18. Hugin was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018. Lavery is also the nephew of former Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore, who just lost an appeal on three tax-related federal felony convictions. He was former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno's choice to lead the party during her unsuccessful run for governor against Murphy in 2017. —"NJ Supreme Court eliminates roadblocks for transgender people seeking legal name changes" —"Murphy commits to studying racial bias in N.J. policing, jury selection" —"Tax hikes on millionaires and gas gave N.J. budget an infusion of cash in November" —"State seeks $124K in fines from N.J. gym that refused coronavirus closure" —Golden: "The long shadow over the 2021 Republican primary for governor" | | | | TODAY - TALKING TRANSITION WITH SENATOR CASEY: From Janet Yellen to Antony Blinken to Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden is building his Cabinet. What can we infer from Biden's nominations so far? Which of his nominees will face the toughest confirmation obstacles in the Senate? Are progressives satisfied with his choices? Join POLITICO for our first Transition Playbook: Live edition featuring Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who will break it all down. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | TRUMP ERA | |
JENNIFER HOLDSWORTH'S PHONE IS BLOWING UP — Biden to nominate Buttigieg as transportation secretary, by POLITICO's Tyler Pager and Sam Mintz: President-elect Joe Biden will nominate former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg to be Transportation secretary, according to three people familiar with the decision. Buttigieg's ascension to the top spot at DOT marks the culmination of a meteoric rise in politics over the last two years from the mayor of South Bend, Ind., to the first openly gay Cabinet secretary, if he is confirmed. But Buttigieg's landing spot comes as a surprise given his thin transportation policy resume. Buttigieg, 38, wanted to serve as the ambassador to the United Nations, a position that went to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and he was also considered for Commerce secretary. But Buttigieg has a limited political future in his home state of Indiana, and Buttigieg supporters were hopeful Biden would give the mayor a high-profile spot to gain more experience and bolster his big political ambitions.
'THE NOTION THAT SOMEONE WOULD APPLY THE STANDARD TO ME THAT I APPLIED TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT IS ABSURD' — "Rep. Van Drew: 'Absurd' for Dems to say he shouldn't be seated in House for backing election lawsuit," by Fox News' Joshua Q. Nelson: "Democrats who are calling for the removal of their colleagues for supporting President Trump's election fight are making an 'absurd' argument, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said Tuesday… Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., sent a letter Friday urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to consider blocking more than 100 Republican lawmakers from taking office because of their support for Trump's lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results … 'This unconstitutional, it is not legal, I believe in the rule of law, they absolutely should have had a meeting of those folks obviously that are in the legislature and that is what this suit is all about and that is what this concern is about,' Van Drew said, adding he did not agree with the Supreme Court's rejection of the challenge. 'The notion that after the people voted for me that I couldn't sit in the House of Representatives, that you would literally disenfranchise my voters in my district, is an absurd notion.'" A PRIEST AND A RABBI WALK INTO THE BAR — "Supreme Court hands win to NJ priest, rabbi who sued over religious worship COVID restrictions," by The Record's Terrence T. McDonald: "The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of a North Caldwell Catholic priest and a Lakewood rabbi who sued Gov. Phil Murphy over coronavirus restrictions on worship services, with the court reversing a lower court ruling that was in Murphy's favor. The move comes less than a month after the high court ruled in favor of New York houses of worship that challenged New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's pandemic restrictions. Tuesday's action was not a ruling on the merits of the New Jersey case, but an unsigned order remanding it to the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals and ordering judges there to reconsider their decision in light of the Cuomo ruling." —Moran: "The Republican war against democracy" —"Sound On: Rep. Gottheimer, stimulus, vaccine timeline (podcast)" —"N.J. congresswoman [Sherrill] demands resignation of VA secretary over response to sexual harassment claim" —"Congress urged to make Daniel's Law, named after Judge Esther Salas' murdered son, federal law" —"Former Gov. Whitman on the Republican Party after Trump" | | | |   | | |
| | LOCAL | |
WILDAING OUT — "Caba's slate takes big lead in Perth Amboy," by New Jersey Globe's Nikita BIryukov : "Perth Amboy Councilman Helmin Caba leads incumbent Mayor Wilda Diaz by 565 votes with roughly nearly 800 votes uncounted. The challenger has 3,952 votes to Diaz's 3,387. The tally leaves Diaz with an increasingly narrow path to victory. To erase Caba's margin, she would have to win more than 80% of remaining ballots. That count includes most of the 7,526 mail-in ballots Middlesex County Election officials received before today. Only 184 ballots in that batch remain uncounted."
HOBOKEN — "Hoboken Councilman Ramos is first potential Bhalla mayoral challenger to file with NJ ELEC," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "Hoboken 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos is the first potential challenger to Mayor Ravi Bhalla to file preliminary paperwork with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC), though he says he is still weighing his options … Ramos filed a D1 form with NJ ELEC on December 2nd, which essentially establishes a campaign account for a new or different office, though there is no mechanism to force a candidate to run for that office. The councilman also said that 'all options are on the table' and that this filing was part of the preparation process heading into 2021, noting that he wasn't 100 percent committed to running just yet." SWATTED DOWN — "Passaic sheriff's officers say they were punished for endorsing Richard Berdnik's rivals," by The Record's Tom Nobile: "Two Passaic County sheriff's officers claim their endorsement of Sheriff Richard Berdnik's political rivals doomed their chances at promotions and led to years of retaliation ranging from pay reductions to removal from the county SWAT team. The joint complaint filed Thursday by Officers Marcello Errigo and James Weston says the pair were told by colleagues they would never earn a promotion regardless of their test scores or seniority, because they backed a slate of Republican candidates for sheriff and freeholder in 2010. Berdnik, a Democrat, won the first of his four terms as county sheriff in the election. According to the complaint, filed Thursday in state Superior Court, neither officer saw a promotion from after the 2010 election through December 2018, despite being in the top three on the department's eligibility list each year. The alleged retaliation stemmed from the 'fact that both plaintiffs are registered Republicans,' the suit states." A BRISTERING DECISION — "Suspension proposed for judge who told defendant how to show women 'you're in control'," by NJ Advance Media's Rebecca Everett: " A state judicial committee is recommending a one-month, unpaid suspension for a municipal judge who advised a domestic violence defendant on how to 'let [women] know you're the man and you're in control.' Steven A. Brister, who serves as a municipal judge in East Orange and as needed in Newark, violated judicial rules with his 'sexist and misogynistic' comments and by bringing his religious beliefs into the courtroom, according to a filing by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct to the Supreme Court, which will mete out any punishment." HOW THE GRINCH STOLE A DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION — "Don't expect a snow day, N.J. superintendent tells kids. Remote learning marches on," by NJ Advance Media's Rob Jennings: "In Cherry Hill, where about 4- to 6 inches of snow is expected starting Wednesday afternoon, Superintendent Joseph Meloche on Monday dashed hopes of an early winter break. 'We are expecting our first major snowfall in nearly two years, but because we're all on remote instruction, do not expect a phone call from Mrs. Wilson, because we will not be having a snow day,' Meloche, who was referring to the district's public information officer, said in a video posted to Twitter." 'THUS WITH A KISS WE DIE' — " Party at NJ firehouse leads to closure, quarantined firefighters," by NJ 101.5's Dan Alexander: "A Verona fire station was closed after several firefighters were exposed to coronavirus during an unauthorized holiday party at the firehouse. Township Manager Matthew Cavallo said that several members of the Verona Fire Department who attended the party at Fire Station 2 on Bloomfield Avenue are required to quarantine per CDC and state health guidelines. Cavallo did not say whether any members or their guests at the party tested positive for coronavirus." —"'Groundhog Day': Paterson schools — financially strapped — face a $50M budget gap for 2021-22" —"$100M water park at Showboat hotel OK'd, tax break pending" —"Appellate judge orders new trial in Carifi whistleblower case against Parsippany" —"This historic Rumson mansion is at risk under a controversial affordable housing plan" | | | | JOIN THURSDAY - CLOSING THE HEALTH CARE GAP: Another Covid-19 outbreak is taking a significant toll on the health of the Latino community. As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to assume office, how will his administration address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color, particularly Latinos? Join POLITICO for a virtual conversation on the policy, economic and cultural barriers Latinos confront in accessing quality health care and how the pandemic can create an opportunity to identify solutions. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
ON THE WATERFRONT — "New York-area ports are setting shipment records," by The Wall Street Journal's Anna Kadet: " This season has produced a record flow of incoming cargo at the Port of New York and New Jersey— driven in part by the insatiable demand for merchandise from people stuck at home during the pandemic. In early fall, in preparation for the holidays, 55,000 shipping containers of furniture and bedding were unloaded at the port — a 32% increase from 2019. Coffee-maker shipments jumped 163% to 1,050 containers — that is about three million 12-cup machines."
—" Winter storm could mean the end for N.J. outdoor dining. Costly tents now at risk from snow" —"An alliance aimed at making life better for transgender people launches in N.J. Tuesday" | | | | A message from Move Health Care Forward New Jersey: S3218/A5119 creates a process for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to apply to the state to become a not-for-profit mutual. This change means removing restrictions placed only on Horizon so that it can create more affordable, high-quality health care options with better health care outcomes.
Horizon heard your concerns on this change. That's why S3218/A5119 expressly prohibits the conversion of the company to a for-profit. S3218/A5119 does not allow for the creation of stockholders, keeps Horizon's charitable and benevolent status and amends current law rather than creating a new one. It also maintains a system of oversight from the Department of Banking and Insurance, the Attorney General and the State Legislature.
No conversion. No stockholders. The same charitable and benevolent status. Amending the law instead of creating a new one. The same state oversight.
S3218/A5119 means the same Horizon, only better! Learn More. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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