News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Caven Point protection bill could advance in Assembly

Thursday, October 20, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Caven Point protection bill could advance in Assembly

Oct 20, 2022

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Anbaric Development Partners

Good Thursday morning!

Could there soon be movement on the Caven Point protection bill?

I'm told Speaker Craig Coughlin , while he hasn't said it publicly, is inclined to support the measure. That's important because he's been the big unknown. The bill has advanced through committee in the Senate, but not the lower house. My sources said they expect it to move by the end of the year.

You'll recall that billionaire Paul Fireman sought the spit of land , a migratory bird sanctuary with great Manhattan views, to build three new holes for his ultra-expensive Liberty National Golf Course. Following public backlash to quietly-inserted budget language in 2020 that appeared designed to accomplish this, Fireman publicly backed off and said he was no longer interested in the plot of land.

But a nonprofit group he funded, Liberty State Park for All, kept insisting the land needed remediation despite the DEP's statement that it didn't. And the conspicuous absence of Caven Point preservation in a Fireman-backed Liberty State Park development bill that the governor signed over the summer also raised suspicion. Then DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said that the land can't be developed because it was bought with Green Acres funds. Park advocate Sam Peson remained skeptical.

Still, I've got nothing official from Coughlin on this, so let's see what actually happens.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 256

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

WHERE'S MURPHY? — Nevada

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I lived in Williamsburg for years, where Patrick Wilson, now my business partner, was my neighbor. He disappeared and one day I bumped into him again, and I asked him where he had been. He said, 'I moved to the most amazing town, Montclair.' I'm not a stalker, I don't just follow him around, but I went to visit and I bought a house." — Luke Parker Bowles, nephew of the British queen consort

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kivvit's Chloe Yosha, former State Sen. Dawn Addiego, former Hoboken Councilmember Beth Mason, Teaneck BOE's Gerald Reiner

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

SPILLER'S OTHER 501C4, PROGRESS IN ACTION, CHANGES NAME TO PROGRESS INACTION — " Spiller, NJEA form new 'Protecting Our Democracy' organization ," by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: "Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller and the New Jersey Education Association today launched Protecting Our Democracy, an 501 (c)(4) issue advocacy organization that Spiller says will fight to "restore confidence in government and unity in our country." The organization's founding donor is the NJEA, of which Spiller is the president … Protecting Our Democracy's opening ad highlights the January 6 insurrection, abortion, and voting rights as three areas of particular emphasis. With the new group at his side, Spiller will have the ability to promote his views on those issues and more on a statewide level. That could be important if Spiller chooses to pursue higher office down the line, which is widely expected"

MENTAL HEALTH — As Murphy prioritizes youth mental health, lawmakers and advocates blast his plan to defund school-based services , by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is styling himself as the governor taking on the youth mental health crisis. But while he was celebrating his state's investments in mental health services this week, parents, educators, lawmakers and advocates were excoriating his administration for attempting to defund school-based programs they say have saved students' lives.

NORCROSSTOWN TRAFFIC— " Atlantic City Expressway will get a third lane to fix notorious bottleneck ," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "A plan to widen a two lane, 13-mile section of the Atlantic City Expressway by adding a third lane in both directions along the center median is entering the design phase, representatives of the South Jersey Transportation Authority said Wednesday. The project will ease traffic backups, authority officials said. 'Everyone knows it's the right thing to do. The back-ups start where the third lane stops,' U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., said during a media event held in Winslow Township."

— BPU audit finds South Jersey Gas overpaid for natural gas by nearly $90M

—" 'False arrest,' claims attorney for Public Integrity cop arrested at NJ bar "

—" Immigrant groups furious after bill protecting NJ temp workers' rights gets pulled "

—" Your brewery's events are strictly limited, and some restaurants want it to stay that way "

—" This is Central Jersey and it should be promoted. So says a new proposed law "

—" Bill aimed at disrupting supply chain of illegal catalytic converter trade OK'd by NJ Senate "

—" Advocates urge lawmakers to pass bill to require young drivers to get 50 hours of practice "

NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .

BIDEN TIME

DOES JEFFERSON VAN DREW COUNT JEFFERSON DAVIS? — " Van Drew calls Biden the 'worst president since the Civil War' ," by InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro: "The GOP congressman voted against certifying the 2020 election results, and tonight received a question about whether he believes Biden is now the rightful president of the country. 'I sure wish he wasn't our president,' said Van Drew .... 'You can say he's legitimate,' said the congressman. 'He's the worst president we've had since the Civil War people.' Van Drew went on to denounce the Jan. 6th committee as 'an abomination [that] was supposed to be bipartisan.'"

—" Cory Booker pushes for psychedelics reform to unlock therapeutic access "

—" N.J. mom doesn't believe U.S. Navy about son's 'Hell Week' death "

—" DeGroot calls Star-Ledger biased, says he rejected invite to meet with editorial board "

A message from Anbaric Development Partners:

LOCAL

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, A BRAWL OVER WHOSE CITY IS MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL — " Philadelphia City Council envoy visits Trenton for violence reduction summit ," by The Trentonian's A.Z. Johnson: "The Capital City got a visit from the City of Brotherly Love on Wednesday as the mayor met with a delegation from Philadelphia City Council. Mayor Reed Gusciora, Recreation Director Maria Richardson, Police Director Steve Wilson, Fire Director Kenneth Douglas, and other department heads were joined Wednesday at Trenton's City Hall by Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke and other Philadephia council members to discuss ways to reduce violent crimes. Although the meeting was not open to the public, Gusciora, Clarke, and company spoke to the media at the newly renovated North Clinton Rec Center to explain some of the strategies in place to cut down on violent crime."

—Parker: " Murphy, Big Dem Machine rumbles through Trenton "

STAFFORD LOSING SUPPORT OF POLITBURO, RISKS SIBERIAN EXILE — " Montclair CFO sues town manager claiming hostile treatment, retaliation for whistleblowing ," by The Record's Julia Martin: "Montclair's Chief Financial Officer Padmaja Rao has filed a complaint in Essex County Court against Town Manager Timothy Stafford and the township, alleging hostile treatment and retaliation by Stafford. In the complaint, Rao alleges that Stafford has perpetuated a 'severe and pervasive hostile work environment,' harassing her with 'bellicose, threatening conduct' because she was engaged in whistleblowing activities. She also alleges that Stafford has demonstrated "'he same demeaning and derogatory behaviors,' toward other former female department heads and that Stafford's behavior toward them was a major factor in their decisions to leave. There are several times outlined in the complaint when Rao allegedly tried to "blow the whistle" on potentially illegal activities and met hostility and retaliation from Stafford. An email sent to the township seeking comment was not immediately returned, but Councilor Peter Yacobellis emailed a comment calling for Stafford to be removed and asked his colleagues to join him."

THE THICK GREEN MONEY CLIP – " Accused Edison cops suspended without pay, after collecting $1.4M amid stalled prosecution ," by NJ Advance Media's Riley Yates: "More than two years and $1.4 million later, four accused Edison police officers have been placed on unpaid suspensions after authorities revived their long-stalled prosecution. On Friday, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced new indictments against those officers, who are accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars through no-show work at off-duty jobs. ...

"[B]ecause a Superior Court judge threw out the original indictment, they had been paid to stay home since July 2020, as Edison said it could not fire the four until the criminal case is resolved. With the revived charges, the officers were placed back on unpaid suspension on Oct. 7, said Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan"

PERTH AMBOY — " Rents can't go up more than 3% in this N.J. city as council adopts new rent control rules ," by NJ Advance Media's Camille Furst: "For the first time in more than 30 years, the Perth Amboy city council voted last week to slow down the rate of rent increases for tenants. In previous years, Perth Amboy landlords could raise rents by 5% annually under the city's rent control rules. But under a new ordinance approved last week, tenants will only see a maximum increase of 3% at the end of their lease — or a maximum of a 2.5% hike if they also pay their unit's water bill. The new rules apply to buildings with four or more units."

FLUFF PIECE — " Fire at EMR sends foul smell into air in, around Camden ," by The Courier-Post's Phaedra Trethan: " Another fire broke out at EMR's automotive recycling facility in South Camden Tuesday evening, at least the third major fire at the site in the last 20 months. Several Camden residents reached out to the Courier-Post to complain about smoke, noxious odors and concerns about air quality in the neighborhood. Camden Fire Chief Michael Harper confirmed the fire was in a pile of 'fluff,' industrial waste material that can ignite in cold temperatures. Lows in South Jersey dipped into the 40s on Tuesday night, and Harper said temperatures contributed to the spread of the smell."

LIGHTS, CAMERA, TRAFFIC! — "In Fort Lee, a $16M film center opens, a shrine to the movies — and the Barrymores ," by The Record's Jim Beckerman: "The new $16 million Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, finally opening Oct. 21 after two years of COVID-related delays, is a lot of things. It's a museum. It's a 267-seat repertory film theater. It's a reception space. It's a tribute to Fort Lee's role, 120 years ago, as the birthplace of the movie industry. It's also a monument — the greatest since Joyce Kilmer — to a tree. The branching, forking family tree of America's greatest acting dynasty, the Barrymores, takes up an entire wall of the museum area. They, too, have roots in Fort Lee."

NJ GOP LAMENT LOSING JERSEY CITY AS EXAMPLE OF HOW PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM IS UNFAIR TO SUBURBIA — " Jersey City property owners can brace for more pain in fourth-quarter tax bill ," by The Jersey Journal's Ron Zeitlinger: "Jersey City homeowners who were whacked with a whopping third-quarter property tax bill should brace for another stinging blow in the final quarter of 2022. The 1-2 punch comes courtesy of one, an average $1,200 school tax increase that was reflected in the third quarter bill of property owners; and two, an average municipal tax increase of roughly $1,160 after the Jersey City City Council approved a $724.8 million spending plan at a special meeting Tuesday. Combined with a slight increase in county taxes, homeowners are dealing with an approximately $2,300 property tax jolt."

NO OLIVE BRANCH — " Mount Olive suspends superintendent. He plans to sue. Parents just want answers. ," by the New Jersey Herald's Kyle Morel: "The Mount Olive board of education voted to suspend Superintendent Robert Zywicki on Monday, after he filed legal notice of his intent to sue two school board members for $10.2 million. Neither side is saying what triggered the conflict, leaving parents in one of Morris County's largest school districts to complain that they were being kept in the dark."

—" 'This didn't have to happen.' Residents displaced by East Orange fire say city ignored their concerns "

—" NJ town council candidate rails against LGBTQ community "

—Moran: " Solar trash cans at $4,400 a pop in Paterson? Say what? "

—" Frustrated Jersey City Council approves $724.8M budget, Solomon & Gilmore vote no "

—" Politics frame crowded North Hunterdon-Voorhees school board election "

—" Some in Middle Township express concerns about planned cannabis dispensary in Rio Grande "

—" Ocean Township mayor quits after Murphy appointment to run Monmouth County elections "

—" No more Democrats and Republicans in Red Bank? Voters asked to change town government "

—" Peter Eagler returns in person to Clifton City Council following lengthy illness, recovery "

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

R.I.P. — " PATCO train that killed 2 workers was on a track that was supposed to be shut down, federal agency says ," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Robert Moran: "Two union subcontractors who were struck and killed by a PATCO train Friday night on the Ben Franklin Bridge were on a track that was supposed to be shut down for planned concrete work, according to a federal agency investigating the accident. The men, identified as Victor Martins and Donato Fiocca by their union, the Cement Masons' & Plasterers' Union Local No. 592, were on the bridge when a westbound PATCO train hit them around 9:20 p.m. The men were pronounced dead at the scene. None of the 68 passengers on the train were injured. 'There was a planned outage on track 2 for contract concrete work. Preliminary information indicates that at the time of the accident, track 2 had not been taken out of service when the contractors entered the bridge in a close clearance area,'said Jennifer Gabris, spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, in an emailed statement Wednesday."

CAROLE MIDDLETOWN, PRINCESS OF WALL — " Find out why Kate's mom Carole Middleton visited ShopRite locations in New Jersey ," by People's Stephanie Petit: "Kate Middleton's mother made a trip across the pond to visit ShopRite grocery stores in New Jersey, where her brand Party Pieces is now being sold for the first time outside the U.K. In photos shared on the brand's Instagram page Tuesday, Carole browses the aisles where balloons, gift bags, themed plates and more are displayed next to photos of the creator."

GROWN MAN ALLEGEDLY OFFERED CASH TO A CHILD TO PLAY A GAME — " NJSIAA suspends Paramus Catholic football coach Greg Russo after appeal hearing ," by The Record's Darren Cooper: "The NJSIAA executive committee amended the controversies committee's punishments against Paramus Catholic for recruiting, suspending Paladins head coach Greg Russo for the first four games of next season and suspending assistant coach Christian Maldonado until the end of the school's probationary period … In an unprecedented move, Belleville High School appealed the controversies committee's decision at Wednesday's meeting, believing that the punishments against Paramus Catholic were too lenient after it was found guilty of recruiting a Belleville football player using texts and possible cash inducements … The executive committee heard from both sides, then went into executive session for almost an hour. They had the options to affirm, reverse or modify the decision, and chose to increase the punishment, citing a 'lack of institutional control.'"

—" Production company owes Drew University over $130K for filming on campus, lawsuit claims "

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Our projects have been thoughtfully developed to move forward on day one in collaboration with the communities in which we will operate. Anbaric's Boardwalk Power Link leverages an ideal onshore location, significant permitting advantages, and unique partnerships to deliver energy from offshore wind turbines to shore and into the heart of New Jersey, via a route buried in the public right of way. Our planned transmission vision is ready to be made reality—to support industry growth and protect New Jersey's ratepayers and environment.

Read more about how Anbaric's experience as a planned transmission advocate sets our project apart.