News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Bollwage's threat

Monday, September 12, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Bollwage's threat

Sep 12, 2022

Presented by NextEra Energy Transmission

It's hard to read this Chris Bollwage tweet from Aug. 24 as anything but a threat.

"As I said in June the Elizabeth Education Assoc President John Griffin is planning a strike on the first week of school after rejecting a 10% plus raise. Any one who participates will never receive a promotion," Bollwage wrote, following it up with: "It is not a threat...It is a promise."

POLITICO's Carly Sitrin wrote about this late last month, but this newsletter was on hiatus that week, so here I'll link to a NJ Advance Media story in which a spokesperson for the Elizabeth Board of Education says the mayor does not have a say in promotions in the city's school district.

Technically, that should be true. But let's put it in the broader context. The Elizabeth Board of Education was a political battlefield for years before Bollwage's faction took it over. While the mayor has no official power over the board, an independent entity, to say he and his allies have no sway over it is ignoring reality. For that, I refer you to my April article about how Bollwage's allies on the board have reinforced their power by relying on dark money donations from firms that wind up getting board contracts. And those donations were solicited by a board attorney, a Bollwage ally, who plays a role in awarding those contracts.

So when the mayor insinuates that he has say in school decisions, it makes more sense to take his word for it rather than a district spokesperson trying to walk it back. But since a strike hasn't materialized, there's no way to test Bollwage's promise.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 219

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership's Ginger Gold Schnitzer, SpotlightPA's Chris Baxter

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Basking Ridge at 11 a.m. to highlight school funding.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You look at that and you say, 'Come on, man.'" — Gov. Phil Murphy on disgraced former officials still collecting pensions

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

N.J. IS HOME TO PARLIAMENT AND A BURGESS — Burgess cruises to victory in special election for Rice's Senate seat, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Irvington Council President Renee Burgess sailed to victory Friday evening in a special election to become New Jersey's newest state senator. Essex County Democrats chose Burgess to fill the seat that had long been held by former state Sen. Ron Rice (D-Essex). Rice, who served in the upper house since 1986, stepped down on Aug. 31, citing health issues.Burgess was the only declared candidate for the 28th Legislative District seat and was elected unanimously via a voice vote. "Many people have said you can't fill [Rice's] shoes, and I can't," Burgess said during a brief victory speech at Bloomfield College. "But I damn sure will have a pair next to yours. … I will do my very best … to move this 28th District forward."

N.J. STUDENTS WILL BE SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT RUDY GIULIANI WAS ONCE RESPECTED — "What should N.J. students born after 9/11 be taught about the terror attacks?" by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman and Rob Jennings: "Now, more than two decades after 19 militant Islamist extremists hijacked four airliners and targeted New York City and the nation's capital, killing nearly 3,000 people, legislators in New Jersey are seeking to make the events of 9/11 required teaching in the state's schools … The bill, S-713, would mandate school districts to teach about the events of September 11, 2001, in the curriculum of all elementary, middle, and high school student …Despite passing unanimously this past March in the Senate, the bill until this past week seemed to face an uncertain future in the Assembly — where a companion bill sponsored by two freshmen Republicans in the Democratic-controlled chamber, A-3877, sat bottled up in the Education Committee for months. Or so it appeared. But after questioned why the legislation had been sidelined for so long, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said on Thursday that the Senate bill was in fact currently under review and that 'the Assembly will ensure that school districts be required to teach the events leading up and following the September 11 terrorist attacks.'"

N.J. PLAYBOOK AUTHORS INCLUDED — Cannabis commission releases interim guidance for detecting workplace impairment, by POLITICO's Daniel Han : Employers cannot take actions against workers solely based on the detection of cannabis in their system unless the worker is prohibited by federal contracts from using cannabis. The new guidance states "adverse action," including termination, may be taken if cannabis is detected along with "evidence-based documentation of physical signs or other evidence of impairment during an employee's prescribed work hours." Under the new guidance, a staffer or third-party contractor who "[s]hould be sufficiently trained to determine impairment" would fill out a form after observing the employee in question.

—"Friendly Fire: What should NJ do about learning loss and worker health care costs?"

—" Assemblywoman [Matsikoudis]: Want to resolve the teacher shortage? Try snipping the red tape"

—"Unions prepare advocacy push ahead of expected health premiums vote "

A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON LEADING FROM THE GROUND UP: Join POLITICO's Women Rule on Sept. 15 for conversations focused on creating and leading sustainable, healthy and inclusive communities. The program will feature a Member Exchange panel followed by a keynote discussion exploring the most pressing issues facing women in their communities and women in leadership roles who are best positioned to solve these problems. REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

N.J.'s GRADUAL TAKEOVER OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONTINUES — "A Latina is the new communications director for second gentleman Doug Emhoff," by NBC News' Carmen Sesin: "Liza Acevedo is the new communications director for the country's first second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. Acevedo, who started her new role in late August, was recently the deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. As second gentleman, Emhoff, who left his job as a partner at a corporate law firm and now teaches law, has put a focus on issues around equity, especially gender equity. 'I feel very proud,' Acevedo, 28, said about her new role working with Emhoff."

— " These records show a Paterson mystery man helped 9/11 hijackers"

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LOCAL

BOSS LEVEL TROLLING — "Camden jobs ordinance makes good sense," by George Norcross for The Star-Ledger: "Today, the city's unemployment rate in July was one of the lowest in decades at 7.3%. This is a result of local hiring efforts by small businesses and corporate partners. The city and its partners have hosted citywide career fairs and training programs to connect residents with jobs that pay a livable wage. That is why Mayor Carstarphen and city council President Angel Fuentes' initiative to learn how many residents Camden businesses and organizations are employing and the employee benefits they are providing along with community financial support they donate is the right move. The findings will be important as the data will likely show the need for increased worker training and enhanced job skills."

PATERSON — "Eight Paterson firefighters hospitalized after engines collide on way to call," by The Record's Kyle Morel and AlexNussbaum: "Eight city firefighters were hospitalized, three in critical condition, after two fire engines collided on their way to a call on Main Street Saturday evening. The firefighters were rushed to St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson after the crash at Broadway and Straight Street sent one truck careening into the side of a Golden Mango supermarket and another into a tree. The three most seriously injured were in stable condition with 'non-life-threatening' injuries, Paterson Fire Chief Brian McDermott said in an interview around 8:30 p.m."

MAN WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY NEEDLE EXCHANGE SUPPORTERS FACES THIRD ASSAULT CHARGE — "Atlantic City councilman charged with child abuse, assault," by NJ Advance Media's Jeff Goldman: "and simple assault following his arrest earlier this month, according to court records. MD Hossain Morshed was arrested Sept. 1 at about 6:30 p.m., the municipal court records state. Details of the allegations against the councilman were not available Friday morning. The charge of endangering/ abuse/ neglect of a child by a non-caretaker is a third-degree offense, while simple assault is a disorderly persons offense … Morshed has a previous arrest record. In 2020, he was arrested on a simple assault charge following what he called a 'simple misunderstanding' with his wife. He was also charged with simple assault in 2013. That charge was later dismissed."

NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE AROUND A BUNCH OF BUZZKILLS — "Are N.J. towns that welcomed legal weed getting higher property values?" by NJ Advance Media's Allison Pries: "Towns that embraced New Jersey's shift to legalized marijuana sales may have helped to boost home real estate values, according to a study conducted by Rutgers New Jersey State Policy Lab. Those municipalities have seen average home sales prices increase by 1.6% more than in towns without legal weed sales, the study found. That amounts to $6,366 in higher real estate prices. Researchers looked at home sales prices from one month after the September 2021 deadline for towns to opt in or out of allowing cannabis-related businesses through May 2022. That data was compared to home sales data from the three years prior … The increase in sales prices might sound like good news if you live in one of the roughly 165 municipalities that allow cannabis-related businesses. But the researchers aren't so sure the increase is tied directly with pot shops. 'Unfortunately, our robustness checks suggest that there is not enough evidence to suggest that cannabis-related businesses caused this home price increase,' the report says. 'However, there is suggestive evidence that allowing cannabis-related businesses does not negatively impact home sale prices, at least in the short-run.'"

HUDSON DEMS SO PROUD TO STICK WITH DEGISE THAT THEY REFUSE TO BE QUOTED BY NAME — "Hudson progressives eye recall election for hit-and-run councilwoman's seat as calls for resignation dwindle," by The Jersey Journal's Joshua Rosario: "Hudson County progressives say the movement to oust the Jersey City councilwoman involved in a hit-and-run crash from office is far from over, despite the dwindling number of calls for her resignation. At-Large Councilwoman Amy DeGise, the daughter of Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, faced a second round of sharp criticism from the public at Thursday's city council meeting over the July 19 incident in which she struck cyclist Andrew Black with her SUV and fled. Of 93 people who signed up to speak, only 29 called for the 36-year-old DeGise, who ran on Mayor Steve Fulop's ticket in November, to resign from public office. While four people spoke in support of DeGise, many on the list of speakers did not step up to the mic … A source close to the Hudson County Democratic Organization, which DeGise once led, said it's not worried about a possible recall election. The general feeling of the organization is that the worst is over, especially since 'it's only the same people coming (to city council meetings.'"

THE DATA WAS LAST SEEN IN FRONT OF AMY DEGISE'S SUV — " When will Jersey City post crime stats online, and why did they disappear from website? Officials won't say," by The Jersey Journal's Ron Zeitlinger: "The Jersey City Police Department website was rudimentary, but it had all the information people needed to know: the leaders of the department and the locations of the precincts, as well as the history of the department and the names of officers who died in the line of duty. And most importantly to many city residents, crime statistics were updated monthly by precinct. Then in 2018, the website went dark and police information was moved to an updated city website. But the crime statistics, referred to as CompStat, for the program used to compile and organize them, got lost somewhere on the superinformation highway. In 2018 The Jersey Journal asked why the numbers were no longer available to the public. And the city has yet to respond."

FINING PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD A PLACE TO SLEEP SHOULD BE AS EFFECTIVE AS CUTTING DOWN TREES — "Vineland looks at legal steps to eliminate homeless sleeping, camping along streets," by The Daily Journal's Joseph P. Smith: "Issues with apparently homeless people using sidewalks and other public transit areas to sleep, or something hygienically worse, is moving the city to toughen its regulations. The city is promising fines for offenders found sleeping, camping, or otherwise misusing rights-of-way, although only if initial offers of assistance such as transport to a shelter are refused. But council members taking a first look at the proposed regulations on Tuesday night were not especially hopeful that they would be as effective as needed."

'GIVEN OUR REVIEW OF THE POLITICAL BLOWBACK' — "4 days into new school year, N.J.'s largest district ditches mask mandate," by NJ Advance Media's Rob Jennings: "The Newark public school district is ending its indoor mask mandate amid an ongoing decline in COVID-19 cases in New Jersey. 'Given our review of multiple indicators and with the advice of the Newark Health Department and our healthcare partners this evening, the mask mandate is lifted beginning Monday, September 12th,' the district's spokesperson, Nancy Deering, told NJ Advance Media on Friday night … Newark is believed to be the only district in New Jersey that required masks in buildings for the entire 2021-2022 school year"

CAMDEN GETTING HIGHER — "This could soon be [Camden's] first legal weed store. Its owners have big dreams," by NJ Advance Media's Suzette Parmley: "Manuel 'Manny' Caban is just the kind of person New Jersey's year-and-a-half-old cannabis law is designed to help. The law aims to give those with past marijuana convictions first dibs in the licensing process to open up a sales location. Not only does Caban have convictions in his past, the Camden native was raised and still lives in an impact zone, defined by the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission as an economically challenged area marked by high unemployment and poverty, and disproportionately affected by the nation's War on Drugs. Caban and his business partner, Aaron Streater, are co-owners of Loud House LLC, which aims to become Camden's first adult recreational weed dispensary, located in the heart of the city's business district … Camden passed an ordinance last year allowing up to 20 cannabis licenses, with half of them reserved for city residents and businesses."

—"'Most divisive issue': Wayne school board OKs new sex ed curriculum for four grades"

—"Ocean City Council backs 'parents bill of rights' as opposition to new curriculum persists"

—" Former Aberdeen, NJ cop gets jail time, probation for evidence tampering"

—"Trenton cop under FBI probe loses mind, flips bird at Hamilton Police during car stop "

—"Sign honoring teen killed in crash ordered removed by [Woodbridge] officials, family says"

Join POLITICO Live on Tuesday, Sept. 20 to dive into how federal regulators, members of Congress, and the White House are seeking to write the rules on digital currencies, including stablecoins. The panel will also cover the tax implications of crypto, which could be an impediment to broader adoption and the geopolitical factors that the U.S. is considering as it begins to draw regulatory frameworks for crypto. REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

WHEN IT COMES TO UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF WOMEN, THEY'RE THE SCARLET LETTER KNIGHTS — "Rutgers women win Big Ten championships, but lose out to men on athletics spending ," by The Record's Melanie Anzidei : "It was a women's team — field hockey — that earned Rutgers University its first Big Ten championship last fall. And it was a women's team — soccer — that earned Rutgers its first Big Ten regular season conference banner. But when it comes to financial support from the university, Rutgers women's teams are consistently losing out to the men's teams. The women's success comes despite the fact that Rutgers spends far more on men's teams in multiple categories, from travel and equipment to recruiting and coaches' salaries — even when you take football head coach Greg Schiano's $32 million contract out of the accounting."

—"Rutgers athletics' most recent deficit was $60M. Can Big Ten TV money stem the red tide?"

—" Drunk confession negates conviction and 19-year prison term in stolen bicycle case"

—"Teacher-student diversity gap widens in New Jersey "

R.I.P. — "Former MLB pitcher turned cop Varvaro dies in car crash"

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NextEra Energy didn't become the world's largest generator of wind and solar power overnight. We've been building and operating large-scale energy projects across North America for decades and powering New Jersey for nearly a quarter-century. Our first solar farm in the Garden State was built in West Deptford. Yet, our contributions have gone far deeper—from counseling local businesses on how to reach clean energy goals and operating battery storage facilities to providing dozens of solar sites on buildings from Cape May to High Point and working to help New Jersey reach its offshore wind goals. We know how to get big, complex projects done on time and on budget. We power homes, neighborhoods, and entire cities, all while putting customers first, prioritizing the environment, and working with local communities to create jobs and limit disruptions. NextEra Energy Transmission is committed to empowering a greener New Jersey.