News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Liberty State Park bill is on the fast track

Thursday, June 16, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Liberty State Park bill is on the fast track

Jun 16, 2022

Presented by New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx

Good morning!

Most bills languish for years without even a hearing. That's not the case for a bill to establish a "Liberty State Park Design Task Force" and appropriate $250 million to "improve recreational activities and maintain and upgrade scenic and wildlife habits." It has a hearing in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee today, just over a week after state Sen. Brain Stack (D-Hudson) introduced it.

On its face, there's nothing too controversial in this bill. It's more about what's not in it: The restrictions on private development included in the long-stalled Liberty State Park Protection Act, and specifics on how the $250 million would be spent.

Perhaps it's because there are signs that Paul Fireman, the billionaire who sought to lease park land for more holes for his ultra-exclusive golf course next door, is pushing it. For example, the group Liberty State Park for All — whose executive director eventually acknowledged being funded by Fireman's foundation — is promoting it with a flier that promises a "brighter, happier, healthier future is in store for Hudson County." The fliers include renderings of a much more developed park, with stadiums and ball fields.

Recall that it was this time of year in 2020 when language that could have paved the way for Fireman's golf course plans was quietly inserted into the budget, leading to outrage and ultimately Gov. Phil Murphy saying the state would not solicit bids for the park. Since then, Fireman has said he's not pursuing the land. But the groups he funded are still pushing for development, leaving park preservationists suspicious that he's still gunning for the golf course, or perhaps something else.

I'm not going to take a stance on whether this park should see more development. And even advocates for the park's preservation admit that poorer areas of Jersey City don't have great access to the park that borders them. But I think it's important to note the Fireman-funded efforts have been shrouded by astroturfing, giving plans that benefited the ultra-wealthy a paid-for patina of racial justice. As a reporter, the way he's gone about it has my antenna up.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 120

PROGRAMMING NOTE: NJ Playbook will not publish Monday in observance of Juneteenth. We'll be back on Tuesday.

WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Wildwood at 9 a.m. to address the convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars & Auxiliary Department of New Jersey, then in Liberty State Park at 4 p.m. with New York City Mayor Eric Adams for a FIFA "host city selection watch party." Media: Morning Joe along with Adams at 8:45 a.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We've seen people come through Hudson County for our votes, for our money, for our service, for our hard work, knocking on doors, manning campaign headquarters and then they forget about us. It's not going to happen next time around Hudson County. 'Cuz it's time Hudson County produces it's own governor next time around, that's for sure!" — Newly-elected Hudson County Democratic Chair Anthony Vainieri

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — 8th LD's Kristin Januseski

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

PROPERTY TAX PROBLEM FIXED FOR GOOD — Murphy, legislative leaders announce expansion of property tax relief program to provide bigger rebates, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin and Daniel O'Connor: Gov. Phil Murphy and top Democratic lawmakers announced an agreement Wednesday on an expanded property tax relief program that will provide hundreds of dollars more in rebates than originally proposed to more than 2 million New Jersey households. Expansion of the governor's ANCHOR property tax relief program means homeowners with annual incomes of up to $150,000 will receive direct property tax relief of $1,500 — and those with incomes of between $150,000 and $250,000 will receive $1,000 in tax relief. Renters with incomes of up to $150,000 will receive $450. In all, the program will provide $2 billion in tax relief, Murphy said. … Murphy said the added rebates would effectively reduce the state's property taxes to levels not seen in a decade, providing relief to roughly 5.5 million of New Jersey's 9.3 million residents.

WORK FROM HOME FUGEES — "New York faces new commuter surge, ready or not, study suggests," by The New York Times' Patrick McGeehan: "The shift from commuting caused by the pandemic left empty seats on the once-packed trains and buses bringing commuters from New Jersey to New York City. But those crowded conditions will return and may worsen over the next decade as the region's population grows and more employers call workers back to their offices, a new study concluded. Even if working from home quadruples from prepandemic levels, there still would be more commuters piling onto trains and buses to get across the Hudson River from New Jersey on some weekdays than in 2019, according to the study, scheduled to be released on Wednesday by the Regional Plan Association."

NURSING HOMES — "Andover: If Woodland nursing home is shut down township will suffer. Murphy asked to help," by The New Jersey Herald's Bruce A. Scruton : "Andover leaders worry if the beleaguered Woodland Behavioral and Nursing Center is shut down, the township will lose its largest taxpayer, an essential source of funding for its schools and municipal services. Days after the state suspended the nursing home's license and federal regulators said they would no longer pay for Medicaid recipients to live there, legislators representing Sussex County sent a letter to Gov. Murphy asking for help. The letter, sent by Rep. Josh Gottheimer and signed by 24th District's Sen. Steve Oroho and assemblymen Hal Wirths and Parker Space, seeks financial aid for the township if the facility, previously called Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation, is shut down. The nursing home facility, which is in the process of relocating its 347 residents, paid $1.4 million in property taxes last year, said Mayor Tom Walsh. He said 27% of the $1.4 million goes into the $10 million municipal budget, 57% to help fund schools and 16% to county services."

VOTING — " The Assembly Is set to pass a major voting reform package — but some progressives are skeptical," by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: "After passing three separate Assembly committees in recent months, five of the seven bills will be coming up for a full vote tomorrow in the Assembly, where they're expected to pass. But although Coughlin and the bills' various sponsors have tried to keep both voter access and election security in mind, some advocates have criticized certain provisions that they say represent a rollback of voters' rights. Our priority, in every voting bill, is to strengthen our democracy, which has to first begin with making sure voters have all of their rights,' said the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice's Henal Patel. … Some of the key changes the bills make are shortening various deadlines: postmarked absentee ballots would only be accepted up to four days after the election instead of six; voters would have the ability to cure defective ballots up to nine days after the election instead of 13; and absentee ballots would be sent out for non-federal elections 38 days before the election instead of 45."

— Longtime Murphy staffer to become administration's chief policy adviser

— "If state boards kept more of the money they collected, they could operate better, lawmaker says"

— " Voting reform package steams toward full Assembly vote"

— "New sex ed standards are coming to N.J. schools this fall. Here's how some districts are preparing "

— "Governor Murphy faces Democratic roadblocks to passing new abortion measures"

— " Dozens of Black, Latino community leaders and activists call for LSP Protection Act passage | Opinion"

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.

BIDEN TIME

SO MIKIE SHERRILL WASN'T JUST MAKING STUFF UP — Loudermilk tour group taking basement photos 'raises concerns' for Jan. 6 panel , by POLITICO's Nicholas Wu and Kyle Cheney: People who joined Georgia GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk for a Capitol tour on Jan. 5, 2021 photographed and recorded places "not typically of interest to tourists, including hallways, staircases, and security checkpoints," according to materials released Wednesday by the Jan. 6 select committee. "The behavior of these individuals during the January 5, 2021 tour raises concerns about their activity and intent while inside the Capitol complex," panel chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) wrote in a letter to Loudermilk, renewing their request for testimony. The video footage and new details released by the panel underscored lawmaker concerns that surfaced in the days after the Jan. 6 attack: that large tour groups appeared to surveil areas of the building a day before a violent mob smashed its way inside the Capitol.

The select committee has evidence that at least one member of Loudermilk's group returned to the Capitol the following day and recorded an ominous video message aimed at Democratic lawmakers. … Loudermilk's office told POLITICO it is reviewing the letter from the select committee. Republicans have pointed to a recent letter from Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger characterizing the group's behavior on Jan. 5 as benign. But the footage released by the select committee shows a more nuanced version of events."

— " Could oil drilling off New Jersey lower the price of gasoline?"

— "Chris Smith did best in the towns that already know him well "

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

LOCAL

AC STRIKE — Members of Unite Here Local 54, the Atlantic City casino workers' union, overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike yesterday if they don't reach a deal with Borgata, Caesars, Harrah's and Tropicana by July 1. That doesn't necessarily mean a strike is imminent. For more background on this, read the AP's Wayne Parry here.

DO PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE DOGS REALLY DESERVE RIGHTS? — "N.J. town banned dogs from its parks. Now the poop really hit the fan," by NJ Advance Media's Keith Sargeant: "In [Fanwood], dogs and public parks are a hot-button issue stirring up heated debated in borough hall and pitting neighbor against neighbor. … Not throughout the entire borough, mind you, but just in the very places dog owners would most likely take their canine companions: its three public parks (LaGrande Park, Forest Road Park and Carriage House Park). Violators 'may draw a summons or fine,' the borough's official website says. [Carolyn] Brink is among a group of Fanwood residents hoping for an amendment to ordinance 118-23B, which reads: 'No dog, except a guide dog accompanying a blind or otherwise disabled person, is permitted in any public park of the Borough of Fanwood, regardless of whether such dog is controlled by a leash.' … Some officials have decided it's time to call off the dogs by changing the law. An amendment to the 21-year-old ordinance prohibiting dogs from Fanwood parks is expected to be introduced June 20 by the all-Democratic body."

THE JACKSON FINE — "Jackson Township settles with feds over antisemitic discrimination lawsuit ," by The Asbury Park Press' Mike Davis: "The Township Council has settled the federal government's lawsuit alleging widespread antisemitic discrimination by township officials over a five-year period, welcoming federal monitoring of land use decisions as part of the deal. The agreement, unanimously approved by the township council on Tuesday, comes two years after the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit accusing the township of passing ordinances and taking actions designed to "prevent the Orthodox (Jewish) community from further populating Jackson." Five years after the township council passed an ordinance banning the construction of dormitories, they will now be permitted in certain zoning districts where schools are allowed. … The settlement also establishes a $150,000 fund from which the DOJ will distribute funds to'"aggrieved persons who have suffered as a result of alleged discriminatory actions by the township.' The town will also pay the Justice Department a $45,000 civil penalty."

FASTEST-GROWING HUDSON COUNTY BECOMES FASTEST-SHRINKING COUNTY — " Why are Ocean, Monmouth counties growing while the NJ overall population shrinks?" by The Asbury Park Press' Amanda Oglesby: "While much of northeastern New Jersey's urban core experienced population losses, many communities in Monmouth and Ocean Counties saw growth. Experts say a combination of factors led to the coastal county growth — including a continued baby boom in Lakewood and the relative affordability of homes and taxes compared to other parts of the state. Between the pandemic summers of 2020 and 2021, Ocean County was the fastest growing county in New Jersey, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. … But New Jersey's overall population shrank through the pandemic, down more than 12,000 residents from the summer of 2020. Multiple factors contributed to the decline, experts say, including the more than 10,000 who died of COVID-19 during the one year period analyzed by census officials. The counties surrounding New York City reported most of these declines."

— "Mastrangelo wins off the line in Morris GOP primary"

— "Howell schools to hire more special police officers following Uvalde massacre"

— " $2 million here, $1 million there: How much will Ocean County beach repairs cost?"

— "Mayor sees no need for more cancer testing at Colonia High School "

— "Long Branch pop-up party is off, promoters tell judge"

— " [Belmar] BOE member posts 'homosexuality is a sin.' LGBTQ advocate says no 'excuse for prejudice'"

— "Some preschoolers in [South Orange-Maplewood] must still wear face masks "

— "Video shows first encounter of missing man with Paterson police, but questions remain"

— "Wary of 'unruly' youth, Toms River, NJ brings back summer curfew"

— " Ashe-Nadrowski chides Bayonne admin over $95M hospital bond being withdrawn in Dec."

— "Pleasantville school board votes for conclusion of superintendent investigation while disputing costs"

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.

EVERYTHING ELSE

ANTI-LGBTQ CROWD: 'IT SHOULD BE UP TO PARENTS WHAT THEIR KIDS SEE, UNLESS IT'S PRO-LGBTQ' — "NJ drag queen event is latest to be targeted by right-wing influencer," by NJ 101.5's Erin Vogt: "A New Jersey bakery's pride event featuring drag queens was recently highlighted by a popular anti-LGBTQ social media account. The account 'Libs of TikTok' has ballooned to fame by sharing content — frequently involving drag queens — that it claims shows harm to children. On Tuesday morning, it shared a video clip from a recent Doughnuts and Drag Queens event in Montclair. The account captioned it 'A bakery in NJ hosted a "family-friendly" drag show for all ages. Children hand money to the drag queen who also gets cash stuffed into his bra including from someone who appears to be a minor.' Rabble Rise, formerly Montclair Bread Co., and the LGBTQ nonprofit Out Montclair presented the sold-out event — which bakery owner, Rachel Wyman, said was a big hit in spite of any 'haters.'"

— "N.J. legal weed opens at 3 more stores, and customers are flocking to them"

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/.