News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Horizon's big lobbying push

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Horizon's big lobbying push

Mar 10, 2021

Presented by Anbaric Development Partners

What's a few million dollars when you've trying to re-organize your multi-billion dollar non-profit health insurer into something that more resembles a for-profit entity?

Not much. But it's enough to put Horizon near the top of the list of the state's top lobbying spenders last year, at $4.3 million — up from $1.4 million in 2019. That's nearly a half Mastro.

The word "lobbying" here mainly refers to expenditures on public relations campaigns. Most of Horizon's money was spent through a group it formed called Move Health Care Forward. Read more about it from Sam Sutton here.

Other big lobyists: The NJEA, as is often the case, was number one at $6.2 million. And New Direction New Jersey — the 501(c)4 run by Gov. Phil Murphy's former campaign advisers — spent $5 million, which is more than a $1 million increase from the year before. More on weed lobbying below.

WHERE'S MURPHY?: In Lawrenceville for a "Global War on Terrorism Medal Ceremony" at 10:30 a.m., then Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 3,434 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 726,395. 46 more deaths for a total of 21,238 (and 2,397 probable deaths). 1,899 hospitalized, 397 in intensive care. 869,104 have received second vaccine doses, or about 9.8 percent o the population.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Changing something that many students don't want to change during a year when nothing has gone our way and we already have had to miss out on many opportunities is not fair" — A student's email about a proposal at Ridge High School in Somerset County to no longer have different graduation gown colors for boys and girls

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Assemblymember Angela McKnight, Cruz-Perez COS Nohemi Soria-Perez. Missed yesterday: Port Authority's Ben Feldman, Camden County Commissioner Jonathan Young

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

MANDATORY MINIMUMS — New Jersey County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey President Esther Suarez — the Hudson County prosecutor — wrote to Gov. Murphy yesterday opposing a bill that hit his desk last week that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for all non-violent crimes, including ones involving public corruption. The prosecutors were represented on the Criminal Sentencing Disposition Commission, which recommended doing away with the mandatory minimums for most of the crimes listed in the bill, but not the ones involving corruption. "As has been reported, these recommendations have languished because of an attempt to add the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences for various crimes committed by state or local public officers or employees … The added provision was not part of the Commission's unanimous recommendation. The CPANJ specifically opposed the addition of these crimes," Suarez wrote. The commission wants Murphy to veto or conditionally veto the legislation. Of note is that Suarez, reported to be under consideration for U.S. Attorney, is from the same county as the man behind this: state Sen. Nick Sacco (D-Hudson). Read the letter here.

NOT EASY FOR SCHEPISI — Schepisi wins state Senate seat in close special election, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Republican Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi won Tuesday's special election for a vacant state Senate seat in Bergen and Passaic counties, capping a contentious intraparty race with Assemblyman Robert Auth to serve the remainder of late state Sen. Gerald Cardinale's term. Schepisi beat Auth by a 111-103 margin in a tally of the Bergen County Republican Organization. Another contest will be held in about two weeks to fill the remainder of Schepisi's Assembly term, Bergen County Republican Chair Jack Zisa said.

VETERANS HOMES — " Families of COVID victims at NJ veterans homes want answers, not a Zoom memorial service," by The Record's Scott Fallon: "Almost a year after their loved ones began dying in record numbers, families of COVID-19 victims at two state-run veterans homes have received little to no information from Gov. Phil Murphy's administration about why the virus spread so rapidly at the facilities in Menlo Park and Paramus. Now some families are upset the Menlo Park home is holding a memorial service Tuesday on Zoom, saying that a video conference devalues the 103 lives lost there. 'A memorial on Zoom is not going to smooth things over when we still don't know what happened,' said Kimberly Peck, whose father, Vernon Peck, a Menlo Park resident, died on April 12 from COVID-19 … there has been little information from the Murphy administration, even though it ousted the CEOs of the Paramus and Menlo Park homes along with their boss and the commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs."

—"NJ has been more relaxed about social distancing. Here's why that has experts worried"

OR MAYBE KIDS DON'T DRINK MUCH. JUST KIDDING — " New N.J. legal weed law that eases penalties on underage drinking alarms lawmakers. But data shows few teens get caught anyway," by NJ Advance Media's Amanda Hoover: "The new system makes New Jersey one of the most lenient on underage drinking and marijuana use in the nation. But taking away arrests and fines likely won't fuel more underage drinking and drug use. Data hints that police may have already been letting many caught with alcohol off without warnings rather than arresting them. Underage drinking cases rarely end up in the court despite a wide use of alcohol among high school and college students. In 2019, police issued 1,322 charges for underage drinking across the state to those 18 to 20 years old, according to the state judiciary. Courts dismissed 533 of those. That's fewer charges than police issued for marijuana possession each month prior to the law change."

—Gopal drops bill text to clean up parental notifications for cannabis, alcohol possession

MIRACLE WORKERS — Scotts Miracle-Gro paid out $1.2M to back New Jersey's legalization effort, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton : The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company shelled out almost $1.2 million to back New Jersey's cannabis legalization campaign and lobby lawmakers on legislation that set the legal and regulatory framework for the industry, according to a report from the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. The Ohio-based lawn care company paid $800,000 to back a pair of political campaign committees organized to support New Jersey's 2020 cannabis ballot question and spent almost $400,000 toward lobbying efforts around accompanying legislation. Companies and advocacy groups spent a little more than $3.9 million on lobbying and campaign contributions relating to cannabis legalization last year, according to the report, an increase of more than 45 percent over 2019.

2.2 MASTROS — "Concerns over Murphy's plan to divert $20M of affordable housing funds," by NJ Spotlight's Colleen O'Dea: "Administration officials say they do not consider the proposed use of $20 million from the fund for the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency's (HMFA) Down Payment Assistance program as a raid. That program provides a $10,000 interest-free forgivable loan to first-time homebuyers in the state to cover a down payment and closing costs. There is an income cap to qualify, but it's 140% of the area's median income, which is not limited to a single county. Trust-fund money is supposed to build or support homes for those with no more than 80% of the median income. The difference between those two income levels is substantial. Bergen County, the state's most populous county, had an area median income of $104,200 last year. A moderate-income household would have no more than $83,360 in income, while the limit for the down payment assistance program would be $145,880, or $62,000 more than the maximum that would qualify for affordable housing aid. 'The idea that we are going to take money from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and give it to HMFA, I can say that we unequivocally oppose the proposal in its current form and are deeply concerned that funding that should be used to create homes for lower income New Jersey residents would somehow be eligible to be used for wealthier homeowners,' said Staci Berger, president and CEO of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey."

LD37 — "Chung drops out of Assembly race In 37th District," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Palisades Park Mayor Christopher Chung is dropping out of the race for the Democratic Assembly nomination in the 37th district after some party leaders became concerned that allegation of financial mismanagement by the borough could be a drain on the ticket. A State Comptroller's Office investigation found that Palisades Park officials failed to follow a state law that capped sick leave payouts for municipal employees. 'In light of this new information, I cannot in good conscious leave the Borough of Palisades Park knowing how much work is still left to be done,' Chung said."

—More: The Bergen Democrats' credentials committee meeting was bumped back into tonight. From talking to Bergen Democrats last night, Chung's departure likely does not bode well for the other Assembly candidate on the ticket, Alexandra Soriano-Tavares. We'll probably hear more on that today.

EDUCATION — School reopening hearing postponed after Murphy officials decline to appear, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin : New Jersey Republican lawmakers excoriated Gov. Phil Murphy's administration on Tuesday for failing to make officials available at a now-postponed committee hearing on school reopening. The state Legislature postponed a scheduled virtual meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Schools Tuesday because state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and Acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan declined to appear, Sen. Mike Testa (R-Cumberland) and Assemblymember Erik Simonsen (R-Cape May) said in a statement. Committee members had prepared to hear testimony about school reopening efforts and strategies to address learning loss. Alyana Alfaro Post, a Murphy spokesperson, did not give a reason for the administration's decision not to appear at the hearing, but said in an email, "the Commissioners plan to attend and discuss the shared goal of in-school learning for New Jersey's children," whenever the meeting is rescheduled.

—"Peterson demands Grewal recuse from racist flyer investigation"

—Bill allowing DOH to bypass local authorities for syringe access programs advances

— Sweeney's school consolidation bill clears legislative committee

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BIDEN TIME

MEET THE NEW BOSS… — Biden's DOJ maintains Trump administration's stance in PennEast case before Supreme Court, by POLITICO's Samantha Maldonado : The Biden administration's Department of Justice is maintaining the Trump administration's stance in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving the proposed PennEast pipeline's route through New Jersey. "In light of the long unbroken history of colonial, state, and federal delegations of such authority, there is no basis to conclude that, when the States granted the federal government the eminent-domain power in the plan of the Convention, they silently retained the right to veto delegations of its exercise, as long as they could first obtain any property interest in the land at issue," the acting U.S. solicitor general stated in a brief filed Monday.

—"NJ fishing community says virus aid helps keep it afloat"

—"South Jersey man accused of taking part in Capitol riot"

LOCAL

NOT NEW JERSEY. MONTCLAIR — "Montclair and teachers union reach tentative settlement for students to return to school," by The Record's Julia Martin: "The Montclair Board of Education and the Montclair teachers union reached a settlement Tuesday during a livestreamed hearing in Essex Superior Court to open schools for hybrid, in-person learning on April 12, contingent on union approval of safety protocols. The Montclair schools have been 100% remote since the COVID outbreak one year ago. Details are still being negotiated and teachers and union members must approve safety measures during a March 22 walk-through … 'We are pleased that the Montclair Education Association has committed to in-person instruction at the elementary schools commencing on April 12,' said Superintendent Jonathon Ponds in a statement."

—"2 more Lakewood elementary school staffers hospitalized for COVID: Union"

PAID LEAVE — "Shore town discriminated against pregnant police officer, NJ Supreme Court rules," by The Asbury Park Press' Kathleen Hopkins: "The state Supreme Court today ruled — in its first consideration of the New Jersey Pregnant Workers Fairness Act — that the Ocean Township Police Department discriminated against a pregnant police officer who was forced to cut short her light-duty assignment and use up her paid leave time prior to giving birth."

WHY NOT JUST CALL THEM BOTH 'HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM'? — "N.J. high schools get new mascots after dropping Indians, Cowboys ," by NJ Advance Media's Jeff Goldman: "A pair of high schools in Bergen County have new mascots more than eight months after dropping Indians and Cowboys. Pascack Valley High School's new nickname will be the Panthers while Pascack Hills High School has officially been coined the Broncos. The Pascack Valley Regional High School District approved the new names by a 5-4 vote following a lengthy debate at Monday's board of education meeting, a district spokesman confirmed Tuesday."

THE NO GILMORES CLUB — " Ocean GOP vote could determine Gilmore comeback chances," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "The Ocean County Republican Chairman and his predecessor, who resigned after a criminal conviction, will face off on Wednesday evening in a high-stakes vote to recognize a new Republican Club in Toms River. The result will decide which faction of the Toms River Republicans — one loyal to GOP County Chairman Frank B. Holman III and the other controlled by George Gilmore, the former county chairman — will be recognized as the official club. Republicans for Toms River is seeking to certification as the official club, replacing the Toms River Regular Republican Club, the recognized club for at least the last 35 years. The president of that club, Geri Ambrosio, is an ally of Gilmore … There is considerable speculation that Gilmore wants his county chairmanship back when Holman is up for re-election next year … The race for a rare open seat on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners could hinge on the vote to recognize the new club. The club president casts 13 votes at the convention."

IS THERE ANY OTHER NEW YORK? — "West New York received 36% of COVID-19 vaccines administered by NHCAC, CEO says," by Hudson County View's John Heinis : "The Town of West New York received 36 percent of the COVID-19 vaccines administered by the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, according to data released by CEO Joan Quigley following Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez exclaiming that his community had been shortchanged as a whole. 'We thank you for your outstanding cooperation with our policy of allotting vaccination slots to the municipalities we serve according to the population of each community. Under that arrangement, West New York, being the third largest town in our service area, receives 18 percent of the time slots available,' NHCAC CEO Joan Quigley said in an email to Hudson County mayors on Friday. ' … Therefore, when we saw and read media reports of West New York being short-changed on vaccines, our Chairman, Board members, senior management, and Vax teams were deeply offended by the inaccurate information presented to the public.'"

—"Manale out as chief of staff for Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora"

—" Newark unveils homeless shelter made from converted shipping containers"

—"Bergen GOP dented by Kugler misconduct charge"

—" North Wildwood Mayor: St. Patrick's Day parade was 'never' intended"

—"Judge dismisses excessive force lawsuit against embattled Paterson cop Michael Cheff"

—" Union City police sergeant suspended after being charged with drunk driving"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

THE EMISSIONS DEPARTMENT — Rutgers boards vote to divest from fossil fuels, by Samantha : Rutgers University's Board of Governors and Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to divest the school's endowment from fossil fuel investments. A student-led coalition known as the Endowment Justice Collective pushed the state's flagship university to divest and submitted a formal proposal to the Board of Governors more than a year ago. It was the first time students took to formal channels created to receive divestment requests, although they campaigned for the move in past years. After the formal submission, an ad hoc divestment committee of students, faculty and staff came together to consider the request and advise the school's Joint Committee on Investment. About 5 percent of Rutgers' $1.6 billion endowment is made up of fossil fuel-related investments.

—"Catholic Church tries to shift blame to former Cardinal McCarrick in NJ sex abuse lawsuits"

—" In South Jersey, COVID vaccine appointment issues hit elderly population hardest"

—"The Children of COVID These N.J. kids lost a young parent in the pandemic. They will never be the same"

A message from Anbaric Development Partners:

With a bold vision of creating 7500 MW of wind energy by 2035, New Jersey is leading the race to scale the offshore wind industry, but a major question remains: How will we transport that energy back to shore? The answer is planned transmission, the most efficient, economic, and environmentally friendly way to bring offshore wind power to New Jersey's homes and businesses.

Acknowledging the considerable benefits of a planned transmission approach, the BPU announced late last year that the state, alongside PJM, will issue a first-in-the-nation transmission-only solicitation in early 2021. Now, New Jersey will need a partner that can deliver on this transformative opportunity.

With extensive experience building transmission systems, Anbaric is the company New Jersey can trust to achieve our state's clean energy goals. Anbaric is committed to scaling the offshore wind industry while protecting ratepayers and the environment.
Visit nj.anbaric.com to learn more.