News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Time for a budget rant

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Time for a budget rant

Jun 28, 2022

Presented by New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx

One year ago, state Senate Budget Chair Paul Sarlo said this about the budget process: "Every year, you guys say it wasn't transparent enough. But I believe it was no different than any other year."

Sarlo was talking about the past. But he just as easily could have been talking about the future. Because here we are, on June 28 — a day before the $50.6 billion budget is slated for a vote — and we've only had access to the budget document for about 11 hours.

The Senate and Assembly budget committees were scheduled to convene at 1 p.m. yesterday but started about 2 hours late (actually not bad by budget season standards), but it wasn't until after 8 p.m. that reporters got a look at the budget.

And those same committees were hearing a lot of important bills as well, some related to the budget and some not, and many of which were just introduced themselves: Bills to drastically overhaul New Jersey's campaign finance system and do away with most "pay-to-play" laws, loosen work restrictions for teens, expand corporate tax incentives and increase eligibility, develop Liberty State Park, increase car insurance coverage minimums, make substantial changes to how we run elections and much, much more.

Lament the shrunken Statehouse news corps all you want, but even 1,000 reporters wouldn't be able to keep up with the crush of policy changes.

It doesn't have to be this way. The Legislature could spread its business evenly throughout the year, giving everyone adequate time to process and debate the policies it's working on. But politically, deals are often cut as things come to a head. So we get relatively dull legislative sessions until — BAM! — the budget's due and everything's happening at once. And there is, of course, the added bonus that bills that would draw pesky, unwanted scrutiny are more likely to slip through unnoticed.

Happy budget week! You'll have all summer to learn about what's in the budget that's already been signed int law.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 132

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Maryland for a panel discussion on infrastructure, then back to New Jersey this afternoon.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I think we are transparent with the public … We do have a committee hearing. The bill is available for everybody to look at. The governor's budget — which is largely the overwhelming portion of the budget — has been out since he introduced it in March. I think there is a transparent process." — Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin on the budget

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — State Sen. Teresa Ruiz, BPU President Joseph FIordaliso, Jewish Federation's Alana Burman, former lots of things Joe Doria, former Assemblymember John Wisniewski, former Newark BOE member Reginald Bledsoe, former congressional staffer Colleen McCann, former Star-Ledger video journalist Adya Beasley

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

BUDGET — Murphy, Democratic lawmakers reach deal on $50.6B budget, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy struck a deal Monday night on a $50.6 billion state budget that includes no new or increased taxes, a $6 billion surplus and makes the second consecutive full payment to the state's notoriously underfunded pension system. The bill released from the budget committees in the Assembly and Senate — with the blessing of the front office — includes "the largest surplus in the history of the state of New Jersey," according to Senate Budget Chair Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), $12.7 billion in school aid and $2 billion for Murphy's expanded ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program. Nearly six hours after the Senate Budget Committee began meeting at 3 p.m. — two hours past its 1 p.m. call time — the budget bill was released in a party line 8-4 vote along with an accompanying measure, NJ S2944 (22R), dealing with $4.2 billion in debt defeasance and capital projects, and $2.9 billion for the Schools Development Authority the Department of Transportation, and NJ Transit combined. The Assembly Budget Committee passed an identical version just after 10 p.m. in a 10-5 vote, also along party lines.

SHROOMTARI — New Scutari bill would pave the way for psilocybin industry in New Jersey, legalize home grow of mushrooms, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: A year-and-a-half after New Jersey reduced penalties for possession of psilocybin — the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms" — Senate President Nicholas Scutari is proposing a massive framework to create a legal, regulated industry for the drug to be used to treat mental health. Scutari last week proposed a 50-page bill, NJ S2934 (22R), called the "Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act." The goal, according to the bill's text, is to "facilitate the establishment of safe, legal, and affordable psilocybin service centers to provide residents of New Jersey who are 21 years of age or older with opportunities for supported psilocybin experiences to alleviate distress, provide preventative behavioral health care, and foster wellness and personal growth.

…While the proposal largely focuses on mental health care related to the drug, it would also eliminate all prohibitions against possessing or using up to four grams of the drug for anyone over 21. In addition, it would permit New Jerseyans to legally grow their own magic mushrooms — a stark contrast with the cannabis legalization law that took effect last year and does not permit home cultivation of marijuana.

COUGHLOANS — "Countdown to budget: Coughlin wants $300M for new loan program," by NJ Spotlight News' Michael Symons: "The state's coffers are flush with cash thanks to surging tax collections, and with less than a week left before a budget is due, a key legislative leader is seeking to designate $300 million for a new loan program to support 'transformative capital projects.' Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) introduced a measure seeking to establish the new loan program within the New Jersey Economic Development Authority last week; it has already been approved by one Assembly committee. The bill's swift advancement comes as the deadline for the adoption of a new annual budget is looming … It's unclear where Coughlin's proposal for a $300 million, low-interest loan program may fit within the broader framework of the 2023 fiscal year budget. According to Coughlin's office, the proposed program would be set up within the state Economic Development Authority to provide loans that support "projects that could range from state-owned facilities and lands to authorities and public higher education institutions."

ABORTION — Lawmakers advance 2 bills to protect out-of-state women seeking abortions in New Jersey, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Democratic lawmakers are looking to counter restrictive abortion laws in other states with fast-tracked legislation aimed at helping out-of-state women obtain the procedure in New Jersey. The bills, which cleared committees in both chambers of the Legislature on Monday, come in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week to overturn Roe v. Wade and kick abortion rights back to individual states. The country, now more than ever, is a patchwork of abortion laws with some states — mostly run by Republicans — banning the procedure outright while more liberal states, like New Jersey, still allow it. Some states, including Texas, have also enacted laws that penalize people who assist women who want to obtain an abortion.

DESPICABLE ID.ME — "Residents say this added step to NJ unemployment application is a 'nightmare,' caused delays," by The Record's Katie Sobko : "Frustrated residents say an added step to apply for unemployment has been a 'nightmare' and caused delays in receiving benefits as they struggled to complete their claims. The Department of Labor signed a one-year, $2 million contract with ID.me, an outside anti-fraud company, last spring to add identity verification to the application process in an effort to eliminate what officials called an unprecedented uptick in fraud during the pandemic. But claimants said they faced a variety of problems that delayed their payments: lack of understanding about how to complete ID.me verification issues communicating with the department problems linking the identity verification to their claim accessibility issues due to internet requirements 'You just don't get any straight answers and you don't get paid,' John Martucci of Middlesex County, who applied for unemployment in November, said."

REBATE BERATE — "Phil Murphy could have been a bold visionary. Instead, a new rebate gimmick for NJ ," by The Record's Charles Stile: "There was a time when New Jersey governors and lawmakers boldly transformed government … instead of bold, New Jersey gets the cautious, timid treatment in the fiscal year 2023 budget, which lawmakers are expected to approve and Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign by July 1. Murphy, who loves campaign-style slogans, called it 'The Opportunity State' budget plan. It might be better described as the 'Squandered Opportunity' budget. Confronted with a rare, once-a-generation windfall of cash, and armed with enormous one-party power, Trenton Democrats are taking the easy way out instead and avoiding the grand, if not politically difficult, investments in urban school buildings, mass transit, unemployment computer systems that failed just when the public needed them the most, during the pandemic. What's the big headline initiative this year? Rebates, the mother of all short-term crowd-pleasing political gimmicks."

PETE GENOVESE HAS TO TRAVEL ALL THE WAY TO BINGHAMTON FOR SPEEDIE TRIAL — "Courts must do more to ensure defendants' right to speedy trial, N.J. Supreme Court says ," by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: "The New Jersey Supreme Court has issued new guidance to protect defendants' right to a speedy trial, with 6,700 people in prison awaiting trial — sometimes for years — because of pandemic-related court closures and restrictions. In a unanimous Monday ruling that stems from a Burlington County murder case, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner also warned that judges may have to be reassigned to criminal cases, if the state's severe shortage of judges persists, to ensure defendants aren't incarcerated longer than two years before trial, as a 2017 state law forbids. 'When a trial cannot start at the two-year cap, a detained defendant's liberty is at stake. As a result, if judicial vacancies remain at high levels, it may be necessary to reassign judges from their responsibilities elsewhere in the court system to try criminal cases,' Rabner wrote."

Lawmakers advance bill to redo Liberty State Park after intense debate in Assembly committee, by POLITICO's Daniel O'Connor : Budget committees in both houses of the Legislature advanced a bill Monday to redevelop Liberty State Park in Jersey City, despite protests from environmentalists and some lawmakers in the Assembly … Assemblymember Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson), who represents Jersey City, is sponsoring a separate bill to protect the park against privatization, including protections for Caven Point. He joined Republicans in voting against moving the bill that advanced Monday, saying he wished the bill would be merged with his own "Liberty State Park Protection Act," NJ A2189 (20R) Mukherji said that if the state privatizes Liberty State Park, "millions of acres throughout the country become at risk of private development." "I would like to state for the record that if there is ever an effort by the DEP to sell off Caven Point or develop it, or divert it for any inappropriate use, it will be contrary to federal law and I will sue DEP … and I suspect we'll win," he said.

— "NJ lawmakers close to raising car insurance for 21% of drivers"

— "NJ bill would allow teens to work up to 50 hours a week. Here's why some oppose it"

—" Way clears committee for second term as Secretary Of State"

—"Mayors want legislature to restore energy tax receipts"

—"Countdown to July 1st: Insider NJ's budget special edition"

—" Eight months after launch, fund for immigrant workers has doled out more than $30 million"

—Bill to overhaul New Jersey's campaign finance system continues to quickly advance

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BIDEN TIME

CALDWELL POLICE URGE PEOPLE TO STOP SENDING DEATH THREATS TO GROVER CLEVELAND, AS HE'S BEEN DEAD FOR A WHILE NOW — "West Caldwell police: Former home of Supreme Court Justice Alito target of harassment ," by TAPIntoWestEssex : "Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's one-time residence in West Caldwell has been targeted for harassment, according to West Caldwell police. In a statement released by the West Caldwell Police Department Sunday night, authorities have responded to multiple calls at a residence formerly owned by Alito. 'Erroneous information was circulating on the Internet that indicated that Justice Alito still resides in West Caldwell, and individuals have been sending harassing packages to the current resident,' the WCPD said in a post on its Facebook page. Justice Alito moved out of West Caldwell just after being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007. 'The current homeowner has no affiliation with Justice Alito and deserves to live in peace in their home free from harassment, regardless of anyone's political beliefs,' police said."

— "Social media posts by Tom Kean, Jr. tell the 2022 election story"

—"How NJ groups will support abortion rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade"

—" Platkin joins with others to use 'full force of the law' in support of those seeking abortions"

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

LOCAL

LET THE MAN WITH THE BEST LAST NAME WIN — "Bridgewater mayor, superintendent split over school security ," by MyCentralJersey's Mike Deak: "Though Mayor Matthew Moench and Superintendent of Schools Robert Beers agree that protecting students is their common goal, they disagree on how it can be achieved. That disagreement became public as the mayor and superintendent issued statements and emails outlining their differences … The controversy began earlier this month when Beers presented a plan to increase security in the district at the June 14 school board meeting … That plan, which Beers said took a 'holistic' approach, called for the school district to hire an assistant district security coordinator, four security monitors and two crossing guards at the high school … But Moench was critical of the plan, saying it is 'something that we believe is not in the best interest of our students or our officers, and it is not an effective way of providing security to our school system.' Moench emphasized that 'sworn' police officers should be assigned 'in every school every day of the year.'"

COP IS CINNAMINSON TOAST — "Cinnaminson cop admits to searching database for OnlyFans woman ," by The Courier-Post's Carol Comegno: "A Cinnaminson Township police officer used department resources to look up a Florida woman from OnlyFans. Patrolman Kevin Bohn, 41, pleaded guilty recently to misusing a police database to search for information on the woman and and falsifying police records to cover his tracks, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said. Provisions of a police misconduct law in New Jersey mandate that Bohn lose his job and be permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey."

ISN'T IT IRONIC? — "Trenton cop arrested for threatening school administrator in Hamilton," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "A Trenton cop has been put on leave with pay after allegedly threatening someone at a Hamilton elementary school earlier this month, according to a city spokesman. Mercer County Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Officer Rudy Lopez was charged with two counts of harassment at Lalor Elementary School in Hamilton. Lopez, 36, a Hamilton resident allegedly verbally threatened two people on June 15 just after 8:30 a.m. at the school, according to MCPO. A source with knowledge of the arrest told the Trentonian that Lopez allegedly went to the school to discuss a bullying situation and ended up threatening an administrator."

—"Newark's Osborne Ballantyned by the Laborers"

—" Linden Republicans pick Jones as mayoral candidate"

— "In New Jersey, Ocean County Democrats are as divided as Republicans'

—"Man cleared of attempted murder charge claims 'horrific treatment' at Passaic County jail"

—" Norma Fernandez will be approved as permanent Jersey City schools superintendent, sources say"

—" Jersey City resident, 2 polish groups, suing to halt Exchange Place Redevelopment Plan"

—"Man who wrote 'cap his ass' sign about Secaucus mayor loses appeal for malicious prosecution"

—"Howes wins landslide re-election for Somerset GOP chair"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

TIME TO CHANGE THE STATE'S NICKNAME — "South Jersey farmers say Americans need to start buying local produce or they won't survive," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jason Nark: "The number of working farms has gone down, steadily, for nearly a century in the United States ... New Jersey has 9,900 farms, down from 10,300 in 2009. Meanwhile, the population increases, the demand for food along with it. Farmers lamenting the cost of supplies and fluctuating prices is nothing new, but in 2022, with staggering gasoline prices, supply-chain issues, increases in wages, fertilizer, and even cardboard, plus an increased competition beyond U.S. borders, the specter of 'For Sale' signs is haunting the Garden State. 'This year, the threat is real,' said Peter Furey, executive director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau. 'They are facing some extraordinary and unprecedented costs.'"

THAT'S SO EMU. HE WAS TAKEN BACK SUNDAY — "'Like Houdini': Vance the emu is home in West Milford after being on the loose for a week," by The Record's Matt Fagan: "Missing since last Monday, Vance the emu is back at his West Milford home. His return on Sunday turned out to be as mysterious as his disappearance. His owner, Sandy Roberto Cordasco, has no idea how he broke free of his pen or how he broke into a horse's paddock on her 13-acre property. 'He really is like Houdini,' she said. 'This guy is really living, doing his best emu thing.'"

— " Violence, verbal abuse against N.J. hospital employees rose during pandemic, survey say"

—"7 things to know about the possible Atlantic City casino workers strike"

—"NJ wildfire in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest fully contained"

—" No movies, less meat, more stress: How these NJ residents cope with inflation"

—"Work to repair collapsed I-295 wall could start this summer"

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/