News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Newark is still No. 1

Friday, August 13, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Newark is still No. 1

Aug 13, 2021

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by AARP

Good Friday morning!

Congratulations, Newark! You're still New Jersey's largest city.

While Jersey City grew at a faster rate — 18.1 percent to Newark's 12.4 percent — Newark's population of 311,549 is the first time it's been over 300,000 since the 1980 census, and it's the first time the city's seen substantial growth since the mid-20th century.

As expected, Lakewood also grew fast and is now the fifth-largest municipality in the state. Not at as fast a rate, however, as Tavistock, whose four new residents grew it by 80 percent.

Lakewood notwithstanding, the state's growth has been much higher in the northeastern and central parts of the state. Sussex County and the state's three southernmost counties — Salem, Cumberland and Cape May — lost population.

Non-Hispanic white people now barely make up a majority of New Jersey's population, at 51.9 percent. The state has 400,000 fewer white people than ten years ago. The Hispanic population grew by about 4 percent, to 21.6 percent of the state. The Black population stayed roughly the same at 12.4 percent. But the Asian population saw huge growth — 30.9 percent! — and Asians makes up 10.2 percent of the state's population.

So you can understand why so many people cited the Asian-American community's growth in opposing keeping the same legislative districts in place for two more years.

More on this here.

WHERE'S MURPHY? Italy. Acting Gov. Sheila Oliver will be in Camden for a 10 a.m. for CAMCare Health Corporation event

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Attorney Gerry Krovatin, Benson COS Sharon Shinkle-Gardner, Kennedy COS Kristin Ianco Yaeger, Jamestown Associates' Larry Weitzner. Saturday for Hawk's Anthony Attanasio, Murphy Chief Counsel Parimal Garg, New Brunswick Today's Charlie Kratovil, my brother Nick. Sunday for MWW's Jennifer Holdsworth, East Orange Council Prez Chris James, Virtua's Chris Hughes, E3's Anup Rao, former Franklin Township Mayor David Ferrucci

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm going to place the blame on the state. Not just for the city of Garfield, (but) for all these municipalities. It's not fair to any of these kids that they have to be in schools like that." — Garfield Mayor Richard Rigoglioso on the sorry state of some SDA district buildings

A message from AARP:

Americans are sick of paying the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs — more than three times what people in other countries pay for the same medicine. The President, members of Congress in both parties, and the people agree: we must cut drug prices.

By giving Medicare the power to negotiate, we can save hundreds of billions of dollars. Tell Congress: Cut prescription drug prices now.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

SDABSENT — "New Jersey's SDA districts set to open in 'deplorable conditions.' What you need to know," by The Record's Dustin Racioppi: "When Abraham Lincoln School in Garfield reopens in September, students will cram into a building constructed 50 years after the 16th president was assassinated and is showing its age: A sagging roof, water damage from leaks in the mortar, no air- conditioning. It gets no better in some schools in Paterson, where the local teachers union has reported mold, leaky ceilings and rodents. But they do have running drinking water, which is more than can be said of at least half the schools in Jersey City. Those schools are examples among dozens throughout New Jersey's 31 so-called Schools Development Authority (SDA) districts that will fully reopen this school year in "deplorable conditions," as the Education Law Center put it in legal filings. Hot, overcrowded, poorly ventilated classrooms have become a way of life for students and teachers in these districts that have been so down-at-the-heels that the Supreme Court ruled decades ago that the state is responsible for school repairs and replacement so students can get a 'thorough and efficient' education. But the law center contends the Murphy administration and legislative leaders have failed to keep their end of the bargain financially during the COVID-19 pandemic, even after being notified for years of the "urgent need" for repairs at schools to meet health and safety standards."

COUNTERPOINT: MATRICK PURRAY SUGGESTS A POLLSTER IS BEST FOR THE JOB — "Redistricting is set to begin. Do we need a hard-nosed judge to help draw the lines?" by Patrick Murray for NJ Advance Media: "In a change with past practice, the names that arose this year were not academics. They were retired judges. The court decided on one of their own to be the tiebreaker for the congressional commission. Not only will former justice John Wallace, Jr. be the first jurist in this role, but he will be the first person of color … Given the lack of clear constitutional reapportionment principles and prior concerns with the personal priorities of academics — it could make sense to have a jurist serve in the role of mediator. Since the court went with the Democrats' preference on the congressional commission, Rabner could simply opt for the GOP's runner-up, former Superior Court Judge Marina Corodemus. Other possibilities include former Chief Justice Deborah Poritz, who was floated as a compromise candidate for the congressional commission, and retired Judge Paulette Sapp-Peterson, the first African-American woman to serve at the appellate level in New Jersey. Another name that should be given serious consideration is Judge Mary Jacobson, who is about to retire from the bench. As Mercer County Assignment Judge, she has presided over some of the state's highest profile political process cases. Jacobson has shown she can handle the partisan maneuvering that is part-and-parcel of every redistricting process. My ultimate preference, of course, would be to institute the reforms we proposed in 2019. Until that happens, though, perhaps a hard-nosed judge is the best choice for now." \

VACCINES — "Do COVID vaccination rates correlate with politics? NJ towns that buck the trend," by the Record's Charles Stile: "It is true that the vaccination rates are generally the highest among New Jersey towns that last year supported President Joe Biden, who has aggressively crusaded for the vaccines in his first eight months in office … And a majority of New Jersey towns with stubbornly low rates — with fewer than 50% of residents fully vaccinated — supported Trump last year… But here is where some of the findings depart from the blue-red partisan narrative. There are, for example, many affluent suburban towns Trump carried last year where a majority of the population is fully vaccinated … Low vaccination rates also are not a feature exclusive to Trump towns. New Jersey cities and towns with large African American populations, for example, that went overwhelmingly for Biden have some of the lowest vaccine rates … But there are also some predominantly white, pro-Biden blue collar towns that have struggled to get their populations protected … This mixed picture of hesitancy in New Jersey doesn't come as a shock to some public health experts. Resistance to the vaccine tracks more along lines of class, education and cultural history and less to do with a town's partisan behavior.

BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS GIVE WAY TO CHILI DOG REPUBLICANS — New Jersey Democrats hoping to chip away at Allen's credentials as a moderate, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman : Former state Sen. Diane Allen was known as one of New Jersey's most moderate Republicans during her 22 years in the state Legislature. But after Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli chose Allen as his running mate for lieutenant governor, Democrats have been seeking to undermine her moderate bona fides — and some of Allen's recent statements are helping them. During a radio interview Saturday on New Jersey Globe Power Hour, Allen implied Covid-positive undocumented immigrants are being bused into New Jersey as some Republicans around the country have falsely blamed them for the surge in new cases. She also said New Jersey should consider loosening its strict concealed carry firearms law and backed up Ciattarelli's call to roll back a recent state law requiring that students be taught about the societal contributions of gay people. Democrats have spent the week hammering away at those comments.

— Ciattarelli campaign, in its first broadcast ad, goes after Murphy on taxes

6.9 MASTROS — "NJ Transit spending $62M to expand rail to Sussex. Will it lead to new Amtrak line to PA?" by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "NJ Transit is making a $62 million investment to restore a seven-mile stretch of the long-dormant Lackawanna Cutoff by rebuilding track, constructing a new station in Andover and repairing the aging Roseville rail tunnel. This work is a first step in what could one day be a new Amtrak corridor from New York Penn Station to Scranton — by way of North Jersey, the Poconos and through northeast Pennsylvania — as a study begins to determine the ridership and revenue potential of the new route. If passed, the looming infrastructure bill has the potential to provide funds to expand Amtrak service, including the new Scranton corridor."

— "Homeless shelters in NJ fear 'scary' future once eviction ban ends"

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

BIDEN TIME

TRUMP CAN'T PARDON YOU NOW — "N.J. woman accused of breaching Capitol in Jan. 6 attack, documenting it on Facebook to plead guilty," by NJ Advance Media's Joe Atmonavage: "A New Jersey woman, who was charged for her role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January after she documented it on Facebook, is set to plead guilty to federal charges, according to online court records. Rasha Abual-Ragheb, also known as Rasha Abu, was facing four charges accusing her of violently entering the government building on Jan. 6 and being disruptive once inside. She is set to plead guilty in federal court on Aug. 23, according to court records, though it is unclear what charges she is admitting to as part of a guilty plea."

— " 20 years later, will Biden reveal Saudi terror complicity to 9/11 families like mine?"

—"Urban North Jersey congressional districts overpopulated; Most others underpopulated"

LOCAL

SHARPS JAMES — "N.J. city's employees must get COVID vaccine — or they could get fired, order says," by NJ Advance Media's Noah Cohen: " Newark will require city employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face discipline up to termination, according to an executive order obtained by NJ Advance Media. The executive order, signed Tuesday by Mayor Ras Baraka, goes into effect Aug 16. City employee that are not yet fully vaccinated by that date will have 30 days to provide proof of their inoculation and must provide their department head with a copy of a negative coronavirus test result each week. Some local unions that represent city employees expressed concerns about how the executive order fits in with members' contracts. Newark Firefighters Union President Chuck West said employees should be given the option of being tested continuously for COVID-19 or getting the vaccine. 'We stand behind a vaccine and/or a choice of being tested,' West told NJ Advance Media on Thursday. 'When you put in the fact that you'll be disciplined for not having it, that's where we have some problems.'"

WAYNE WORLD — "Judge rules against Wayne police trying to stop vaccine mandate. Union files new suit," by The Record's Philip DeVencentis: "All municipal employees will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after a state Superior Court judge upheld a new workplace policy that was challenged by the police union. Judge Ernest Caposela ruled from his Paterson bench on Wednesday that the vaccine policy is justified to protect 'general public welfare.' The policy, announced to staff in a letter from Township Administrator D. Talib Aquil on July 30, mandates employees to get both shots by Sept. 17. Those who do not comply would face termination. In a lawsuit filed on Monday, PBA Local 136 and three officers who opted not to get the vaccine alleged that the policy violated their civil rights. The union sought a court injunction to stop its implementation, alleging the issue was not collectively bargained."

NOT NEW JERSEY. MONTCLAIR. — "Like-minded people keep coming": How one New Jersey town became a magnet for the media elite," by Vanity Fair's Charlotte Klein: "When The New Yorker famously depicted the 'View of the World From 9th Avenue on its cover nearly a half century ago, New Jersey was just a brown, barren strip of land beyond the Hudson. But Maria Russo, a former New York Times editor who now works in book publishing, had a different perspective from the paper's cafeteria windows. 'This whole part of New Jersey is flat—you know, Meadowlands—and then you see a sudden jutting up of the Watchung Mountains. And that's Montclair,' she recalled. In a way, said Russo, 'working at the Times and living in Montclair feels like a coherent life.' With a population of about 38,000, the affluent Essex County township some 20 miles in the distance has long been a bedroom community for journalists—particularly those, like Russo, who have worked at 620 8th Avenue. So much so that, amid recent disputes over a dues-increase proposal at the NewsGuild of New York … a roughly six-square-mile suburban town has developed into a populace of prominent bylines. Perhaps that's why Montclair seems disproportionately on the radar of Manhattan media outlets."

GAMBLING — " Atlantic City casinos are not doing as well as you think, and here's why," by PlayNJ's David Danzis: "Labor levels and costs, promotional spending, and general operating expenses are all lower than two years ago. The amount of money being gambled, average customer spend per visit, non-casino revenue, and the number of occupied hotel rooms are all down. So, why is there an unchallenged perception that Atlantic City casinos are performing as well as — or better than — they were before the pandemic? ... In short, it can be summed up this way: The way Atlantic City casino data is presented and analyzed has not kept pace with how quickly and dramatically the market has changed. The result is a misrepresentation of what is actually happening. 'Most media outlets continue to emphasize the positive Atlantic City casino monthly gross gaming revenue numbers while glossing over or downright ignoring the negative implications of other data,' said Anthony Marino, an Atlantic City analyst and retired South Jersey Transportation Authority executive."

'AFFORDABLE' HOUSING — "Hudson County judge rules strikes down Jersey City's inclusionary zoning ordinance ," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "A Hudson County Superior Court judge struck down Jersey City's inclusionary zoning ordinance, granting Fair Share Housing Center's motion for summary judgement ... Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Turula ruled that the Jersey City Council should not have approved the measure without first referring it to their planning board, as well as that developers should not have the ability to bypass affordable housing guidelines by agreeing to community givebacks such as a swimming pool or parking garage. The decision should send a firm message to the city's elected officials and other municipalities across New Jersey that affordable housing is not a chit to be traded away as part of backroom deals that do not benefit working families,' FSHC Staff Attorney Bassam Gergi told HCV."

— "Hillsborough is spending $14 million to block affordable housing and warehouses"

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OUT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE — " NJ police chief defends checks of high-end cars as constitutional," by NJ 101.5's Dan Alexander: "Police Chief Thomas Dellane addressed "speculation and inaccurate information" posted on social media in response to the department's new initiative to check high-end vehicles to make sure they aren't unlocked and ripe for thieves' picking. The department announced on its Facebook page that officers would be "checking high end cars in the area during the evening and overnight hours." If a car was found to be unlocked or with a key fob inside a car, 'we will be knocking on citizens doors to notify them of their unsecured vehicle.' The initiative came after several Ocean County towns including Barnegat and Jackson reported high end vehicle burglaries of unlocked cars"

— "'We want to make it better': How Perth Amboy is looking to improve its community policing"

— "Nadrowski wants Davis to investigate terms of former Bayonne asst. BA's separation agreement"

— "Paterson taxpayers will see an average increase of over $500 this year"

— " 'I'm heartbroken': Lakewood's Black community mourns loss of beloved center, a disappearing history"

— "West Milford OKs natural gas compressor station deal. Here's what approval means"

— " Residents, architects begin brainstorming redevelopment of Hoboken Housing Authority"

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

EVERYTHING ELSE

— "NJ family's fight for change continues years after teen struck and killed by car"

— "Olympic dreams dashed, now they want refunds "

— "PSEG to divest fossil fuel plants for $1.9B"

A message from AARP:

It's outrageous that Americans pay more than three times what people in other countries pay for the same medicine. And these unfair prices keep going up. Even during the pandemic and financial crisis, the prices of more than 1,000 drugs were increased. It's time for the President and Congress to cut prescription drug prices.

Currently, Medicare is prohibited by law from using its buying power to negotiate with drug companies to get lower prices for people. This must change. Giving Medicare the power to negotiate will save hundreds of billions of dollars.

And the American people agree. In a recent AARP survey of Americans 50+, a vast majority supported allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices, including 88% of Democrats and 85% of Republicans.

Tell Congress: Act now to lower prescription drug prices. Let Medicare negotiate.