News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Just how democratic is New Jersey?

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Just how democratic is New Jersey?

Mar 30, 2021

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Uber Driver Stories

Good Tuesday morning!

Today, Gov. Murphy, joined by very special guest Stacey Abrams, will sign early voting legislation into law.

You don't have to be a political consultant to understand that this signing ceremony is an obvious counterpoint to the voting restrictions Republicans just put in place in Georgia where, rather than try to change their party's stances to appeal to changing demographics, Republicans have opted to make it harder for people to vote.

New Jersey has been very Democratic for decades now. But how small-d democratic is it, really? While this law will indeed make it more convenient for many people to vote, advocates — mostly but not entirely on the left — point out that New Jersey's ballot structure makes it so a relatively small number of people have huge influence over who appears on the general election ballot in November. Is it really democracy when the primary deck is so stacked in favor of the candidate who wins "the line?"

And another proposal that could dilute the influence of party bosses — ranked-choice voting — was first introduced two years ago but hasn't gotten a hearing.

Now, Democratic and Republican leaders say all the time that the county line can be beaten. But if that's so, why are there such big intra-party spats over who gets it? Why, when it looked like Bernie Sanders might be the Democratic nominee, potentially forming a potent alternate line to the establishment, did Hudson County Democrats float having an open primary for the presidency, only to say "nevermind" once it was clear Joe Biden would be the nominee? Why have so few people prevailed over the line historically?

Read more about it here.

WHERE'S MURPHY?: In Passaic for a 10:30 a.m. "Cover All Kids Initiative" event, followed by a virtual early voting bill signing ceremony at noon.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 3,174 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 792,616. 16 more deaths for a total of 21,869 (and 2,535 probable deaths). 2,225 hospitalized, 491 in intensive care. 1,473,410 fully vaccinated — about 16.6 percent of the population.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: State Sen. Fred Madden, Assemblymember Christopher DePhillips, Assemblymember Jean Stanfield, NAACP's George Gore, CRDA's Lance Landgraf, Kivvit's Zach Silber . Recently missed: The Lakewood Shopper's Shlomo Schorr

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Talk about a single person changing the course of our country's history with the work she did in Georgia. I'll be thrilled to be within the same electrons as her." — Assemblymember Andrew Zwicker on Stacey Abrams

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

EDUCATION — Black, Latinx students in New Jersey falling further behind in remote schooling, report says, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin : New Jersey's Black and Latinx students are falling further behind during the pandemic than many of their peers, new data shows. According to a report released Tuesday from JerseyCAN, New Jersey Children's Foundation and the Washington, D.C.-based education data nonprofit EmpowerK12, New Jersey students, on average, lost 30 percent of expected learning in English language arts and 36 percent of expected learning in math during the Covid-19 pandemic-related school shutdowns. Black students lost an average of 43 percent of expected learning in ELA and 50 percent in math, while Latinx students lost 37 percent of expected learning in ELA and 40 percent in math. According to the report, by the end of this school year, in grades 3-8 alone, approximately 393,000 students in ELA and 430,000 students in math will not be learning on grade level.

0.05 MATROS — "'The ball was dropped by all:' How cops got more than $400,000 in unlawful sick-day payouts," by The Asbury Park Press' Andrew Ford: "In 2010, New Jersey lawmakers wanted to put a stop to the six-figure payouts police officers and other public employees could get by cashing in their unused sick days at retirement. They capped the sellbacks at $15,000 for anyone hired after the law took effect. Six years later, Vernon Township, a small town in northern New Jersey, changed its police contract to allow officers to cash in their sick days annually, in addition to at retirement. Over the years 2017 and 2018, officers hired after the 2010 law took effect were paid more than $13,000, according to town payroll records. Vernon is one of 25 towns identified by the Asbury Park Press and ProPublica as having made payments for unused sick time to officers covered by the 2010 law, totaling more than $460,000 between 2017 and 2019. Now, New Jersey's acting state comptroller has deemed those types of payments illegal. In some cases, the officers might need to pay that money back."

CONSOLIDATION — "Has time finally come for school consolidation?" by NJ Spotlight's John Mooney: "In 1993, New Jersey enacted its last major piece of legislation aimed at overhauling the state's Byzantine structure for public education, then comprising more than 600 separate school districts. The law set a process for voluntarily regionalizing schools and spelled out who would pay for what. Feasibility studies were conducted, and promises were made. Nearly three decades later, it has basically been a wash: Three school regionalizations have taken place, yet in three other instances, districts were broken up further. 'To say that we in a quarter century haven't advanced the ball (on regionalizations) is not an understatement,' said Vito Gagliardi Jr., a prominent school attorney who has handled half of those cases. But change — or at least the prospect of it — seems imminent. Sweeping legislation led by state Senate President Steve Sweeney that adds new financial incentives to the urge to merge swept through the Senate on Thursday and looks toward passage in the Assembly."

CONSERPATION — "In LD26 war, DeCroce adamant about not getting 'squeezed out'," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack: "As for Republicans, the machinations continue this week when Essex Republicans are scheduled to make an endorsement. Sources say Webber figures to be the odd man out. That was also the case in Passaic County, where the GOP endorsed Barranco and DeCroce on Saturday morning. When all the internal skirmishing ends, the 'new guy,' Barranco, may be the only one with endorsements from the district's all three GOP committees. Go figure. Looking ahead, DeCroce remains confident, saying today she has no idea who's going to be 'squeezed out' of the Assembly picture, but it's not going to be her."

TRADING ARBS — "Federal judge overturns N.J. ban on mandatory arbitration," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "The New Jersey Civil Justice Institute won a victory in federal court on Friday after challenging New Jersey's law that employment contracts that include mandatory arbitration. U.S. District Court Judge Anne E. Thompson found that the state law violated the Federal Arbitration Act that permitted workplace disputes to be solved through arbitration."

THERE'S ALWAYS THE KEYSTONED STATE — "N.Y. is set to pass legal weed. Is N.J.'s competitive advantage already gone?" by NJ Advance Media's Amanda Hoover: "Cannabis industry insiders say that doesn't mean New Jersey has dashed its competitive advantage. As the nation's most densely populated state, there will be plenty of local customers to partake … But sales will not start until the state sets up rules and a board to regulate the industry. New York Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said Friday it could take 18 months to two years for sales to start, an estimate that falls in line with other states, including Massachusetts. New Jersey cannabis industry insiders have predicted sales here could come by early 2022, thanks to the incremental work the Garden State accomplished over three years … Even if things had gone smoothly, no one expected New Jersey to have a monopoly on cannabis for long. And cannabis industry insiders here aren't worried about customers flocking to dispensaries in New York City."

—Stile: "New Jersey suddenly a 'beacon' in the national debate on voter suppression"

—Egea: " Protect our lower wage New Jersey workers and their jobs"

—Lassiter: "Bergen Dems Try (+fail) to poach Huttle's running mates"

—Golden: " Sweeney wants to reassert NJ legislators' role. Murphy would be wise to accede"

—"N.J. banquet halls can soon host more people at indoor events, Murphy says"

—" N.J. outdoor gatherings limits and indoor seating at venues holding more than 2.5K people to increase Friday, Murphy announces"

—"New Yorkers age 30 and up can get covid-19 vaccines starting Tuesday"

—" Attorney General seeks to seal court records in case connected to Matt O'Donnell"

—"Suarez to Moran: 'Don't touch me' following 2019 incident recorded by cops"

—" N.J. made it legal for drug users to buy syringes but not possess them. New bill could fix this legal quandary"

—"Evicted during the pandemic? Those records would be confidential under N.J. bill"

—" Deadline for buying health coverage on GetCoveredNJ extended, Phil Murphy says"

JOIN THE CONVERSATION, SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" Power dynamics are shifting in Washington, and more people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is a new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy and power in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear from new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out on our latest newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel.

BIDEN TIME

ENERGY — Feds to advance Ocean Wind permitting, by POLITICO's Samantha Maldonado: The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced Monday it is advancing the permitting of New Jersey's first offshore wind project. BOEM issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for Ocean Wind, the 1,100-megawatt project that will be built 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic City. The notice of intent kicks off a 30-day comment period, which, along with the three public scoping meetings BOEM will host, will inform the federal environmental review and what should be included in the analysis. Ocean Wind, developed by Ørsted, will power about half a million homes and is expected to be operational by 2024. The notice of intent came as part of a spate of initiatives BOEM announced to boost the nation's offshore wind industry. "BOEM will work with industry, Tribes, government partners, the fishing community, conservation organizations, and labor unions to make sure that any offshore wind development is done in an environmentally safe and responsible manner," BOEM Director Amanda Lefton said in a statement. "Public input plays an essential role for identifying and mitigating any potential impacts from proposed energy development activities."

—" White House pushes new offshore wind power expansion"

LOCAL

R.I.P. — "Kenneth Armwood, Middlesex County commissioner deputy director, dies at 46," by MyCentralJersy's Susan Loyer: "Middlesex County Commissioner Deputy Director Kenneth Armwood, 46, died unexpectedly Monday morning, according to a news release from Piscataway Township. No further details about his death have been released. Armwood was elected to the Piscataway Board of Education at age 19. He served on the Piscataway Township Council from 2004 to 2013, serving as council president in 2008 and 2013. He joined what was known as the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, now known as the Middlesex County Commission, in March 2013. He was named County Commissioner Deputy Director in 2020."

SO NOW CLOSING JAILS HURTS MINORITIES? — "Union County officials tight-lipped over potential jail closure," by MyCentralJersey's Suzanne Russell: "Two years after Union County closed its juvenile detention center in Linden in a cost-cutting measure, it's eyeing more savings by closing its jail. The closure would relocate inmates and eliminate or relocate jobs for corrections officers and other jail personnel. The jail currently has 116 inmates, according to a county spokesman. 'We are always looking at ways at making county government more efficient, and one of the steps has involved an examination of the operations of our jail,' Union County Manager Edward Oatman said in a statement … Saleem Ismial, a community activist, sees the potential closure having a direct impact on the county's 198 corrections officers, 48 percent who are African American and 40 percent who are Latino ... He said union leadership has been told the closing of the jail is 'non-negotiable.' He said the county is keeping it quiet from the public because of the impact on the minority community."

PUTTING ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE HARBOR — "New Jersey American Water signs agreement to purchase Egg Harbor City's water utility," by The Press of Atlantic City's Molly Shelly: "New Jersey American Water has signed an agreement to purchase the city's water and wastewater assets for $21.8 million, the company announced Monday. The agreement comes after the city council voted to relinquish ownership of the assets to New Jersey American Water at a March 15 meeting. Under the agreement, the company will invest $14 million in the first 10 years to make necessary upgrades to the water and wastewater systems, including $9 million in the first five years, the company said … In January, city officials and the state's Department of Environmental Protection agreed the municipality did not have the money to replace the aging system."

ALL HE WANTS IS A LAVELL PLAYING FIELD — "White professor sues N.J. college for discrimination, says Black colleagues make more," by NJ Advace Media's Rebecca Everett: "A white chemistry professor is suing Camden County College alleging racial discrimination after finding out several Black colleagues make significantly more money than him. In the lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Camden, William T. Lavell, 66, claims that he is paid between $45,000 and $50,000 less than two Black engineering professors despite having similar qualifications and experience."

HIGHBONGKEN — " There could be 2 medical weed dispensaries a block apart in N.J. after court denies lawsuit," by NJ Advance Media's Amanda Hoover: "A dispensary slated for Hoboken can move forward despite a lawsuit from a potential competitor, a court has ruled. The state Superior Court in Hudson County ruled last week that Harmony Dispensary can continue its plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary near the PATH Station, but must seek approval from the city's Medical Cannabis Review Board going forward. The decision could put two competing dispensaries just a block apart in the city. The state only has 15 medical marijuana dispensaries currently. Some are more than an hour away from a competitor."

—"Some N.J. schools are opting for virtual learning after spring break"

—"Lakewood teachers fight COVID-related suspension, cite continued dangers"

—" Mohin Patel made anti-Muslim, anti-media Facebook posts"

THE LATEST FROM INSIDE THE WEST WING : A lot happened in the first two months of the Biden presidency. From a growing crisis at the border to increased mass shootings across the country while navigating the pandemic and ongoing economic challenges. Add Transition Playbook to your daily reads to find out what actions are on the table and the internal state of play inside the West Wing and across the administration. Track the people, policies and emerging power centers of the Biden administration. Don't miss out. Subscribe today.

EVERYTHING ELSE

MEASLES UNDER CONSIDERATION TO BECOME JAMEL HOLLEY'S RUNNING MATE — Measles took 2020 off. 2021 could be a different story, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: Few diseases set off alarm bells like measles. Dozens of New Jersey residents contracted the highly contagious and potentially fatal childhood disease between 2015 and 2019. A major outbreak that spread to at least 33 people across Ocean and Passaic counties in 2018 triggered a fast-moving contact tracing effort in which health officials publicly warned about potential exposure in schools, religious institutions and businesses where infected residents were known to have visited. Then, in the shadow of a life-altering pandemic, New Jersey's measles problem disappeared. The Garden State, under Covid-19 restrictions and mask mandates, reported no new cases in 2020. But as New Jersey emerges from more than a year under lockdown and Gov. Phil Murphy pushes to reopen public schools for in-person instruction, the state's battle against measles and other preventable infectious diseases could come back fast and vicious.

GYM, TAN, LASSO — "GOP candidate from New Jersey accused of pandering after he transforms into cowboy for Texas run," by The Washington Post's Meryl Kornfield: "New Jersey boy. Pro wrestler. Failed Republican candidate in Nevada. Dan Rodimer has led many lives, but his latest — a cowboy hat-wearing, Southern-drawling bull rider — might be the most extreme transformation to date. In his first ad as a candidate for Texas's 6th Congressional District, 'Big Dan' Rodimer speaks in a gravelly, indistinct Southern accent, throws jabs at Democratic policies … But the New Jersey native didn't have the twang last year when he ran for Congress in Nevada … Originally from New Jersey, Rodimer attended a preparatory school [Seton Hall Prep] in the suburbs before moving to Florida for college and law school … reporters and Internet sleuths are convinced he used a stunt double for the bull-riding spectacle, noting the camera angle in the bull-bucking ad never shows the face of the rider, which is presumably intended to be Rodimer. The candidate's boots and vest are also different from what the rider is wearing."

—"Tolls going up on several spans connecting New Jersey, Pennsylvania"

—"What I've learned this year: A North Jersey epidemiologist reflects"

—"FDU can be sued for 'grossly negligent' staff who let student drive drunk, court rules"

—" Medical cannabis journal has faced challenges from pushback to pandemic, but is eager to relaunch"

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