News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Another effort to allow self-serve gas dies

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Another effort to allow self-serve gas dies

Mar 22, 2022

It appears the delicate flowers who can't bear the smell of fuel on their dainty hands have won again.

Senate President Nichols Scutari all but dashed hopes for allowing self-serve gas yesterday in a statement to New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biyrukov. He took the easy way out, blaming public opinion instead of taking a firm stance on this important moral question.

"The people of New Jersey are very clear in wanting to keep the system we have now, and there is no data supporting any contention that moving to a self-service model would save residents money at the pump," Scutari said, adding that "if the public sentiment changes or there is, in fact, data showing that it would dramatically reduce costs, I would reconsider."

So for now, I'm staying in Pennsylvania, where we not only get to pump our own gas but can even use that clippy thing on the handle. Freedom!

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 35

WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "When the Senate president says New Jerseyans want to keep the system we have now, he's unfortunately relying on a flawed poll that asked the wrong question." — Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline Retailers, Convenience Store, Automotive Association

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — NJ Spotlight founder John Mooney, LeFrak's Charles Burton, Murphy aide Awilda Pomales-Diaz, guy who refused to rig a bid Dominick Pandolfo, Philadelphia Inquirer's Rob Tornoe, ARH's Shannon Warner

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com

JOIN THURSDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON CRYPTOCURRENCY AND REGULATION: Cryptocurrency has gone mainstream. With the market now valued at $1.8 trillion, Washington's oversight of the fast-growing industry remains in its infancy. How should Congress and federal agencies shape future regulation of digital asset markets? Join POLITICO in person or virtually for a deep-dive discussion on what's next for crypto, regulation and the future of finance. Programming will run from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT with a reception from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT. REGISTER HERE.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

THE SPACE RACE HAS ENDED — From nine-year incumbent Assemblyman Parker Space: "I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election to the General Assembly in 2023. It is truly an honor to serve the residents of Sussex, Warren, and Morris Counties. In fact, today is the ninth anniversary of my initial swearing-in. This past year has brought profound changes to my personal life. My father passed away and my sister, Lori, retired from our family business, Space Farms Zoo and Museum. These events have placed more responsibilities upon me as we look to continue operating our family business into the next generation. After a deep reflection, I feel my complete attention will ultimately be needed running our family's business. I do intend to fully serve through my current legislative term. I owe it to the residents who have put their trust in me as their state legislative representative and I look forward to continuing to work for their interests in Trenton for the remainder of my time in the General Assembly."

NEW JERSEY'S FAVORITE PAST TIME — " He accepted a bag full of cash while running for mayor, state says. Was that a bribe?" by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "As the legislature considers amending the state's public corruption laws, prosecutors on Monday argued in appellate court that a case against a former mayoral candidate charged with taking a $10,000 bribe from an attorney looking for tax work should be reinstated. Last year, in a major setback for the Attorney General's office, a judge threw out the case against Jason O'Donnell, ruling that the former Democratic legislator who had been running for mayor in Bayonne when he was ensnared in an undercover sting operation had committed no crime. She found that as a candidate, he was not subject to the state's bribery and corruption statutes because he was not a public official when he reportedly took the cash. But in oral arguments before an appeals court in a virtual hearing, the Attorney General's office said there was no 'loophole' in the statutes governing public corruption for those who are not yet public officials, and urged that the trial court's ruling be reversed … 'All that matters is that the bribe giver and the bribe taker made an agreement,' said Angela Cai, the deputy state solicitor for the Attorney General's Office. O'Donnell's attorney, Leo Hurley Jr. of Connell Foley in Jersey City, maintained there was nothing in the state's public bribery statute that criminalized attempts to bribe individuals who were not public or party officials … In their questioning of the two sides, it appeared that some of the judges were not convinced of Hurley's arguments, or of the trial court's decision to dismiss the indictment against O'Donnell. 'Is your client asking this court to sanction bribes to candidates for public office?' asked Judge Morris G. Smith of Hurley."

WHITE LAWMAKERS VOW TO RETURN TO 'TOUGH ON CRIME' APPROACH TO DRUG ADDICTION — " The changing face of opioid addiction: Overdoses among Blacks in New Jersey have skyrocketed," by NJ Advance Media's Riley Yates: "In New Jersey, Blacks are now more likely to die of overdoses than whites, according to the State Police, a reversal of the epidemic's traditional face, which had long been disproportionately white. Blacks represent 12% of the state's population and made up 13% of its drug-related deaths in 2015. But that number has since grown steadily, with Blacks accounting for 25% of deaths through October of last year — roughly double their slice of the overall population. So far this year, 624 people have died of suspected overdoses through March 13, according to the state medical examiner's office. Blacks made up 28% of those — 172 deaths — a per-capita overdose rate of nearly two times that of whites. Hispanics have also seen a rising share of overdoses, though not as dramatically. They make up 22% of the population, and represented 9% of deaths in 2015. That rose to 15% of deaths through October. Several addiction experts and community activists say there is no single explanation for the shift. They attribute the changes in part to longstanding inequities in access to healthcare, coupled with the deadly rise of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic increasingly found in heroin and other street drugs like cocaine and counterfeit pills."

THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN FULL SERVE — Senate Judiciary Committee clears Adelman to serve as permanent DHS commissioner, by POLITICO's Daniel Han : Acting Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday morning to permanently serve as head of the agency. The Burlington County resident has served as acting commissioner since January 2021. The committee advanced her nomination, 9-0. DHS is the largest state department, with a combined budget of $20 billion from state and federal funds. The department oversees everything from the state's Medicaid program and issues affecting the disabled to immigration issues.

— Lawmakers move quickly on another reprieve for some utility customers

—Sarlo: State gas tax holiday would need federal support

—"Senate committee approves Downey for judgeship"

—" Why getting NJ MVC appointments for permits, license transfers has been so difficult"

—"Lawmakers poised to fast-track new utility shutoff protections"

—"Legislation to drop 11th-grade NJGPA as a graduation requirement advances"

—" Sen. Corrado calls on labor commissioner to resign over NJ unemployment issues"

—"Bill extending bribery laws to political candidates sails through senate committee "

—"Legislation needed to address report on N.J.'s abandoned boat problem, lawmaker says"

BIDEN TIME

IF YOU WANNA STAY IN SCHOOL, IT'S GOTTA BE COOL — "This school wasn't built for the new climate reality. Yours may not be eithe," by NPR's Anya Kamenetz : "No one was expecting more than a few flooded cars in the parking lot. It was Sept. 1, 2021, the second-to-last day of summer band camp at Cresskill Middle/High School in Bergen County, N.J. After a year and a half of remote and hybrid learning, the school's 1,000-odd students were about to head triumphantly back to school in person … Seven inches of rain from the remains of Hurricane Ida hammered down in just a couple of hours. The water poured through the school's vents – vents set just a few inches above the ground. It turned the auditorium into 'an aquarium,' says math teacher Michael Mirkovic. It flooded classrooms, the office, the boiler room … Now, about seven months later, this school – a modest one-story rectangle built in 1962 – is still sitting unusable by students. Repairs have barely begun … [A]ging school buildings that were designed and built in a time of less intense weather. Cresskill is a notably affluent school district, where only 1% of the students receive free or reduced-price school meals. A district like this is struggling to fix a single, 60-year-old building – and lower-income communities are even worse off."

—" Hurricane Ida victims in N.J. getting $10M from feds to protect against future flooding"

—"Menendez: Noose tightening around Putin's neck"

DON'T MISS POLITICO'S INAUGURAL HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON 3/31: Join POLITICO for a discussion with health care providers, policymakers, federal regulators, patient representatives, and industry leaders to better understand the latest policy and industry solutions in place as we enter year three of the pandemic. Panelists will discuss the latest proposals to overcome long-standing health care challenges in the U.S., such as expanding access to care, affordability, and prescription drug prices. REGISTER HERE.

LOCAL

LABYEBIERA — "Paramus mayor won't seek re-election," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera will not seek re-election to a fourth term, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed, setting up a hugely competitive mayoral race this fall in one of the state's most historically competitive swing towns. Paramus Democrats are set to hold a screening committee meeting on Monday night, with Councilwoman MariaElena Bellinger viewed likely Democratic candidate to replace LaBarbiera. Republican Councilman Christopher DiPiazza is widely expected to be the Republican mayoral candidate."

RETURN OF A MACK — " Ralphiel Mack, brother of ex-mayor convicted in bribery scheme, likely to lose state job," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "The brother of former Trenton Mayor Tony Mack is expected to lose his job at the Department of Community Affairs, the New Jersey Globe has learned. Ralphiel Mack began work last week as a constituent services representative in the office of Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, the DCA commissioner, despite his 2014 conviction on three counts of bribery, extortion, and mail and wire fraud in part of a scheme to influence the development of a fictitious parking garage on city-owned land. News of Mack' hiring was first reported by The Trentonian … In 2019, former Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson was hired by the Department of Education despite his 2009 guilty plea to charges that he took a bribe to help a bogus company receive an insurance contract. Jackson later resigned his state job after Attorney General Gurbir Grewal determined that he was ineligible for state employment. At the time, Grewal could not explain why the Attorney General's office failed to file an order barring Jackson from future state employment. Court records don't indicate that any order was field against Mack or his brother, Tony."

—From DCA spox Gina Trish last night: "DCA has discontinued Mr. Mack's provisional appointment effective March 21, 2022."

GET BACK IN THE POUCH, JOEY — "Judge rejects Joey Torres' bid for Paterson mayor," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Joey Torres cannot run for mayor in Paterson's upcoming election because his criminal conviction the last time he had the job banned him from holding public office, a judge decided on Monday morning. The ruling culminates a bizarre six-months of political theater as Torres mounted a mayoral campaign with bumper stickers and banquet hall events even though he had signed a court order in 2017 that disqualified him from the job. The City Clerk's Office earlier this month would not accept more than 1,000 voter petitions from Torres seeking to place him on the ballot in the May 10 election, prompting him to file a civil lawsuit that was the subject on Monday's ruling. Torres, 63, still faces criminal contempt of court charges that the New Jersey Attorney General's Office levied against him earlier this month for attempting to run for mayor."

WHEN YOU'VE JUST BEEN ELECTED AND ARE ALREADY SKIPPING MEETINGS — "Central Regional parents, students: School must fight racism after board member's postings ," by The Asbury Park Press' Jean Mikle : "Two weeks of tension triggered by a school board member's racially charged social media posts led to an outpouring of emotion at a Central Regional Board of Education meeting, as students and parents chided the district for not doing enough to combat racism in the schools … Board members adopted a resolution 'disavowing the statements and posts that were made.' They also introduced a new social media policy for the board that bans members from posting anything that could be considered 'detrimental to Central Regional staff, its teachers, its students or families,' … The board's actions came in response to racially charged social media posts made by board member Heather Koenig. In one post, actor Leonardo DiCaprio grins while holding a glass of wine. The caption reads: 'BLM protesting for three whites guys. And just like that....All lives matter.' Another post includes a photo of a young black man in a hoodie with the text, 'Who remembers last year when them yt people got mad and raided the capital (sic) like terrorists?' Above the photo, Koenig had written, 'sorry not sorry.' Koenig and her running mate, Melissa Borawski, won seats representing Berkeley on the regional school board in November, running on the 'Supporting Parental Choice' slate. Neither woman was present at the March 17 board meeting; board president Louis Tuminaro said both were on vacation and could not attend."

I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED KEYS TO BE LOW-TECH — "Newark moves closer to becoming tech destination as key company moves in," by NJ Advance Media's George E. Jordan: "As Newark bolsters its identity as a destination for high-tech companies, part of the city's years-long search for economic vitality, it will reach a significant new milestone this spring. In June, the celebrated business accelerator, HAX, will open its new U.S. headquarters in the Brick City, a prototyping facility for early-stage climate tech, healthcare and industrial manufacturing startups. 'When we started digging into Newark, we found it was the perfect intersection of what we do," said Garrett Winther, a partner in HAX, which operates satellites in San Francisco, New York City, Japan and China. "The hypothesis for coming to Newark is coming true fairly quickly.' HAX's commitment to Newark further underscores the city's growing technology and engineering bona fides, and suggests an industry headed toward a critical mass."

NOTHING SAYS 'HONESTY AND CHANGE' LIKE A SUPER PAC — "3rd super PAC linked to Bayonne mayoral race pays for pro-Ashe-Nadrowski mailer ," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "The third super PAC linked to the Bayonne mayoral contest paid for a mailer touting Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski as 'honesty and change for Bayonne' over the weekend. The Committee to Advance New Jersey currently does not have any filings on the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) or the Federal Election Commission (FEC) websites. The paid for line on the mailer, which also said Ashe-Nadrowski would fix our roads, bring back small businesses, and make Bayonne more affordable, is 1001 Boxwood Court in Mahwah."

—"Hatch Act violation filed against Davis after using female Bayonne workers 'as political props'"

—" Team Davis & Franco trade punches as Bayonne 3rd Ward council hopeful drops 1st campaign ad"

WELL, YEAH — " Mayor urges authorities to publicize footage of police shooting that paralyzed driver," by NJ Advance Media's Kevin Shea : "Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora on Monday joined the call for investigators to make public the body camera footage of the police shooting last month that badly wounded a Burlington City man in South Trenton. 'We as a community need to know the truth about this incident,' Gusciora said in a statement, 'but we have been examining and adjusting the way we provide public safety and law enforcement in this city since the day I took office.' … Trenton police Street Crimes Unit officers fired at Jajuan Henderson early on the morning of Feb. 12 while he was in the driver's seat of a vehicle on Centre Street. He was visiting the home of his daughter's mother. The 29-year-old was paralyzed, his mother and attorneys said last week in announcing he is suing the city. They portrayed Henderson as an unarmed and unthreatening driver simply retrieving a bottle of iced tea from the vehicle when four officers surrounded the vehicle and escalated the confrontation. The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, which initially charged Henderson with four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, said in court papers that Henderson was the aggressor. The officers were conducting a motor-vehicle stop and Henderson was not cooperative and repeatedly reached inside a passenger compartment and under seats before trying to drive away, and crashing into a vehicle, the office said."

—"Trenton clerk Matthew Conlon extends 'medical leave' through April"

—" In battered West Ward, Onyema wants to 'deepen democracy'"

—"Three incumbents retiring in Woodland Park"

EVERYTHING ELSE

THEIR FIRST CHOICE WAS JAMEL HOLLEY FIRST BUT HE WAS BUSY DRIVING A TRUCK AROUND THE BELTWAY — "Princeton announces Dr. Anthony Fauci as Class Day 2022 Speaker ," by The Princetonian's Brendan Garza: "On March 18, Princeton University announced that Dr. Anthony Fauci has been selected to be the Class Day 2022 Speaker, following a similar announcement by the Class Day co-chairs in an email to the Class of 2022. This will be the first in-person Class Day since 2019 due to the ongoing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."

—" Lawsuits show vulnerability of residents at N.J. nursing home when COVID struck"

— "A glimmer of hope for Pinelands preservation — if key reforms are made"

—"NJ cop who conned his tenants out of thousands could avoid jail"

Follow us on Twitter