| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx | Good Wednesday morning! Initiative and referendum? In New Jersey? It's easy to forget, but it actually exists in Faulkner Act municipalities, and it's been used quite a bit recently. The latest effort is in Camden, where activists in 2018 got a question on the ballot to make the city's toothless school board elected rather than appointed by the mayor. On Tuesday, many of those same activists submitted a petition with about 1,000 signatures to the city clerk that seeks a new ordinance to require companies with at least 25 employees to list how many of them come from the city itself. Inevitably, some of those signatures will be invalidated, but it's about 25 percent more than they need, so they have a decent-sized cushion. Aside from being a relatively novel use of the Faulkner Act , this offers something for those less-inclined to legal nerdery: A return to the fight over tax incentives in Camden. While the ordinance wouldn't just apply to Camden companies that got the $1.6 billion or so in incentives, that's clearly who it's aimed at. And yes, of course George Norcross critic Sue Altman is among those activists. So, a few years after the Murphy administration's tax incentive fight with the South Jersey Democratic machine died down, could we see an answer to how many Camden residents got jobs as a result of those incentives? DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 126 WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Atlantic City for a 9:30 a.m. speech at the New Jersey AFL-CIO convention, then in Red Bank for an 11:30 a.m. announcement with the Assembly speaker and senate president. Media: CNN at 4 p.m. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "There's a lot of money to be made in autism treatment." — David Celiberti, executive director of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, on schools building expensive "sensory rooms" that experts are skeptical about HAPPY BIRTHDAY — NJDOE's Chris Jones, ASAH's John Mulholland, AP reporter Jill Colvin, North Bergen's Ravi Varma TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com
| | | | A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx: Costs in New Jersey are sky high – and that includes prescription drug costs. Every year, Big Pharma raises the price of life-saving medications. Fortunately, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate with drug companies to reduce Rx costs for patients. As this legislative session ends, let's remind our representatives to support patient advocates like PBMs and make all entities in the drug supply chain do their part to lower costs. https://www.affordablerxnj.com/ | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | 'A STRONGER AND FAIRER NEW JERSEY' — "New Jersey backs down from $34 million fight with health insurer," by Bloomberg's John Tozzi : "New Jersey officials who sought to recover millions of dollars in public funds from the the state's largest health insurer last year faced pressure from the governor's office to back down, according to the former official who managed state health benefits. A little over a year ago, the state Treasury office overseeing the health plan for New Jersey employees recommended clawing back $34 million from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. The state alleged that the insurer failed to deliver on a new service, for which the state had paid extra, that was meant to help members find better care at lower costs. "Yet the complaint, filed through an internal state office that handles disputes between agencies and their vendors, was quickly halted, records reviewed by Bloomberg News show, and it appears to have remained in limbo. Christin Deacon, who managed the contract for the state, said Governor Phil Murphy's office sought to stop the complaint process that Treasury officials initiated against Horizon, and that Murphy later appeared unannounced at a private meeting about the dispute to praise Horizon executives. Her account was confirmed by another person familiar with the meeting who asked not to be identified discussing private information." HATE CRIMES GIVE MURPHY CHILLS. THEY'RE MULTIPLYING — "Hate crimes, incidents on the rise in N.J., especially in schools. It 'gives me chills,' Murphy says," by NJ Advance Media's S.P. Sullivan: "Amol Sinha vividly remembers the first time he felt targeted for his race, because it was on an elementary school field trip. A classmate, he recalled, 'pushed me to the ground, punched me in the face, spit in my face and called me the N-word.' Sinha, the son of Indian immigrants and now the head of the New Jersey chapter of the ACLU, said he was left traumatized — and confused. 'Clearly, this child did not know the meaning of the word he said,' Sinha said during a summit Tuesday on hate crimes and bias incidents at the Rutgers University Newark campus. 'Clearly, he had learned hate at some point in his life, very early on.' "State leaders included Gov. Phil Murphy say they are increasingly alarmed by a spike in reported hate crimes and bias incidents in New Jersey, which have been on the rise for the last three years. They called for better collaboration between law enforcement and minority groups and — citing a spate of recent hate-fueled shootings — and a tightening of New Jersey's already stringent gun laws." DORK MONEY — "Murphy touts his agenda in $2M ad blitz from dark money group," by NJ Advance Media's Brent Johnson: "You may see more of Gov. Phil Murphy over the next few weeks, thanks to a $2 million ad blitz from a 'dark money' group aiming to tout his agenda and raise his profile. The Democratic governor is appearing in three advertisements paid for by Stronger Fairer Forward, a nonprofit advocacy group run by allies that is not required to release its donors. The campaign will run through the end of July, with ads on TV, digital platforms, and billboards, the group said." POLICE BRUTALITY LAWSUIT— " State wants dismissal of suit claiming troopers beat wrongly accused Wayne man on Route 80," by The New Jersey Herald's Lori Comstock: "The state's top law enforcement agency asked a federal judge to dismiss a searing lawsuit by a Passaic County motorist accusing New Jersey state troopers of brutally beating him during a roadside stop in Rockaway. The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, which oversees the New Jersey State Police, moved quickly earlier this month to call out purported technical issues with the federal filing by David Vitale, 40, of Wayne, who says he was swarmed and seriously injured by troopers after being wrongly accused of shooting at a fellow motorist on Route 280 … "While the allegations appear serious, the Attorney General's Office said the suit should be tossed, in a filing to dismiss on June 9. Federal deputy attorneys representing the office said New Jersey's police force, an 'arm' of the state's executive branch of government, is barred from being sued under the 11th Amendment … With their guns drawn, officers threw Vitale on the pavement facedown as they yelled curse words at him and kicked and punched him in the back, side, face and skull, the suit says. One officer bashed Vitale's face into the pavement at least four times, Woodruff said … Vitale suffered a broken nose that required reconstructive surgery; a concussion; several head, face, eye, arm, stomach and chest contusions; a neck sprain; and bulged and herniated discs in his back … Footage also shows officers asking Vitale if he was part of Antifa, a far-left anti-fascist group, accusing him of being drunk and on drugs, and making homophobic remarks." | | | | DON'T MISS THE 2022 GREAT LAKES ECONOMIC FORUM: POLITICO is excited to be the exclusive media partner again at the Council of the Great Lakes Region's bi-national Great Lakes Economic Forum with co-hosts Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This premier, intimate networking event, taking place June 26-28 in Chicago, brings together international, national and regional leaders from business, government, academia and the nonprofit sector each year. "Powering Forward" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect key decision-makers with thought leaders and agents of change to identify and advance solutions that will strengthen the region's competitiveness and sustainability in today's competitive climate of trade, innovation, investment, labor mobility and environmental performance. Register today. | | | | |
PROJECT MAY REQUIRE STATE TO SEIZE LIBERTY NATIONAL GOLF CLUB THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN — Turnpike expansion project causing alarm among New Jersey environmental groups, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: The Holland Tunnel has two lanes heading into and out of New Jersey. It always has and always will. So when the New Jersey Turnpike Authority unveiled a $4.7 billion plan last summer to expand eight miles of highway leading to the tunnel, people started to scratch their heads. The authority wants to replace the aging Newark Bay Bridge between Newark and Bayonne with two new spans that would double the number of lanes to four in each direction. It also wants to add lanes to and widen several stretches of roadway through Bayonne and Jersey City approaching the tunnel before it crosses the Hudson River into New York City. In critics' view, adding lanes of traffic heading toward an already jammed up two-lane tunnel makes about as much sense as a three-legged pair of pants. But in the agency's view, the bridge replacement and lane expansions will help accommodate existing traffic, including truck traffic to the port in Bayonne.
LAWMAKERS HAVE GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR PIP — "Lawmakers advance car insurance bill package despite affordability concerns ," by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: "A New Jersey Senate panel advanced a legislative package intended to bolster insurance coverage for victims of vehicular accidents — but which critics warned would hike premiums so high, low-income drivers might dump insurance altogether and drive uninsured. Most of those who testified during the nearly three-hour hearing cautioned that mandating more insurance coverage would hurt people already struggling with rising inflation, high gas prices, and other economic fallout from the pandemic. The bill that sparked some of the liveliest debate would raise the minimum amount of personal injury protection drivers must carry on basic and standard car insurance policies to $250,000. That's 16 times higher than the $15,000 minimum now required. Gary LaSpisa, vice president of the Insurance Council of New Jersey, said that change would impact about 46% of all New Jersey drivers, who now opt for less coverage .. .Senate President Nicholas Scutari, who sponsored eight of the nine bills, said New Jersey's minimum coverage limits are the lowest in the country — and haven't risen in 50 years." FLORIDA MAN — " Norcross tells South Jersey Democrats to run on economic issues, stay away from Biden, Washington," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "South Jersey Democrats are preparing to distance themselves from Joe Biden and a Congress controlled by their own party as they look to win local elections in a climate where voters increasingly view Washington Democrats as out of touch on pocketbook issues. About 150 party leaders, elected officials and candidates from seven South Jersey counties met at a hotel in Glassboro on Tuesday to hear Democratic powerhouse George E. Norcross III, political consultant Mickey Quinn, and Anna Greenberg, the daughter of legendary Clinton 1992 campaign pollster Stanley Greenberg, present the results of an issue-based survey conducted this month, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed. They were told that South Jersey voters are most concerned about the cost of gasoline, groceries, and other inflation-related issues, and blame Biden and the White House for it … Greenberg, whose firm, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, is working for Norcross, told attendees that independent and unaffiliated voters were looking primarily at economic issues and did not view social issues, including abortion and guns, with any great intensity for the 2022 mid-term elections." —" Port Authority asked to end 'secret' negotiations for Newark Airport Amazon air freight hub" —"NJ Transit handed out $265,000 in raises last year. Nearly all of it went to eight people " —"Murphy calls NJ Transit union walk-out 'despicable' as engineers agree to court order" —"A bid to finally fix NJ high school graduation requirements" —" Small N.J. businesses desperately need tax relief after pandemic unemployment surge, leaders say" —Opinion: "Where exactly is the state bank we were promised?" | | | | A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | | OFF THE WATERFRONT — Supreme Court sets schedule in waterfront fight, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: The U.S. Supreme Court wants New York and New Jersey to file a flurry of legal briefs laying out their fight over the bi-state agency created to police New York Harbor. This spring, the high court blocked New Jersey's plan to exit the Waterfront Commission, which both states created in 1953 to combat widespread mob activity and union corruption in the shipping industry. RANDY MASTRO: JAN. 6 HAPPENED BECAUSE TRUMP FELT JILTED BY STEPIEN — " Bill Stepien's con job," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran: "Please. Stepien didn't make a peep about this until he was dragged before this committee by subpoena. He didn't voluntarily step into a confessional to seek forgiveness. In fact, he pitched the Big Lie in political calls after the election. And today, Stepien is working for the MAGA candidates trying to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who voted to impeach Trump, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted to convict him. He's still working for Team Trump. Even less plausible is Stepien's claim that he left because he couldn't stand working with colleagues who were not "honest and professional." This from a man who worked at Donald Trump's elbow for five years, during both campaigns and as political director at the White House. Was Trump 'honest and professional' when he bragged about sexually assaulting women, called KKK marchers 'fine people' and mocked Sen. John McCain's military service?" —Steinberg: "Bill Stepien at the January 6 hearings: Dissent, but no anti-Trump repudiation, repentance, or regret " —"When the Supreme Court rules on NY gun laws, how will NJ's strict laws be affected?" —" Key Police Union Backs Gottheimer, Praises His Advocacy Of Law Enforcement"
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | LOCAL | | THE GIVE A BILLIONAIRE PUBLIC PARK LAND FOR AN ULTRA-EXCLUSIVE GOLF COURSE WHILE PRETENDING IT'S REALLY ABOUT OTHER STUFF ACT OF 2022 — "Solomon calls for new Liberty State Park bill to protect Caven Point, ban major privatization ," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon called for the new Liberty State Park bill to include amendments to protect Caven Point and ban major privatization in an email blast this morning. 'Seemingly out of nowhere, our state legislators introduced a new bill on Liberty State Park. The bill would provide millions of dollars in funding and add much needed active recreation for Liberty State Park- but as you probably already suspect, there's a catch,' the downtown councilman wrote. 'Right now, the bill has no protections in place to keep the park from being privatized or commercialized—and John, that's exactly why billionaire golf course owner Paul Fireman's handsomely paid lobbyists are promoting the bill.' Solomon continues that the proposed 7,000-seat concert venue and 5,000-seat stadium will bring more benefit to private developers than public economies" IT'S NOT JUST CAMDEN COUNTY — "Fire on the mountain," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack: " The current saga involves one, John Tyler Oborn, who was elected to the five-person [Washington] Township Committee in 2019, His term is up the end of the year and when the early April filing deadline came around, he dutifully filed for reelection. Nothing unusual about that. However, Oborn is relocating to Alabama, which became widely known soon after the June 7 primary when he announced his resignation from the committee. That means he will be replaced both on the committee, and also on the November ballot, presumably by the same person … Why did Oborn run in the primary – he was unopposed – if he wasn't going to run in November? Or in other words, why run for a seat you had no intention of taking? From a standpoint of pure party politics, this makes a lot of sense. By running in the primary, winning, and then resigning, Oborn gave the local Republican municipal committee a chance to fill the seat by appointment." —"Dogs in this [Fanwood] just might have their day. Vote set to lift park ban " —"Housing developers were eyeing 18 acres near a Cape May County lake. Instead a church created a spiritual retreat" —"Trenton wants Henderson suit shelved until grand jury decides cops' fate"
| | EVERYTHING ELSE | | HIGHER AND HIGHER ED — Rutgers approves largest hike in tuition and fees since before pandemic, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Tuition and mandatory student fees at Rutgers University's three campuses will increase 2.9 percent next year — the biggest increase since before the pandemic. The university's Board of Governors on Tuesday voted to approve a $5.1 billion budget for the 2022-2023 academic year, which includes the increase in tuition and fees; slight decreases in athletics spending (0.1 percent) and spending on administration, operations and maintenance (0.7 percent) from the prior year; as well as a slight increase (1.2 percent) in state funding. NEW JERSEYANS LOOK AT STATEN ISLANDERS THE WAY OTHER AMERICANS LOOK AT NEW JERSEYANS — "Coach charged with breaking jaw of N.J. youth sports umpire in violent attack," by NJ Advance Media's Matthew Stanmyre: "A Staten Island, N.Y. man has been charged with third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree assault at a youth sporting event for the violent attack of a 72-year-old baseball umpire during a game June 4 in Branchburg. Jerry Otero, 40, a coach from the Staten Island-based New York Prospects travel team, was arrested Tuesday by Branchburg police and charged for the attack. The assault occurred during a 13-and-under U.S. Amateur Baseball League tournament game earlier this month and left the umpire with a broken jaw that required extensive dental surgery." — "Wharton State Forest fire almost fully contained, state firefighters say" —" 'Enforce the rules.' United CEO says Newark flight schedules, tower staffing leading to cancellations" —"Bear sightings in North Jersey downtowns increase as young bruins start exploring"
| | | | A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx: We can all agree that costs in New Jersey are already sky high – and that includes prescription drug costs. Year after year, big drug companies raise the price of life-saving medications to increase their profits. Patients deserve better. As this legislative session comes to an end, let's remind our elected officials in Trenton to hold Big Pharma accountable and make all entities in the drug supply chain find real solutions to increase access to affordable prescription drugs without impacting services. That means supporting patient advocates like Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) that negotiate with Big Pharma to reduce Rx costs and put money back in the pockets of New Jersey families. It's time to stand up to special interests, cut unnecessary red tape, and let these advocates do what they do best - save patients money. https://www.affordablerxnj.com/ | | | | | | | 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 | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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